The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1143

Fortune favors the bold, Stella thought. Taking risks was dangerous, but there was no reward without them.

She said, “There’s no reconciling things between Leonard and me. One of us will have to fall. Leonard and Israel—they’re both going to do everything in their power to trip me up. They haven’t come after me yet, but that’s only because the timing isn’t right. Instead of sitting back and waiting for their attack, why not strike first?”

She paused, then added, “Actually, this might be the best chance I’ll ever get. As for the losses…”

Her tone was calm and even. “If Leonard and Israel ever get an opening, the damage to me won’t be any less than it is now. The end result would be just the same. So why not use this opportunity to seize the initiative and teach them both a lesson?”

When she finished speaking, she noticed Haynes studying her with a look she hadn’t seen before.

Stella raised an eyebrow. “What is it? Have I missed something? Did I overlook a flaw in my plan?”

These days, she’d learned to take others’ opinions seriously—even Aicken’s advice, she’d listen to with care. You had to be grounded when you were new; overreaching only led to failure.

Haynes’s gaze was thoughtful, almost conflicted. “No, your reasoning is sound. You’ve covered every angle, and honestly, I’m impressed. You’ve grown so much, so quickly.”

Stella had only been back in the Williams family for a few months, but her sharp, instinctive way of approaching problems was the mark of real talent. Sure, she’d had help from others, but if she hadn’t taken things to heart, no strategist in the world could have brought her this far.

Haynes admitted, “Star, I underestimated you before. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Haynes gave her a long, meaningful look. “The crisis is affecting their funds, sure, but that’s not the root cause. And since Foreman keeps turning down my help, I can’t be sure what’s really going on.”

He hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. “The reason I haven’t stepped in is because I don’t have the full picture. If I act blindly, I might do more harm than good. To fix this, I need to know all the facts.”

But Foreman insisted he didn’t want to drag the O’Brien Group into the mess, so Haynes’s hands were tied. He couldn’t risk making things worse based on guesswork alone.

Noticing Stella’s quiet, pensive expression, Haynes explained himself, hoping to clear up any misunderstanding. His gaze lingered on her, thoughtful, as she mulled things over.