Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 381

After today, if Raelynn ever wanted to get inside Kingsford University, she would find the doors firmly shut in her face. Seraphina caught Leo's drift and let out a soft, mocking laugh. He was right. Raelynn couldn't even catch the exhaust fumes of Seraphina's success; they were playing in completely different leagues. Sebastian stared down at his phone, rapidly replying to work emails. He seemed completely detached, as if he hadn't heard a single word of their petty gossip. Leo turned his attention back to Julian. "I seriously don't know what the hell Ian Hudson was thinking. Out of all the women in the world, why did he latch onto Raelynn?" There were countless exceptional women out there. Aside from a pretty face, what did Raelynn actually bring to the table? The topic finally made Seraphina's lips curl upward. "Ian definitely knows he was played by now." After all, during the recent Croix Anniversary Gala, Sebastian had blown the lid off his marriage to Raelynn just to turn the tide. Now that Ian knew the truth about Raelynn and Sebastian, he would realize she had just been stringing him along. Why would a man like Ian Hudson accept a married woman? Why would he ever look at her the same way again? "True. I heard he flew out of the country recently. He's probably washed his hands of her entirely. That's the end of that," Leo scoffed. Given Ian's status and pride, he wouldn't touch a woman who had lied about being married to the Croix family. He wouldn't risk dragging his own name through the mud for her. Seraphina arched a brow. The truth was, Raelynn was nothing but a manipulative social climber. While still married into the Croix family, she was already casting her net elsewhere, setting her sights as high as Ian. It was obviously a backup plan, a way to secure a golden parachute for when Sebastian finally kicked her to the curb. But now, her grand scheme had blown up in her face. Ian leaving the country at a time like this made one thing crystal clear: he had dumped her. "Have you found any leads on Ian's daughter?" Sebastian suddenly looked up, his dark eyes chillingly calm. "Any trace of Lily's biological mother?" He directed the question at Julian. Julian was still furious that Ian had played the Yves family, and he was determined to track down Lily's mother to blow Ian's life apart. Julian's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, we've got a few clues. Five years ago, Ian spent a significant amount of time in Seaport City. He was making frequent trips to a specific private hospital, and the timeline matches up perfectly with when Lily was born." The only issue was that private hospitals had airtight security, making it incredibly difficult to pull medical records. Sebastian slid his phone back into his pocket. "As long as you have a direction, you'll find her." Julian's tone turned cold. "The second that woman comes back demanding her rightful place, whoever Ian is currently involved with is going to be dragged through hell." He knew the arranged marriage between their families would inevitably be called off the moment Ian returned to the country to negotiate. But Julian refused to let the Yves family be the passive victims in this scenario. If Lily's mother stirred up enough drama, it would at least give Ian a massive headache for the foreseeable future. Sebastian glanced at him. "Still no word on your sister?" Seraphina and Leo turned their attention to Julian as well. Julian pinched the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm chasing a ghost. Maybe..." "If she's still alive, how old would she be now?" Sebastian asked, his tone oddly contemplative. "Twenty-seven." Sebastian lightly rubbed his fingertips together. "What month was she born?" "May. Why?" "Nothing." Sebastian lowered his gaze, masking the sudden flash of emotion in his eyes. Raelynn's birthday was March 13th.

***

The dinner with the Kingsford University board went smoothly. Raelynn rarely attended such formal networking events, but thankfully, everyone at the table was an academic. The conversation revolved strictly around research and medicine, saving her from any awkward small talk. By the end of the night, the details of her new position were practically set in stone. The official announcement would be made at the end of next month.