It was an absolutely merciless shutdown. His gaze was like a serrated blade, devoid of a single ounce of warmth—only scrutiny, disdain, and cold indifference.
It was as if their brief, ambiguous public encounters meant nothing to him. In Sebastian's eyes, she held zero weight.
The idea that he would lower himself to care for her or take responsibility for her was laughable.
Sebastian disliked her, and he wasn't bothering to hide it.
In that crushing realization, a harsh truth dawned on Sierra. It seemed that no matter how hard she schemed, she could never make Sebastian care for her. Not even a fraction. The realization stung deeply, draining the color from her doll-like face. "No... I just thought it was impossible..."
Lily was obviously Ian's child. Why would Sebastian willingly raise another man's kid? He would never tolerate such a thing. The situation was so convoluted that she genuinely believed Sebastian was simply lying to pull Raelynn out of the scandal.
"If you have questions for me, we'll discuss them privately," Sebastian said, completely dismissing Sierra and speaking solely to Raelynn.
He knew full well the absolute emotional hurricane Raelynn was weathering right now. Some things could only be said behind closed doors.
Raelynn's lips pressed into a bloodless line.
She glanced around the auditorium. Sebastian's massive stunt at Kingsford would inevitably leak to the press. Just the hundred-million-dollar donation alone would make headlines everywhere.
Soon enough, the Croix family would learn about Lily.
She could practically smell the gunpowder; the battlefield was rapidly approaching her doorstep. She had dreaded this day for so long.
Yet now that it was here, a strange sense of relief washed over her. The burden of the secret was gone. Whatever was coming, would come. She was no longer afraid of an all-out war with the Croix family.
"Raelynn's problems have nothing to do with her ex-husband, do they?"
"If you were capable of handling this properly and shielding her and the child from public attacks, would I have needed to step in?" Sebastian countered calmly.
Ian's face grew even colder. "There are a hundred ways to fix this. What exactly is your endgame here? Do I need to remind you that Lily's last name is Hudson?"
From the second he heard Sebastian claim Lily on that stage, Ian, as a man, knew exactly how far ahead his rival was planning. Sebastian was striking first, inextricably tying Lily to himself and Raelynn, systematically severing the Hudson family from the public narrative.
Whether Sebastian was intentionally sabotaging Ian's relationship with Raelynn, or if he already knew the truth about Lily's parentage and was deploying countermeasures to stop the Hudsons from hoarding the child—it was a disaster for Ian.
In response to the name-drop, Sebastian slowly met his eyes, his pupils glacial. "Mr. Hudson, what belongs to you cannot be taken away. If it isn't yours, why scratch and claw to steal it?"

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!...