The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

They stepped into the back garden, where Jonathan and Lauretta finally came to a halt.

Lauretta turned to face him. "Mr. Williams, if you have something to say, let's talk here."

Jonathan didn't beat around the bush. "Ms. Chapman, back when you and Star were classmates, did she ever mention anything about the Williams family to you?"

Lauretta arched an eyebrow, catching the pointed undertone in his words.

So, he's implying that Star only befriended me after revealing her true identity?

A flicker of irony passed through Lauretta's mind, though nothing showed on her face. She smiled politely. "No. When we met Star, none of us knew a thing about her family."

Jonathan's expression remained unreadable. "Is that so?"

Despite his words, it was clear from his face that he didn't believe her for a second.

Lauretta frowned slightly, but her voice stayed gentle and calm.

"Of course, we figured things out ourselves over time. Whenever school was on break, the rest of us would go home, but Star always stayed behind, working part- time jobs to pay for tuition and living expenses."

She met Jonathan's eyes, her lips curved in a soft smile, but her gaze was razor- sharp with mockery.

"There were times when Star fainted from exhaustion and low blood sugar because she was working so much. We always wondered why did she have to support herself like that? Didn't she have family to help her? Eventually, we realized that not once had we ever seen Star get a call from home. The only family she ever mentioned was her mother, and she passed away not long after Star started college."

Nora had left Star a sizable inheritance-enough that, even after leaving the Williams family, she wouldn't have struggled financially. But that year, when Abby's family hit a rough patch, Star and Anthony lent all their savings to Abby. That's why Star ended up working so many jobs.

Lauretta had tried to offer Star a loan, but Star refused, insisting she could handle things on her own and didn't need the help-at least, not yet.noveldrama

And she did manage. She pulled through those hardest days by sheer force of will.

Lauretta continued, “The first time Star fainted, grabbed her phone, hoping to contact her family. The person who answered-probably one of your younger brothers didn't even et me get a word in. He said, 'If you're so proud you ran away from home, why bother calling now?' Then he hung up before I could explain anything. I tried calling the next brother, but that time, no one picked up at all."

Jonathan's voice was strained. "Why didn't you call me or my father?"

Lauretta answered, "We couldn't. Star's contacts only had classmates and friends. Those two calls? We dug them out from her call history. I think Star must have deleted all your numbers. The call log didn't even show any names. Honestly, we didn't even know who those

numbers belonged to-we just tried

our luck."

As for Skyler and Jonathan himself... not even a trace of their numbers in the call

records. It spoke volumes-neither of them had ever bothered to call Star.

Lauretta's expression gradually turned cold.

People used to say that marrying into the Williams family was the kind of luck that took several lifetimes to earn. The Williamses-three sons

and a daughter-were the very picture of high society: the sons, fine

gentlemen; the daughter, the perfect debutante. If you weren't

exceptional, you'd never have a shot at marrying into that family.

When Lauretta first learned she might marry into the Williams family, she'd been thrilled. But as she got to know them, that certainty faded, replaced by growing uncertainty.

Was marrying into the Williams family really such a blessing?

Jonathan's voice, tinged with anger, snapped her out of her thoughts.