Turning the corner, Raelynn Ortiz bumped right into an oncoming group. The corridor was too narrow to avoid them.
She looked up and saw Sebastian Croix glancing her way. He was surrounded by a cadre of suited elites, likely just wrapping up at the East District Land Auction.
With people coming and going, they had no choice but to brush past each other.
Raelynn's footsteps faltered.
She figured Sebastian wanted nothing to do with her. He had even sent a proxy to deliver their divorce certificate. Without a moment of hesitation, she tore her gaze away, grabbed Chloe Hudson's hand, and tried to hurry past them.
Sebastian watched her.
He didn't say a word.
Raelynn had barely pulled even with him when another group approached, completely blocking their path.
The woman leading the pack was Cordelia Hudson.
It had been a while since they last saw each other, and Cordelia's expression was far from pleasant.
In fact, she looked downright furious.
She noticed Raelynn and Chloe immediately.
Given the complete breakdown of their relationship, they should have just walked their separate ways. Instead, Cordelia stopped and fixed a hard stare on Raelynn.
"Not even a hello when we cross paths?"
Cordelia addressed her directly, forcing Raelynn to stop.
She gave Chloe's hand a reassuring squeeze and met the older woman's gaze calmly. "If it doesn't make you uncomfortable, Mrs. Hudson, I have no objections."
Raelynn's tone was perfectly polite, neither humble nor arrogant, but Cordelia took it as a slight.
Chloe knew exactly what her aunt was trying to do. She gritted her teeth, ready to defend her friend, but Raelynn squeezed her wrist and pulled her back.
"Mrs. Hudson, the matter is settled, and I had no intention of dwelling on it. But since you brought it up, I won't hold back."
Raelynn's lips curled into a cold smile. "Someone as calculating as you must have realized that Ian and I were mutually using each other. Furthermore, the Hudson family hasn't spent a single dime raising my child. Lily was brought up by my mentor, Professor Alistair Finch, and his wife. She was merely registered under the Hudson household, and Ian only helped with that because it benefited him. It was a fair trade. Yet, listening to you, one would think I owe you an insurmountable debt, taking all the credit for yourselves. Spoken like a true businesswoman, always deflecting the real issue."
She had kept her mouth shut before out of a sense of basic decency.
But that only encouraged them to push her boundaries again and again.
The expressions of the surrounding onlookers shifted awkwardly.
They had no idea the Hudsons hadn't spent a single day raising the child.
Cordelia's face darkened. "We helped you, didn't we? Besides, you hid your identity as a daughter of the Yves family from us. You and Ian had a marriage agreement, and the Hudsons never held your second marriage against you. Backing out at the wedding was an act of betrayal."

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!...