The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Aurora spotted Haynes immediately, along with the group gathered around him. She asked, "Which one are you talking about? Haynes' friend-Foreman?"

Simone shook her head. "No, someone else."

Aurora's gaze drifted to a tall man with striking, refined features.

At that moment, it seemed half the room was sneaking glances in their direction.

Haynes, Foreman, and Joshua stood out from the crowd, impossible to ignore, whether for their looks or their presence. Eyes naturally gravitated toward them.

Aurora said, "I don't know that one, but I think I've seen him with Stella before. At the last charity auction, I'm pretty sure he was there with her. Must be a friend of hers."

Simone's eyes remained fixed on the man's face. "He's... different," she murmured.

Aurora turned, grinning. "You're interested in him?"

Simone didn't bother to deny it. “Yes, I am. He caught my attention."

Aurora was a little surprised by her candor and sized Joshua up once more. The man really was striking-good-looking enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with her three brothers, and certainly not outshone by Haynes or Foreman. No wonder Simone had noticed him.

Aurora laughed. "So you have a thing for handsome men, huh?"

But in Aurora's book, "handsome" was a high bar-she reserved that label for men who scored at least a ninety-five out of a hundred.

Both Simone and Aurora came from prominent families, with admirers lining up for miles. Many suitors were attractive, some even accomplished, but Simone dismissed them all without a second thought.

Now, seeing her show interest in a man whose background was a mystery, but whose looks were undeniable, was a surprise for Aurora.

Her own standards were

different-looks were nice, but an eighty-five was plenty. Family background and ability, though, those were non-negotiable. Aufora had no time for men who were all style and no substance. She wanted someone with power and influence, a man who could help her climb higher. To her, men were simply a means to an end.

After all these years as friends, Simone could easily guess what Aurora was thinking.

"I don't think he's just anyone," Simone said quietly.

Aurora considered her. "If you're really interested, I could ask Leonard to look into him for you."

Simone shook her head. "No, I want to find out for myself first."

Aurora glanced at the group not far away. "Come on, let's go say hello."

Simone, eager to meet Joshua, didn't refuse. Together, they made their way over.

"Keen, Mr. O'Brien, fancy meeting you two here."

Aurora's voice cut through the tense air like a gentle breeze.

Keen's eyes lit up when he saw her. "Aurora!"

She smiled warmly and reached out to ruffle his hair. "Are you here to cheer on your mom?"

After learning that Stella played violin, Aurora had a hunch she'd enter this sort of competition.noveldrama

Keen hesitated, then nodded without thinking. He still wasn't sure if his dad had brought him looking forè Rachel or for his mom But since he hadn't spotted Rachel yet and had just cheered for his mom, he supposed it counted as coming for her. śwnovel

Haynes turned to Aurora. "Ms. Williams, what brings you here?”

Aurora replied, "The winner of this competition gets to represent е Novaris in the international finals. I'm one of the contestants from Solmars, so I wanted to check out the local talent."

To ensure fairness, this year's event was open to the public.