That bewildered voice shattered the dead silence in the room.
Raelynn absolutely hadn't anticipated this turning into a spectacle.
Shane's violent shove a few days ago had left serious damage.
She had been enduring the agony all day. Even if Sebastian hadn't caught her, she would have found a way to catch her balance and stop herself from totally hitting the floor.
But now...
She lowered her eyes, a flash of pure annoyance crossing her features.
She planted a hand against his chest and pushed him away, offering a stiff, professional response. "Thank you."
Sebastian slowly lowered his gaze to look at her, his expression unreadable. "Where does it hurt?"
He followed up with a question.
His tone was casual enough.
But Raelynn frowned.
The crowd of onlookers grew even more suspicious and unnerved.
From what they knew, the big boss of Croix Holdings wasn't exactly the type to dote on a random researcher.
Seraphina's knuckles turned white around the glass beaker she was holding. She leveled a condemning, icy glare at Raelynn. "A laboratory is a place of data and scientific achievement. I expect you to respect this environment, and respect all the researchers who are busting their asses here."
She pivoted the narrative brilliantly, avoiding a direct accusation that Raelynn was seducing Sebastian, while aligning herself perfectly with the exhausted colleagues who had been working hard all day.
Instantly.
The looks directed at Raelynn turned hostile.
A researcher from Kingsford University stepped up to stand next to Seraphina, glaring at Raelynn reproachfully. "Exactly. Besides... you know exactly who Mr. Croix is. How do you not know to keep your distance..."
Because the cameras were rolling.
They hadn't received Sebastian's explicit green light, so no one dared say "Mr. Croix and Seraphina are a couple" right out loud.
"What are we supposed to do now? That whole exchange was definitely caught on camera."
The moment those words were spoken.
Seraphina's displeased expression darkened drastically.
How could she not see right through Raelynn's little scheme?
She knew the cameras were rolling, so she deliberately pulled this little stunt to make it look like she and Sebastian had some kind of intriguing dynamic!
The entire focus of this documentary was supposed to be on her and Sebastian.
She hadn't even had a single on-camera interaction with him yet.
And now Raelynn had purposely stolen her thunder!
Even though her tone was utterly devoid of emotion, the heavy sarcasm made several people's faces twist awkwardly.
Her logic... kind of made sense...
Sebastian lowered his eyes, lazily observing Raelynn's face.
Even though she was wearing a slight smile, the complete exasperation in her eyes was practically overflowing.
If it weren't for the rolling cameras.
She probably would have publicly humiliated a lot of people right then and there.
"I think Mr. Croix was just acting out of common decency and lent a helping hand. Besides, everyone is wearing the exact same clothes—lab coats, hair caps, masks. We're all bundled up so tightly, how could Mr. Croix even tell who he was catching? Plus, Raelynn and Ms. Vance both have their hair up in clips today. Mr. Croix probably thought it was Ms. Vance from behind and rushed in out of love."
Someone stepped in to play "peacemaker."
The explanation instantly smoothed over Seraphina's expression.
She cast a sideways glance at Raelynn.
Only then did she realize that Raelynn was indeed wearing her hair clipped up exactly like hers, their hair colors were similar, and they were both wearing protective goggles. At a quick glance, it really was an easy mistake to make.
"Oh, you're right. Raelynn, what a coincidence that you somehow ended up copying Ms. Vance's exact hairstyle today."
The remark heavily implied that Raelynn was a pathetic copycat.
Rina couldn't take the nonsense anymore. She immediately shot back, "Raelynn always wears her hair like that in the lab! And who says they look alike at a glance? Raelynn is five-foot-eight. She's a good head taller than Ms. Vance!"

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding
I think for as slow as the beginning was, their turning point is just so fast... really hope we actually get to read about R and S and their rekindle.... we did not read 950 pages for their story to be sidelined. Im for this sideline story, but it if it's to separate from the main characters and their story, please make it separate book....
Author please update more chapters...
I really like Zella, she is becoming a good friend to Raelynn. Ian needs to go. The relationship with Chloe is confusing. Some chapters they are cousins, sometimes they're sibling. A little confusing....
Julians role as big brother- I feel comes from a genuine place, but in a relationship thats is just as stained as Raelynns and Sebastians. It hard for me to connect to his big brother role as he too was such a problem before. And while they talked a little bit, the conversation did not give me the believe there was resolution between Raelynn and Julian. For a brute, he should make his feelings clear about the situation to Raelynn and then step back, until there is more foundation for him to stand on....
Knife in my heart. I hurt for Raelynn. She has made it this far, but how much does she have in her, everyone has a breaking point. Some back of me hopes the author is joking to lighten the mood after so many intense chapters, but thats not this kind of story or couple....
My heart cannot take this. This, cannot be how it ends with these too. They need resolution with each other. Raelynn needs to be more humanize with Sebastian. We know she is hurt, but this is the branch. She needs all these answers, if not for them to be together, then for Lily to have both her parents. Stop with the mind games Raelynn!...
Its like the story is just repeating itself...
Timeline is getting lost for me. So many treasured little memories Raelynn has but yet, he was gone for years ? Anyways... still rooting for them! These two need a heart to heart. Lily "forgetting" someone, not possible in this day and age and I hope thats not their storyline....
Sebastian, the man of few words.... needs to find all the words! Needs to fight for her! On note, seven years seems like a long time for this master plan (which I am sure goes back much farther). Rereading this novel, and it seems like everything has played out in a 5-8 month time span. And I feel like all Sebastian's doings/ plan have not been revealed. I hope we get to see the whole picture and have the resolutions we hope. But seven years of mistreatment, I just don't see Raelynn fully coming back. If these was 2-3 years, maybe, and I know it changes some characters around, but it would still work. Rooting for them!...
Literally on edge!...