The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1167

Stella gripped the pistol tightly, her face drawn and tense.

She waited, found an opening, and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

Her shot hit a man square in the leg.

All that time spent at the shooting range hadn’t been for nothing, she realized—though she’d never imagined it would come to this.

This wasn’t some drill or simulation; it was terrifyingly real. Her hands shook, her aim wavered, and while she wasn’t perfectly accurate, at least she hadn’t missed so badly as to hit Joshua by mistake.

Unlike Joshua, whose calm decisiveness was almost frightening—one shot, one kill—Stella found it impossible to be so ruthless. She couldn’t just pull the trigger and end a life with a single bullet to the head.

After firing several shots in quick succession, she drew the attention of the assassins.

Stella didn’t dare shoot again. She hastily tucked the gun away and ducked behind cover, heart pounding.

As the killers shifted their focus toward her, Joshua’s eyes turned icy.

He squeezed the trigger without hesitation, and the men in front of him dropped one after another.

Pop, pop, pop!

Silenced bullets flew from his gun, swift and lethal.

Anyone who tried to chase after Stella fell before they got far.

Every shot Joshua fired was perfectly placed—he never missed.

Desperate not to be found, Stella bolted deeper into the woods, running for her life.

She could hear the gunfire behind her, the thud of footsteps closing in.

Someone was coming after her!

She didn’t dare stop or even look back. Brambles tore at her calves and arms, leaving stinging, burning cuts.

She didn’t know how long she ran before the world around her fell silent; even the footsteps had faded.

Breathless, Stella slumped down behind a dense thicket, trying to catch her breath. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest like a frantic drum.

The path grew slick and treacherous. Stella slowed her pace, picking her way carefully.

She didn’t notice the rock underfoot until it was too late. Her foot slipped, and she went sprawling.

A jagged stone slashed her arm, leaving a long, bleeding cut.

No matter how tough she tried to be, Stella couldn’t stifle a sharp gasp of pain.

The forest seemed endless. Even if Joshua came looking, it would take him ages to find her in this vast wilderness.

She huddled beneath a large, leafy tree, hoping for a little respite from the rain.

So she gave up and stayed put, shivering in the darkness.

Time crawled by. Eventually, the rain eased, tapering off until only a few drops fell through the leaves overhead.