The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

“Star, your media coverage has been completely drowned out by Karl,” Abby said with a mischievous grin. "Even though our livestream got taken down almost instantly, you can't stop all the tech geniuses online. Someone recorded Karl's entire broadcast and, out of the goodness of their hearts, shared it everywhere."

She leaned in conspiratorially. "Now the internet is flooded with Karl's explicit photos."

Abby practically beamed with schadenfreude. "There's been an attempt to clean things up over here, but it's obvious no one's really trying. The so-called cleanup is sluggish at best. Anyone who wants to see those photos has already seen them. Karl's reputation is in ruins this time."

When it came to burying scandal, The O'Brien Group had always been the undisputed masters. If Haynes had wanted to suppress the story, no one online would have seen a trace of it. But after he learned about the incident, he hadn't lifted a finger to help. Instead, Karl's disgrace had been allowed to spread like wildfire.

It wasn't long ago that Haynes had also received word of Stella's car accident.

Inside The O'Brien Group's headquarters, Benson entered the office and saw Foreman, who'd only just arrived.

"Mr. Richards, good to see you," Benson greeted with a polite smile.

Foreman gave him a slight nod.

Benson handed a folder of investigation results to Haynes, then quietly left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Haynes began to leaf through the documents with increasing speed. The more he read, the colder his expression became.

"This Karl-he never learns, does he? After what happened last time, he still dared to lay a hand on Star!" Haynes's voice was icy.

Foreman glanced at him. “Haynie, are you sure you had nothing to do with what happened to Karl this time?" Haynes met his eyes. “You think I'd lie to you?”

Foreman chuckled quickly. "That's

vel

not what I meant. It's just... Ms. Cameron was barely out of the hospital after her accident, and. suddenly Karl's scandal gets broadcasted worldwide. The timing is almost too perfect. I figured maybe you were avenging her."

Haynes shook his head. "When I sent people to track down Karl, he'd already slipped out of Neo-Vespera― vanished without a trace. Besides..."

He paused, searching for words. As satisfying as public humiliation might be, this kind of payback wasn't his style. His idea of revenge was always more..... physical. The kind that left bruises, not tabloid headlines. Clearly, he still had much to learn.

Foreman prodded, "If it wasn't you, Haynie, then who? Someone from the Williams family?"

Haynes immediately dismissed the

idea. "Definitely not them. If the

Williams family wanted revenge,

they'd do it behind closed doors, net

They care about appearances above all else. They might not flinchat a private vendetta, but dragging something this shameful into the open would be tantamount to declaring war."

Foreman looked thoughtful. “If not them, then who? Neville? Antoney?”

Haynes shook his head again. "Not Neville. He's ruthless, sure, but he prefers to keep things above board. He'd never come up with something so underhanded. As for Antoney... he hasn't even returned to the Watson family yet. He couldn't stir up

anything this major. Plus Nicollenoveldrama

Watson would never allow his son to

create such a public spectacle."

In truth, Foreman's visit today was a test—to see if Haynes was involved. Now, he was mostly convinced Haynes had nothing to do with it.

Still, he frowned in puzzlement. “If not them, who else has both the motive and the means to pull this off?"

Haynes's eyes darkened, the color deepening like ink bleeding across a page. He narrowed them, then exhaled a single name.

"Joshua."