The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1955

Back then, I just thought the music was beautiful. But now, you are the remedy.

You mean infinitely more to me today than you did back then."

Stella remained skeptical, her brows drawing together. "Is my playing really that magical?"

Joshua reasoned smoothly, "You know as well as I do that psychological therapy often trumps clinical medication.

There are countless documented cases. Do you want me to pull the medical files for you?"

Stella stood quietly for a few seconds before finally caving.

"Fine. We'll try the music therapy. But..."

She tipped her chin up, locking eyes with his strikingly handsome face. "If your condition doesn't improve in one month, then..."

Joshua pressed a finger to her lips, cutting her off with a devastating smile.

"Then you get the final say."

The harsh tension knotting her shoulders finally began to dissolve.

But a sudden thought made her eyes narrow. "And Joshua, if I ever catch you harming yourself again, this entire deal is completely void."

"Agreed," he promised softly.

...

The following morning, Stella prepared to visit Old Mr. Wyatt to have her hand evaluated.

Joshua immediately offered to accompany her, but she shot the idea down.

"Sellers Burton was just released," Stella explained, grabbing her purse. "If Mr. Burton sees you, it's only going to spark a massive fight.

You need to keep a low profile right now. Zenia can drive me."

Zenia was one of her newly hired assistants—and a corporate plant secretly reporting directly to Joshua.

Stella hadn't even bothered to call him out on it.

The older man paused, a sarcastic sneer twisting his weathered features. "That Gardner boy is a ruthless bastard, but I suppose he was generous enough to leave a medical team to patch Sellers up."

Stella swallowed hard, utterly speechless.

"Generous" was the absolute last word on earth anyone would use to describe Joshua.

"I've already got my people hunting for a specialist for the boy," Mr. Burton muttered, leaning back in his armchair. "And don't bother thanking me. I'm just trying to make sure the psycho doesn't snap and decide to finish Sellers off next week."

Stella knew the older man had a viciously sharp tongue, but considering Sellers was now permanently disfigured and disabled, Mr. Burton was actually showing an incredible amount of restraint.

Shifting the conversation, Stella brought up the music therapy idea they had discussed the night before.

"That's why I'm here to see Old Mr. Wyatt today. I need to know if my hand can handle extended sessions on the violin."

Mr. Burton let out a harsh scoff. "You don't need to bother the old quack for that. I can give you the diagnosis right now: Absolutely not.

You can play for half an hour a day, tops. Push it any further, and you'll ruin those tendons for good."