The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1206

The next day, as expected, the news of Joshua's killing hit the headlines. Stella was already a public figure, and any news related to her generated massive discussion. Her dramatic family history and meteoric rise—from a violin prodigy who reached the pinnacle of her craft to a business magnate who conquered the corporate world—made her a subject of envy, jealousy, and loathing in equal measure.

Now that they had caught her in a misstep, her detractors were out in full force, eager to tear her down.

Stella received calls from both Haynes and Neville Connolly, each offering to help manage the crisis.

"No, thank you," she told them both. "I have a plan for this."

Trusting her judgment, neither man pressed the issue. Stella let the negative press fester, limiting her public appearances. Worried that Joshua might be struggling with the pressure of the online attacks, she reassured him, "Don't worry about any of this. I'll take care of it."

Joshua offered a faint smile. "I know. You'll protect me."

Just then, a knock came at her office door. Aicken peeked in. "Ms. Cameron, you have a visitor. Should I send them in?"

Stella sighed, assuming it was another shareholder coming to persuade her to fire Joshua. While some were acting out of malice, she knew a few genuinely had her best interests at heart. As she would need their support when she officially joined The Williams Group, she couldn't afford to alienate them.

"Please, show them in."

To her surprise, it wasn't a shareholder who entered, but Foreman Richards.

She stood up. "Foreman, what are you doing here?"

Stella's expression flickered. She couldn't tell Foreman about Joshua's condition. "It's complicated. You can't blame Joshua entirely for what happened."

Seeing that she wasn't going to elaborate, a flicker of coldness passed through Foreman's eyes. Even after Joshua had killed a man right in front of her, she didn't seem to find him monstrous. Instead, she was determined to protect him.

This Joshua had to go. He couldn't be allowed to stay by her side.

"Star, how do you plan to handle this?" Foreman asked. "The rumors are doing a lot of damage to your reputation. If this isn't managed properly, it could seriously impact your career."

"Don't worry, Foreman," Stella replied calmly. "I've already figured out the best way to resolve this."