Raelynn remained entirely expressionless. The invitation was nothing but a blatant taunt.
She didn't spare Sebastian a single glance as she turned on her heel and walked away.
Today had been a brutal reminder of just how heartlessly Sebastian could treat her.
Sebastian turned his head slightly, his dark, unfathomable eyes tracking Raelynn's retreating back. He didn't utter a word. After a long moment, he finally said, "Let's go."
Seraphina saw his complete indifference.
Her smile grew even sweeter.
-
Raelynn was in a terrible mood.
Chloe had an emergency meeting and had to rush back to the television station.
After dropping her off, Raelynn felt entirely adrift.
She had nowhere to go.
Her chest felt hollow.
It would be a lie to say it didn't hurt. She sat quietly in her car for a long time, forcefully pushing the agonizing events of the auction out of her mind.
Once she finally compartmentalized her emotions, she drove to the hospital.
Arthur Winslow had just finished his IV drip and was sitting in his wheelchair, watering the potted plants.
When Raelynn walked in, he smiled brightly. "Have you eaten yet, Sunny?"
A crushing wave of guilt hit her.
Intense unease and shame threatened to drown her.
If she hadn't been so young, reckless, and blindly in love—if she hadn't thrown herself into the fire to marry Sebastian—would she be in this nightmare today? Her family wouldn't have been dragged into the mud, and she might have actually been able to protect what belonged to the Winslows.
"What is it? Are you upset?" Arthur was often delirious these days, but seeing Raelynn's forced smile made his heart ache.
Raelynn shook her head. "No, Grandpa. I'm doing great."
She took a deep breath and pulled up the photos of the fifteen antiques from the auction. "Grandpa, when I was little, you told me there were a few pieces that were absolutely never to be sold. Are any of them in here?"
Arthur's mind wasn't sharp to begin with, and the sudden change in topic easily derailed his train of thought. He peered at the screen as she swiped through the pictures.
Confusion clouded his aged eyes as he muttered to himself, "I don't know these things. Never seen them before."
Then, he went right back to watering his plants.
Raelynn sighed softly.
At the very least, the shop still carried the Winslow name.
The fact that Seraphina had walked away from yet another disaster completely unscathed didn't even shock her anymore.
With Sebastian in her corner, what did Seraphina have to fear?
Even if the sky fell, Sebastian would hold it up for her.
Seraphina's surgical robot project was likely dead in the water, but her personal career was perfectly intact.
Anyone else would have been utterly ruined.
Late that afternoon,
as Raelynn was packing up to leave the office,
her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
And stopped dead in her tracks.
It was Sebastian.

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!...