The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Joshua handed the bouquet of baby's breath to Stella.

"Congratulations on your victory, Ms. Cameron."

Stella looked at the flowers in his hands. Baby's breath-her favorite. Abby must have told him, she thought.

She accepted the bouquet with a warm smile. "Thank you."

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. When Haynes stepped out, the first thing he saw was Stella, beaming as she took the flowers from Joshua. The joy on her face—so bright and genuine-was nothing like the cool indifference she always reserved for him.

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Joshua glanced in Haynes's direction. His eyes fell on the roses in Haynes's hand.

Raising an eyebrow, Joshua said, "Mr. O'Brien, are you here to give Ms. Cameron flowers?"

Haynes's expression was distant and cold. "That's none of your business."

Joshua chuckled. "Just a friendly tip, Mr. O'Brien-if you're going to give a lady flowers, you should at least pick the kind she actually likes. Not every woman wants roses. Ms. Cameron prefers baby's breath."

Instinctively, Haynes looked at Stella. She was fussing with the bouquet, her affection for the delicate blossoms obvious. There was nothing fake about it.

A shadow crossed his eyes, and his voice turned rough. "Star, I—”

Without sparing him a glance, Stella looked up at Joshua. "It's getting late. Let's go."

Joshua took her violin case. "Of course. Ms. Murphy has already booked a table for us. We should head over."

Stella nodded and started to leave.

Haynes moved to follow, but Joshua smoothly stepped in his path.

"Mr. O'Brien, today is an important day for Ms. Cameron. I'd advise you not to rain on her parade."

A cold light flickered in Haynes's eyes. "So if I join them, I ruin the mood, but if you go, it's somehow a bonus?"

Joshua gave a helpless little smile. "Mr. O'Brien, you were married to Ms. Cameron for five years, and you still don't know her favorite flower. You're her ex-husband now, but no one likes to be reminded of how little they mattered. If you insist on joining us and end up doing something else she dislikes... well, wouldn't that just make things worse?"

He met Haynes's steely gaze. "Wouldn't you say that's spoiling the celebration?"

Haynes froze, his feet rooted to the spot.

Without another word, Joshua turned and walked away.

Haynes stood there, watching as Stella's figure faded into the distance. A heavy ache settled in his chest.

"Haynie," Rachel said quietly, coming up beside him. "Ms. Cameron's already left. Let's head back too."

His expression remained distant. "Go ahead without me."

Rachel stared at him in disbelief. Was Haynes really refusing to give her a ride?noveldrama

Just then, more footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Mr. Walden and a few of his students emerged, half-carrying a thoroughly disheveled Harry.

Harry had really outdone himself tonight. Though he was Mr. Walden's protégé and a prodigy on the violin, his abrasive personality and ruthless ambition had earned him plenty of enemies. Tonight, he'd finally gotten what he deserved-and most people couldn't be happier to see it.

Some didn't even bother to hide their schadenfreude; they posted videos of Harry's humiliating outburst online, tagging him with captions like, "Maybe it's time to quit for good."

Musicians who'd long nursed a

grudge against him, but never had the chance to confront him directly seized the opportunity-calling and messaging him, pretending not to know what happened, their words thick with feigned sympathy, each one pouring salt in his wounds.