The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 676

After Joshua left, Simone strolled over to Stella, greeting her with a bright smile.

It didn’t take long for her to change the subject.

“Ms. Cameron, I have to admit—I’m quite interested in your assistant, Joshua. Would you mind terribly if I tried to recruit him away from you?”

Stella’s reply was calm. “If you think you can lure Joshua away, I won’t stand in your way. He’s free to leave whenever he wishes. I wouldn’t try to hold him back.”

Simone watched Joshua’s silhouette disappear down the path. “But from what I can see, he doesn’t seem eager to leave you.”

“That’s not something I can control,” Stella answered quietly.

Simone turned back, still wearing that warm, easy smile.

“I offered him three times his current salary, but Joshua still refused to join me. Clearly, staying by your side matters more to him than money. You must have quite the magnetic personality, Ms. Cameron.”

Stella shrugged. “Money isn’t everything. Maybe it just doesn’t mean as much to him as you’d expect.”

Simone nodded in agreement. “He’s won even more of my respect now.”

Truth be told, Stella barely knew Joshua, and she wasn’t any closer to Simone. Unsure how to respond, she muttered a vague acknowledgment and let the conversation lapse.

Simone was more outgoing than Aurora, though, and took the initiative to keep chatting.

“Ms. Cameron, Mr. Williams and Aurora came all the way to New Vespera to bring you back to the Williams family. Any idea when you’ll be returning?”

She glanced back at Stella. “Even my own brother doesn’t quite make the cut, in my opinion.”

Stella knew Aurora was exceptional—there was a reason Skyler, Jonathan, and the rest of the Williams brothers valued her so highly.

Simone went on, “Aurora is ambitious and capable. If she weren’t a woman, she could easily take over the Williams Group one day. But Mr. Williams won’t allow it—he insists she study music instead, wasting her true talents.”

Stella shook her head gently. “Reaching the top in any field is no small feat. When you stand at the summit, the achievements you earn aren’t necessarily less meaningful than success in business.”

Simone countered, “Maybe so, but if we’re talking about making money, music doesn’t come close.”

Stella turned to face her. “Is money really the only measure of success?”