The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Without waiting for Rachel's reply, he followed her inside.

Keen and Marvin were still sitting on either side of Stella, one to her left and one to her right.

Neville had taken a seat next to Marvin, while Haynes, who'd come along as well, was now on Keen's other side.

Just then, a pale figure slipped in and sat down next to Haynes.

Startled, Haynes turned to her. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't supposed to go on these kinds of rides with your health issues."

Rachel's voice was soft and gentle. "I've been feeling much better lately, actually. Besides, Keen just said that if you never get any exercise, you'll end up even worse off. And I've never been on a pirate ship ride before, so I thought I'd give it a try."

The way she spoke, she managed to shift the blame onto Keen before anyone could say a word.

After the attendant finished checking that everyone's safety restraints were secure, the pirate ship ride began to move, slowly at first, swaying back and forth.

The motion wasn't too intense-the ship itself was huge, and the gentle rocking was surprisingly smooth. No one felt dizzy or uncomfortable.

It was Keen's first time on a ride this "exciting," and his eyes widened in curiosity; he even let out a gasp of delight.

Marvin's face lit up with a bright smile.

For once, the two kids seemed like ordinary children, caught up in the thrill of the moment.

But before the ride had even gotten halfway, a shrill, ill-timed voice cut through the happy atmosphere.

"My head is spinning, Haynie. I think I'm going to be sick... Am I having another attack?"

The cheerful mood shattered instantly.

Passengers, including Stella and the others, turned to look at Rachel in shock.

Rachel clutched her chest, her face ashen, features twisted in pain. She looked like she might faint at any moment.

The other passengers, clueless about the real situation, were instantly alarmed. "Oh my God... what's wrong with her?"

"Is she having a heart attack?"

"Who gets on a ride like this with a bad heart? Is she trying to kill herself?"

"Attendant! Attendant! Someone's about to pass out here!"noveldrama

"Stop the ride, please! If she dies, I'm never coming back to this amusement park again!"

Within moments, chaos erupted among the passengers.

The laughter and screams that had filled the air just seconds ago vanished, replaced by anxious shouts.

The ride operator quickly figured out what was happening from the commotion and stopped the ride at once.

The pirate ship slowed to a halt, and everyone began whispering and glancing around uneasily.

Haynes hadn't expected Rachel's condition to be this severe. His face darkened. Keen hovered anxiously at Rachel's side. "Rachel, are you okay?"

The park manager, worried about an incident, hurriedly called for an ambulance.

Stella stood quietly off to the side, watching Rachel's pained

let

expression-and the familiar flash of satisfaction and challenge in Rachel's eyes when she thought no one was looking.

What a power play.

Every

try

in Stella wanted to try else got to enjoy it either

something fun, if Rachel wasn't interested, she'd make sure

And once again, she'd succeeded.

Haynes and Keen, seeing Rachel's "attack," had rushed right back to her side.

Neville watched the scene unfold and chuckled softly. "So this is how she used to sabotage things?"

There wasn't even the faintest ripple

in

Stella's heart as she replied, &

Calm "That's right."belongs

Neville shook his head. "Such a cheap trick."

Stella smiled a little. “The quality of the trick doesn't matter, as long as someone

believes it."

Neville glanced over at her, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"You've changed, Star. You're getting dangerous."