The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

At that moment, Joshua shrugged off his own jacket and draped it over Keen's head, leaving himself soaked through.

Keen had caught a bit of the rain, but with Joshua shielding him so firmly, he looked far less bedraggled.

Stella hurried over, worry etched on her face. "Keen, are you alright?"

Keen shook his head. "I'm fine, Mom. Mr. Joshua gave me his jacket, so I'm really okay."

Stella's eyes flickered with a complicated mix of emotions. "Thank you, Joshua." Joshua just wiped his face with a damp sleeve and gave an easy smile. "I'm your assistant, Mrs. O'Brien. Making sure your son's safe is part of the job."

Only then did Stella remember-she'd barely returned to the lounge area when Joshua had disappeared. She'd assumed he'd gone off to watch an interesting game or try his hand at something.

Her gaze shifted to Keen, her expression turning stern.

"Keen, why did you run off on your own again? Do you have any idea how many people worry about your safety?"

As Stella scolded Keen, Rachel stepped forward like she always did, trying to play peacemaker.

"Ms. Cameron, Keen's just a kid. Don't be so hard on him. He—"

Stella cut her off, her tone icy. "How I raise my child is none of your business. This isn't a conversation you need to stick your nose into."

Rachel faltered, then felt a surge of secret delight. With so many people watching, Stella's sharp words practically confirmed she was being bullied. Surely everyone's sympathy would be on her side now.

Tears welled in Rachel's eyes, her face the picture of wounded innocence.

"Ms. Cameron, I just think Keen's not a naughty child. If he disappeared, hẹ must have had a reason. He's sQ clever we could talk to him calmly, and he'd understand-"

Stella's gaze turned glacial. "If talking actually worked, do you think he'd keep sneaking off like this?"

Her eyes flicked to Rachel's

reddening eyes. "If you're so eager to meddle in someone else's parenting, why not have a child of your own? Then you can raise them however you like. Heck, you could even volunteer to be someone's nanny and no one would say a word. That way, you can stop interfering with mine."

There was nothing gentle in Stella's words—she was brutally direct.

Rachel's tears spilled over immediately. Instinctively, she looked to Haynes, hoping for rescue, her sorrowful gaze pleading.

"Haynie, I—I only meant well for Keen. I didn't mean anything else..."

She forced a small, tremulous smile. "I guess I overstepped. Since Ms. Cameronnoveldrama

doesn't want me here, I'll just go. No need for me to be in her way."

With her head bowed, she turned toward the rain, as if prepared to walk off into the storm.

But the scene fell into an odd, heavy silence.

Normally, Haynes would have stopped her out of concern for her health. But today, he stood rooted in place, silent, making no move to keep her from leaving.

Rachel glanced sidelong at Joshua, but he didn't even look her way he was preoccupied, rubbing his face dry with a towel.

A chill ran through her, mingled with a creeping sense of unease.

What was happening? Where had things gone wrong?

Staring at the sheets of rain ahead, Rachel felt caught in a dilemma-unable to advance or retreat.

But she had always been brave enough to play the victim when needed Gritting her teeth she steeled herself to dash into the downpour-when Stella's voice called out.

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