Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 457

Cordelia looked utterly thrilled. She took Raelynn's hands and patted them affectionately, radiating maternal warmth.

Raelynn felt a twinge of awkwardness. She had never interacted with Ian's mother before.

Cordelia didn't know Raelynn was Lily's biological mother, making the intense scrutiny feel strangely unearned.

"Ian is terrible at communicating," Cordelia said with a warm laugh, completely unbothered by the audience. "He never tells me anything. But I've done my homework on you, dear. And frankly, I adore you."

She didn't bother hiding her approval. She knew perfectly well that Raelynn had been married to Sebastian Croix. But she was also well aware of the rumors surrounding the Croix CEO and his little sidepiece, Seraphina.

If Sebastian was stupid enough to throw away a brilliant woman, why shouldn't the Hudsons claim her? A hollow, crumbling marriage was already dead in the water. Cordelia was simply laying the foundation for her son's future.

She waved a hand gracefully.

Behind her, an assistant carefully stepped forward holding a heavy, intricately carved black-and-gold wooden box. It practically screamed old money.

The entire ballroom fell silent as the guests craned their necks to see.

Cordelia opened the box.

Raelynn stared at the contents.

Resting on velvet was a necklace encrusted with flawless purple diamonds, flanked by matching diamond bracelets and a pair of perfectly cut tear-drop earrings. The brilliance of the stones was blinding.

Having grown up surrounded by high-end antiquities, Raelynn instantly knew this set was priceless.

Murmurs of absolute shock swept through the crowd.

Even Seraphina's jaw dropped. What on earth was Cordelia doing?

Cordelia smiled warmly at Raelynn. "Just a little trinket to celebrate your big day. I think these stones will complement your complexion beautifully. Consider it a welcome gift. What do you think?"

Gasps echoed across the room.

Several of the older socialites immediately recognized the jewelry.

"Isn't that Mrs. Hudson's dowry? That set is legendary. It's supposed to be passed down to the future daughter-in-law!"

"Wait, is this an official family endorsement?"

"But I thought she was still legally tied to Mr. Croix..."

Dozens of cautious, terrified eyes flicked toward Sebastian.

Julian and Leo were paralyzed with shock.

Seraphina felt as though her heart was being crushed in a vice. The level of respect and validation Raelynn was receiving was unfathomable. She was a divorcee—what gave her the right to be treated like royalty by the Hudson Matriarch?!

He recognized those numbers instantly. They were Raelynn's.

His eyes darted to the bold red text at the top: **CRITICAL CONDITION NOTICE**.

His boots felt glued to the marble floor.

*Patient suffering from severe postpartum hemorrhage. Medical team is attempting emergency resuscitation. Next of kin has been notified...*

Sebastian stared at the words *postpartum hemorrhage*. His brain completely short-circuited.

With a trembling thumb, he swiped to the next photo.

It was a selfie of Raelynn. She was lying in a hospital bed, her face pale but glowing with a soft, sweet smile, holding up a peace sign.

Beneath the hospital gown, her stomach was heavily pregnant.

His pupils violently dilated as he stared at her swollen belly.

Sebastian whipped around, his breath tearing through his chest, and stared at Raelynn as she stood gracefully accepting the Hudson family's heirloom.

She had a child.

She had a child behind his back.