When she looked back at Sebastian, she realized he had been watching her. His dark, fathomless gaze made it impossible to decipher what was going through his head.
His intensity made her heart skip a heavy beat.
That was, until...
Tristan Croix noticed she looked a little shaken.
He turned and gently touched her shoulder. "What's wrong? Are you feeling alright?"
He instinctively reached out to check her forehead for a fever.
Raelynn shook her head, gently brushing his hand away. "I'm fine. Just a little cold."
Tristan immediately began unbuttoning his suit jacket. "Here, take this. The AC in here is blasting. We can't have you getting sick—you hate taking medicine."
Worried for her health, he draped his jacket over her shoulders without giving her a chance to argue.
Raelynn was so lost in her own dark thoughts that she didn't even have time to decline.
The quiet exchange did not go unnoticed.
Sebastian watched them with a cool, detached stare.
Matilda Croix, already on edge that Forrest might blame her for Eleanor Tanner's outburst, saw the interaction. She tapped the table in sharp disapproval. "Tristan, your brother is sitting right here. I know you're just being sweet, but don't give Raelynn the wrong idea."
She absolutely refused to let Tristan get tangled up with Raelynn.
She had raised Tristan by her side since he was a boy and loved him dearly.
She wasn't about to let Raelynn misinterpret his kindness as romantic interest. Raelynn was miles out of his league, socially speaking.
Matilda's sharp reprimand broke the spell.
The rest of the Croix family finally snapped out of their post-drama daze.
Jeanette pursed her lips, glancing over at Sebastian.
The whole debacle with Seraphina had seemingly blown over, and the patriarch clearly didn't hold Sebastian accountable.
Brenda Polk, however, had sensed something off about Cameron and Seraphina earlier. Eager to shift the spotlight, she chimed in, "Oh, absolutely. We all know how close you two used to be. Actually, didn't Raelynn practically throw herself off a bridge over you back in the day...?"
The comment landed like a grenade.
Instead, Forrest looked at Raelynn. "It's been a while. Have a seat. Let's eat."
It sounded like a polite invitation.
But Raelynn knew a command when she heard one.
The patriarch's word was absolute law. In a family like this, nobody dared to defy him.
Especially not her.
Her gut told her that the night's trials weren't over yet.
But Forrest was the only person here who knew about the divorce agreement from seven years ago. He knew her marriage to Sebastian was over. So why was he...
Tristan smoothly glossed over the awkward suicide comment. "Are you going to sit with my brother?"
Before Raelynn could reply...
Sebastian, who had seemed entirely indifferent, slowly lifted his head.
His dark eyes locked onto hers. "Raelynn. Sit next to me."

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!...