The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1114

As for Shawn’s disappearance…

What did that have to do with Stella?

She had a rock-solid alibi.

Shawn's parents insisted Stella had kidnapped their son, while Stella retorted that it was Shawn’s own parents, desperate to dodge responsibility, who had hidden him away and were now putting on a show in front of everyone.

Haynes said evenly, “According to Star, the Pearce family and the Williams family have been close for generations. Yet Shawn did something so despicable—and even tried to film it to blackmail Star. If you don't give Star a proper explanation, don’t be surprised to see Shawn’s face splashed all over the headlines tomorrow.”

He glanced at Mr. Pearce. “I hear you’re preparing for the upcoming election. With a son like this—morally bankrupt and the subject of scandal—not only will the public turn against you, but your colleagues will lose faith as well. Surely you can weigh what’s at stake here.”

The Pearce family had always been involved in politics; they couldn’t afford too many negative stories. And with Mr. Pearce’s campaign just around the corner, the threat was all too real.

If that video were to go public…

Mr. Pearce’s jaw tightened. He could already see it: his chances of winning would evaporate overnight.

Stella was the Williams family’s heiress, and Haynes was no pushover either. There would be no sweeping this under the rug.

Mr. Pearce swallowed his pride. “What will it take for you to hand over the video?”

He was backing down.

He understood, perhaps better than anyone, why Shawn had tried to force himself on Stella—even resorting to drugging her. It wasn’t just about her looks. The real prize was the pre-IPO shares she controlled—an asset worth far more than money.

Stella’s tech and biotech companies were the future. If the Pearce family could get a slice of that pie…

They might even secure a presidential nomination.

Stella found herself watching Haynes with new appreciation. He was a master negotiator, cutting straight to the heart of what people wanted. For all Mr. Pearce’s years of experience, Haynes never flinched—if anything, he dominated the conversation.

Stella realized she didn’t know Haynes as well as she thought. And maybe, he didn’t know her, either.

After a long silence, Mr. Pearce finally nodded. “Fine. Market price. But if there are suitable projects, your family’s tech companies have to give the Pearce Group first consideration.”