Boss, Your Wife Signed the Divorce Agreement Before the Wedding novel Chapter 830

"Raelynn is my sole biological granddaughter, the true treasure of the entire Yves family. I will absolutely not tolerate anyone treacherous or disloyal lingering around her!"

Dr. Evelyn Hayes's voice rang out with undeniable authority.

Her words left countless guests staring in absolute shock.

Everyone in their elite circle knew the Yves family had a lost heiress.

But for that person to be Raelynn—the very same woman the Hudsons had just so callously betrayed—was unthinkable.

It was common knowledge that the Hudsons and the Yves had been family friends for generations; otherwise, they wouldn't have arranged a childhood marriage pact years ago.

But after today, whatever goodwill remained between the two families was permanently destroyed.

The Hudsons had overplayed their hand and lost everything in the process.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, swelling into a cacophony.

Scandals were common in their social tier, but they were usually discussed in hushed tones over private dinners. Every family had skeletons in their closets. But the Hudsons' dirty laundry had just been aired on a lit stage, with the media capturing every single second.

The dynamic had shifted entirely.

With things as they were.

Even maintaining a superficial politeness between the two families was no longer possible.

Cordelia understood this brutal reality all too well.

Her normally polished and diplomatic features were now marred by a deep, dark gloom.

She had calculated every possible variable.

Yet she had never, ever factored in the possibility that Raelynn was the long-lost Yves heiress...

Down in the crowd.

When Sierra heard Dr. Hayes declare Raelynn as her 'sole biological granddaughter,' her expression froze. She gripped the hem of her dress as all the color drained from her face.

Sylvia wasn't faring any better.

She hadn't expected Dr. Hayes to be so absolute in her phrasing just to back Raelynn up.

Where did that leave Sierra? Where did that leave them?

She turned her head, glancing at Sierra, and reached out to grasp her hand.

But Sierra kept her head down, subtly pulling away from her mother's touch.

Professor Alistair Finch's face was stern, having held in his fury for far too long. "The Hudsons neither birthed nor raised the child, yet you act like you own her. In the old days, you'd make excellent human traffickers. You're lucky you live in a civilized era, or you'd all be locked away."

He stood up and fixed a hard look on Ian.

"Ian, I am profoundly disappointed in you!"

Raelynn's emotions were a wild, chaotic rollercoaster.

She gave Sebastian a deeply complicated look, took a heavy breath, and turned to follow her grandmother.

Right at that moment.

Ian spoke up, his voice tight. "Can we talk?"

Raelynn paused, her back to him. "Everything that needed to be said has been said, and plenty that shouldn't have been. If you have even a shred of guilt left regarding me, I ask that you protect Chloe from the fallout."

Chloe had risked everything to defend her, using her status as a Hudson to rip the mask off her own family's deceit, thoroughly alienating them in the process.

Raelynn refused to let Chloe become collateral damage.

If Ian truly wanted to, he could easily shield his sister from the worst of the backlash.

Ian's eyes trembled with raw emotion. Unable to stop himself, he took a desperate step forward, reaching out to grab her hand.

But in that split second.

A tall, broad-shouldered figure stepped smoothly between them, completely blocking his path.

Ian found himself staring straight into Sebastian's cold eyes.

Sebastian's voice was low and perfectly even. "Do I need to remind you, Mr. Hudson? From this moment forward, Raelynn has absolutely nothing to do with you."