The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1055

The sound of polished shoes echoed down the hallway, drawing closer with every step.

Simone’s nerves instantly snapped taut.

Should she keep pretending to be asleep?

She hesitated, weighing her options, but then a distorted male voice, filtered through some kind of voice changer, broke the silence.

“I know you’re awake.”

Since her cover was blown, Simone didn’t bother to keep up the pretense. Lifting her head, she demanded, “Who are you? Why did you kidnap me? Is it money you’re after?”

The man replied coolly, “Money is the least of my concerns.”

Her heart sank. “Then what do you want?”

He gave a low, mocking laugh. “I have some unfinished business with Leonard. Kidnapping you, Miss Lerman, is all about him. I’ve set a trap here, just waiting for your brother to fall into it.

I’ve heard you and Leonard are full siblings, inseparable since childhood. I’m curious—will you sacrifice yourself to save your dear brother from my scheme?”

Simone wasn’t naive. In a situation like this, unless someone rescued her, she was as good as dead. Still, she didn’t rush to ask for a call to Leonard. Instead, she tried to stall for time and fish for more information.

“Who are you, really? What did my brother ever do to you?”

She hesitated, then added, “I’m just a woman—dragging me into whatever grudge you men have seems pretty low, don’t you think?”

The man let out another strange laugh. “A grudge between men? Your brother never cared about that when he went after women.”

“Was it Stella who sent you?!” she blurted out.

Leonard had once used the same tactic against Stella, threatening her through her friends when he didn’t dare confront her directly.

The man paused. “Stella? Why do you blame everything on her? Couldn’t I be working for Abby Murphy? Your brother used Abby to threaten Stella, even ruined her hand. Abby hates you both with a passion. Don’t underestimate her. And their friend, Antoney Watson—he’s the next in line for the Watson family estate. Pulling together a team to abduct you? Child’s play for him.”

Simone narrowed her eyes. “Are you defending Stella?”

“No,” he replied flatly. “I just want you and Leonard to know exactly why you’re going to die. Today, there’s no way Leonard is walking out of here alive.”

Simone didn’t have time to analyze whether the mastermind was Stella or Abby. All that mattered was the thirty-minute deadline. If Leonard got her call and acted immediately—even if he was far away, with access to a helicopter, he could make it.

She just had to hold on until then.