The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Harry had never experienced such a crushing defeat and humiliation before. The blow left him dazed and dispirited, a shadow of his usual self.

Mr. Walden, accompanied by Rena and the others, hurried to take Harry home.

Watching Harry's fragile state, Mr. Walden couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Losing to Stella—a completely unexpected contender-would be a bitter pill for Harry to swallow. He doubted the boy would recover from this setback any time soon.

As they made their way outside, Mr. Walden caught sight of Haynes, holding a bouquet of flowers, with Rachel at his side.

Rachel gave a polite nod. "Professor."

Mr. Walden's expression was frosty; he didn't even glance her way, making it clear he had no intention of responding.

Rachel hesitated, caught off guard by his coldness. It didn't take her long to realize Mr. Walden was blaming her for the whole business with Harry and Stella's bet.

But what did any of this have to do with her? It was Mr. Walden who had recruited Harry, and Harry himself who had proposed the wager. Still, Rachel kept her frustration to herself, putting on a look of hurt innocence instead.

"Is Harry all right?" she asked quietly.

Colby Martinez replied, "He'll be fine. He just needs some rest."

Haynes knew he couldn't ignore Mr. Walden either. He greeted him evenly, "Professor Walden."

At last, Mr. Walden turned, fixing Haynes with a piercing, hawk-like stare that belied his age.noveldrama

"Mr. O'Brien," he said, voice tight, "I've never done you any wrong. Why go out of your way to sabotage me?"

Haynes blinked, genuinely confused. "I sabotaged you?"

A bitter smile flickered at the edges of Mr. Walden's lips. "I originally wanted to recruit Stella. But you- you insisted she was just a

housewife who knew nothing ne

pushed Rachel on me instead. She really doesn't know anything, does she? Can't do a thing-except conjure up 'The Gaze' and defeat Harry in front of everyone."

"You belittled her, made her out to be useless, and convinced me to take Rachel as my student. And

what's happened since then?" Met

Walden's icy gaze landed on Rachel.

"Since I took her on, I've had nothing I but trouble and scandal. Now

Harry's been dragged into this mess as well. You really did recommend me a stellar student, Haynes!"

Stella's victory over Harry had made her a star overnight. Harry's reputation was in tatters, and so was Mr. Walden's-years of hard-earned respect undone in a single day.

Haynes remembered the crowd's admiration, the cheers for Stella just moments ago. It hit him then, with a clarity he'd never had in five years of marriage-his wife was extraordinary, dazzling in ways he'd never imagined.

He stayed silent, guilt gnawing at him. He had handed over Stella's opportunity to Rachel, never realizing what he'd lost.

Mr. Walden, having said his piece, ignored both Haynes and Rachel and walked away.

Even after they got in the car, Rena couldn't keep quiet. “Professor, if Haynes hadn't misled you, none of this would've happened. We

wouldn't be humiliated today,l

Harry wouldn't be in such a state. That Haynes really had ulterior motives!"

Johnny chimed in, "Didn't you also ask Haynes to help you find that prodigy? He claimed he never found anyone, but now I wonder-did he even look? Maybe he already found her and just kept it to himself."

David added, "Haynes is trouble, and Rachel's so close to him—I doubt she's any better. Maybe we ought to expel her from the studio. If you ask me, she's at the root of all this mess."