The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1676

Simone had no defenses up against Joshua.

Now that he had finally reached out to her, she was so thrilled she wanted to tell him everything she knew. Every extra minute she got to spend on the phone with him felt like a blessing.

As for whether she was betraying Leonard… that wasn't even a consideration. Joshua was more important than anyone, even her own brother.

The call between Joshua and Simone lasted for a long time, well over half an hour.

Joshua barely spoke, occasionally murmuring a response to show he was still listening.

Stella and Abby had no idea what Simone was saying, but they saw Joshua's expression grow colder and colder, until even the faint smile he usually wore vanished completely.

The reason Stella and Abby had never suspected Joshua's true identity was due to his demeanor. The first impression he gave was that of a simple, sunny, and cheerful young man in his early twenties, fresh out of college with clear eyes. The harmless smile that always played on his lips completely masked the depth and ruthlessness of a family patriarch.

This was also why Abby, even after learning he was the head of the Gardner family and hearing the rumors about him, never found him particularly terrifying.

It wasn't until she saw him deal with Prince Wright that she was shocked into realizing his bright, harmless exterior was just a facade. His methods were in no way inferior to Leonard's.

Someone like Joshua, who excelled at hiding his true nature, was far more dangerous than the straightforwardly brutal Leonard.

Abby sometimes wondered how Joshua would treat Stella if she didn't like him or if their goals were opposed.

A highly intelligent man like Joshua would be difficult for Stella to handle. He would likely have her wrapped around his finger in the future.

Now that the smile was gone, Joshua's expression turned icy. The intimidating air that his smile had always masked now fully resurfaced. A sudden chill seemed to settle over the room, and the air grew heavy.

Abby swallowed nervously. It was obvious this was not a situation she could handle. Lacking any backbone, she said to Stella, "Star, um… I have something to do, so I'm gonna head out."

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