Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 384

A jolt of pure panic shot through Raelynn's veins as she watched the father and daughter stare at each other. A suffocating wave of ice-cold dread rushed from the soles of her feet all the way to her chest. She ruthlessly suppressed the urge to sprint forward and slam the door in his face. She couldn't show even a fraction of a misstep. She knew better than anyone how dangerously sharp Sebastian was. Sebastian stared down at the little girl, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his dark eyes. Lily was the first to break the silence. "Hi, Mister," she said softly. She was incredibly polite, her small face completely composed. She possessed a quiet confidence that was rare for a child her age. Sebastian studied Lily for a long, heavy moment before finally lifting his gaze to meet Raelynn's panicked eyes. "What is Ian Hudson's daughter doing at your place?" His tone was eerily calm, giving nothing away. Raelynn forced her legs to move. She walked over, gently pulling Lily behind her and gesturing for him to step inside. "What are you doing here?" She completely sidestepped his question. It was incredibly jarring. Since the day she had moved out, Sebastian hadn't visited her apartment once. Then again, if he wanted to find her, tracking down this address would have been child's play for a man with his resources. "May I come in?" Sebastian countered, equally uninterested in answering her question. Raelynn forced down the rising tide of anxiety and revulsion. After years of practice, slipping on her mask of total indifference was second nature. "You're already standing in my doorway. Does it matter?" She kept a firm grip on Lily's hand as she walked back into the apartment. Lily looked over her shoulder, watching the tall man step inside. She remembered him, of course. He was Shane's sister's boyfriend. She vividly remembered how mean the sister had been to her mom at kindergarten, and how this man had just stood there and watched. But then again, he had also helped her mom at the Citadel Entertainment Complex. Sebastian's gaze swept over the cramped space before landing on the dining table. A hot meal was already laid out, accompanied by exactly two bowls of rice. His timing was impeccable. Raelynn helped Lily into her chair before turning back to him. "Spit it out. What do you want?" They had long passed the point of civil conversation. Any interaction between them required a strict business motive. She didn't bother offering him a seat or asking him to stay for dinner. She just wanted him out of her safe haven immediately. Sebastian seemingly ignored her hostility. He tossed a sleek folder onto the table. "The buyout contract for the research team and the project. Look it over. If everything is in order, sign it." Raelynn stared at the document. A cold, mocking smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. No wonder he had made a personal house call. It was all for Seraphina. He was so terrified that Seraphina's career might hit a speed bump, so desperate to secure her freedom, that the great Mr. Croix had personally delivered the paperwork in the middle of the night. It couldn't wait until morning. She had every right to notice the glaring difference in how he operated. Throughout their entire marriage, Sebastian had never moved with this kind of urgency for her. Her problems had rarely even registered on his radar. The contrast was so sharp it was blinding. Once you dragged yourself out of the suffocating depths of being in love with someone, you could finally see the brutal reality of their actions as a mere spectator. Stripping the emotion from her voice, Raelynn picked up the folder. "Of course. Since you personally went through all this trouble, I'd be happy to play my part in accommodating your deep devotion." Sebastian didn't take the bait, merely shooting her a dark, unreadable look. Raelynn ignored him and sat down, opening the folder. When it came to any legal document handed to her by Sebastian, she didn't dare skim a single word. She began scrutinizing it page by page. Lily sat in her chair, swinging her legs as she watched Sebastian. "You can sit while you wait. Would you like some water?" Every time the sweet little voice called him 'Mister,' a strange pulse throbbed at Sebastian's temples. He looked down, realizing just how well-behaved the little girl was. He replied in a serious, respectful tone. "Yes, thank you." Lily immediately hopped off her chair, ran to the fridge, and retrieved a bottle of water for him. Raelynn momentarily lost focus on the contract. She looked up, her gaze drifting over the scene unfolding in her kitchen. As the only person in the room who knew the explosive truth, the reality of the situation was tearing her apart. A father and daughter, standing face-to-face, completely unaware of who the other was. She was the only one whose heart was hammering against her ribs.