Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 119

Three hours later.

Raelynn rubbed her stiff neck as she walked out of the lab, only to find Chloe Hudson waiting for her in the lobby, hauling a rather large package.

"Shouldn't you be at home celebrating the New Year? What are you doing here?" Raelynn asked.

"I heard you were back in town. I'm practically an outcast in the Hudson family anyway, so I figured I'd come hang out with you. As soon as I walked in, the front desk said you had a package. What did you buy that got shipped to the office?" Chloe gestured at the heavily secured box, grunting slightly. It was heavy.

Knowing Chloe's difficult situation at home, Raelynn let out a soft sigh of sympathy.

She stripped off her gloves and walked over. "I haven't shopped online in ages. It's probably just some holiday gifts from Alistair."

She grabbed a box cutter and sliced through the tape. Inside was a square, elegantly carved box made of sandalwood. The packaging alone was worth a small fortune.

Chloe gasped. "What kind of insane item comes in a box this expensive?"

Confused, Raelynn checked the sender's details on the shipping label. She instantly recognized the phone number.

It was the direct line to the CEO's office at Croix Holdings.

Sebastian sent this?

Raelynn frowned, a wave of hesitation washing over her. Slowly, she popped the latch on the wooden box. The moment she saw what was inside, her jaw dropped.

Chloe let out a shriek. "Wait, isn't that The Twin Bloom Vessel? The antique vase that just sold for astronomical numbers at that Italian auction? There are barely any left in existence! I just saw the news online a few days ago—it sold for almost thirty million dollars! The whole internet was freaking out about it. Sebastian actually bought it?!"

"Oh my god," Chloe thought, panicking. She had just been shaking that box around like a maniac. If she had shattered a thirty-million-dollar antique, her life would have been over.

After her initial shock, Raelynn's expression turned incredibly complicated.

Thirty million dollars...

"This was the centerpiece of my mother's antique shop. Silas Vance sold it for cash years ago," Raelynn murmured.

Every time they spoke, it felt like a verbal fencing match. A simple question always hid sharp, underlying barbs.

Raelynn pressed her lips together, deciding to be completely blunt. "I don't recall asking you for this. The Twin Bloom Vessel isn't exactly a favor I can casually pay back."

"Do you really need to be this formal with me?" he asked, his tone perfectly even, brushing off her defensiveness.

But Raelynn knew better. This wasn't the tender generosity of a loving husband. She asked her next question with the icy detachment of a business partner confirming a contract.

"Are you buying my silence? Is this your price for me keeping my mouth shut about you spending the holiday with Seraphina's family, and standing me up at the hotel?"

It was the only logical explanation. He needed her to cover for him when Matilda inevitably asked questions.

The line went silent for a few seconds.

Then, Sebastian let out a low chuckle. His tone was completely unreadable. "Sunny, do you need me to praise you for being so understanding?"