Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 383

Lily was vibrating with excitement, her wide eyes taking in every inch of the modest apartment. "Mama, are we going to live here together forever?" Lily ran over, her cheeks flushed with pure joy. Raelynn's heart melted completely. She bent down and gently pinched Lily's soft cheek. "You don't mind that it's so small?" This place was nothing compared to Alistair's massive, sprawling estate. Lily had grown up surrounded by luxury, given the absolute best of everything. Yet, here she was, staring at a cramped apartment like it was a castle. "As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we live!" Lily beamed, her big eyes sparkling. "I wouldn't care if we lived in a cardboard box!" Raelynn couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Absolutely not. I'm going to work very hard and make lots of money so my baby never has to live in a cardboard box." Lily, however, was dead serious. She knew how hard her mom worked. She just needed to grow up faster so she could make money for her mom too. After all, her mom always said a nest egg was important for security. Raelynn's cooking skills were famously average. She carefully followed a few online tutorials to whip up some kid-friendly dishes. While Lily was glued to a cartoon in the living room, Raelynn's phone buzzed on the counter. Riding the high of a perfect evening, she answered it without even checking the caller ID. "Hello?" Dead silence echoed on the other end for a fraction of a second. "Have you not saved my number?" That cold, detached voice sent an involuntary shiver down Raelynn's spine. She instantly stopped chopping vegetables. "Do you need something?" she asked tightly. Sebastian's voice came through the receiver, cool and businesslike. "When are you coming home? The buyout contract we discussed is ready. I just need your signature so I can process the wire transfer." Raelynn's gaze snapped toward the living room, where Lily was kicking her feet on the sofa, giggling at her tablet. The urge to curse him out was overwhelming. Of all the nights for Sebastian to finally expedite the paperwork separating Seraphina's team from Longstride Technologies, it had to be the one night she actually got to spend with her daughter. "I'm not coming back tonight. We'll deal with it tomorrow. Don't wait up for me." Given the choice between catering to Seraphina's career or spending the evening with Lily, it wasn't even a contest. She absolutely refused to ruin Lily's night. Even if the sky started falling, she wasn't leaving this apartment. Sebastian went completely silent. Raelynn didn't give him a chance to respond before hanging up. She didn't care if he was annoyed. Lily hopped off the sofa and trotted over, looking curious. "Who was on the phone, Mama?" Raelynn hesitated for a second. "Just a business partner." After seven years of marriage, that was exactly what they were. Besides, Sebastian wanting her to sign a buyout contract was strictly business, so the title fit perfectly. Lily nodded, accepting the answer. She dragged a stool over, poured a glass of water, and waved Raelynn down. As Raelynn bent over, the little girl pressed a sweet kiss to her cheek. "You work so hard, Mama." Then she scurried right back to her cartoons. Raelynn touched her cheek, a soft, helpless smile breaking across her face. She hummed a light tune as she went back to cooking. This was everything she ever wanted. She might not have been a master chef, but she was efficient. Before long, she had three dishes and a soup ready to go: sweet and sour ribs, garlic butter greens, honey mustard shrimp, and a comforting tomato egg drop soup. Perfect for a kid. Just as she was taking the last pan off the stove, the doorbell rang. Raelynn's hands were full, and a spike of confusion hit her. Who would be dropping by this late? Lily had already vaulted off the couch. "I'll get it, Mama!" Worried about safety, Raelynn quickly wiped her hands, shouting for Lily to stop. But Lily had already thrown the door open. Standing in the hallway, Sebastian slowly lowered his gaze, locking onto the beautiful, wide-eyed little girl staring up at him. His eyes darkened instantly. He slowly looked up, his gaze slamming right into Raelynn as she froze in the kitchen doorway. The moment Raelynn saw him standing face-to-face with Lily, all the color violently drained from her face.