Her frown returned.
Blanche, still riding high on the victory, didn't notice.
She patted her daughter's arm. "I'm going to go pay my respects to Mr. Yves."
Seraphina nodded absently.
The sprawling gardens were rapidly filling with high-society guests.
Countless elites had flown in from across the country for the event.
Blanche wasn't the only late arrival.
As Seraphina turned around, she spotted two heavily influential members of the Croix family making their entrance.
Cyrus Croix and his son, Cameron.
Cameron spotted her almost immediately. His eyes narrowed, and he stalked straight toward her.
"I can't believe my brother actually paraded you into the Yves estate," he sneered.
Seraphina let out a cold, dismissive scoff.
Given the new heights of her intimacy with Sebastian, she no longer felt the need to cower before his arrogant younger brother. "Mind your own business."
With that parting shot.
She spun on her heel and walked away.
Her posture was dripping with a newfound, unshakable arrogance.
It was a level of confidence she never would have dared show before.
Cameron watched her strut away, a dark, dangerous sneer twisting his features.
Who the hell did she think she was?
-
Halfway through the morning, Raelynn stepped away to use the restroom.
As she walked down an ornate wooden corridor, she caught sight of Blanche in the distance. The older woman was smiling elegantly, making a beeline for Quentin Yves, who was chatting with a group of investors.
The two of them clearly shared some sort of history.
Across the courtyard.
Blanche pulled Seraphina aside, her face suddenly serious. "If you want to pull off this heiress act, you have to fully embody the role. You are supposedly Lydia's daughter. And since I know exactly what happened back then, I know exactly how that wretched Sylvia Dalton crawled her way into his bed. You cannot afford to be friendly with her."
Seraphina nodded slowly, grasping the strategy.
If she was playing the role of Lydia's child, the only logical reaction to the woman who allegedly drove her "mother" to suicide was pure, unadulterated hatred.
But an estate like this was a political minefield.
Making waves wasn't always the smartest move.
She looked at Blanche. "Mom, you seem to really despise Sylvia too."
Blanche's face twisted in disgust. "She plays the fragile victim beautifully, but she's a master manipulator. She sunk her claws into Quentin the moment she had the chance. She's nothing. Just a pathetic charity case from some backwater town with absolutely nothing to her name. But she played the damsel in distress perfectly. She betrayed the very woman who fed her and slept with her benefactor's husband. I despise her."
She paused, her eyes gleaming with malice.
"Sylvia was funded entirely by Lydia. Lydia paid for her education starting in high school. You could argue Sylvia knew Lydia better than anyone. Raelynn is also here today. If that woman notices Raelynn suspecting anything, she could ruin everything for us."
If Sylvia started poking holes in their story, she would become a massive liability.

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!...