Saintess's Worthless Husband Turned Dragon Commander novel Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16 PART 1

Tessa scanned the Imperial Hall with predatory eyes, searching for the perfect seat-somewhere visible, somewhere central, somewhere that would make her presence impossible to ignore. Her gaze landed on Blair Ryan, a young employee sitting near the head table, engaged in quiet conversation with colleagues.

“You,” Tessa said sharply, snapping her fingers at Blair. “Move.”

Blair looked up, confusion flickering across her face. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Your seat. I need it. Move.” Tessa gestured impatiently, as if explaining something to a particularly slow

child.

“But… there are other seats-” Blair gestured to the far side of the hall where a few empty chairs

remained.

“I want this seat,” Tessa insisted, her voice rising. “Right here, near my cousin. Now move before I make this difficult for you.”

Blair glanced at Quinn for help, but Quinn’s expression remained carefully neutral-caught between family obligation and professional responsibility, her Saintess training keeping her frozen in diplomatic paralysis.

When Blair didn’t move fast enough, Tessa simply shoved her.

The push wasn’t gentle. Blair stumbled backward, nearly falling, catching herself on the edge of another chair. Her face flushed with humiliation as Tessa settled into the vacated seat with theatrical

satisfaction.

“After all,” Tessa announced loudly enough for everyone to hear, “family comes first. Right, Quinn? You understand duty and hierarchy better than anyone, being a Saintess. I’m sure you agree that blood relations should take precedence over… employees.”

The employees watched in stunned silence. Several faces showed anger, but no one dared interfere. Tessa Hartford carried weight-she was Bradford Hartford’s daughter, Quinn’s cousin, someone with

connections that could make or break careers.

Quinn’s hands clenched beneath the table, her knuckles going white. This was exactly the kind of scene that could damage her Saintess reputation-inability to maintain social order, allowing family to bully subordinates, appearing weak and indecisive. The phones were already out, recording, documenting.

Marcus stood up.

The movement was fluid, controlled, radiating quiet authority that made several people instinctively lean back. His dragon senses had caught every nuance-Blair’s humiliation, Quinn’s suppressed panic, Tessa’s malicious satisfaction.

“The seat wasn’t reserved for you,” Marcus said calmly to Tessa. “Blair is an invited guest. You are not.”

The Imperial Hall fell silent. Even the ambient music seemed to pause.

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Tessa’s laugh was shrill, cutting. “Oh, so the pet has learned to bark? How adorable!” She turned to Quinn with exaggerated amusement. “Quinn, darling, you really should keep your husband in line. Everyone knows you’re just keeping him around for appearances until your Saintess promotion period ends. Don’t let him forget his place.”

The words landed like bombs. Several employees exchanged glances-so the rumors were true. The perfect Saintess marriage was just a performance, a contractual arrangement.

Quinn’s face went pale, then flushed. Tessa had just publicly exposed what was supposed to be a private arrangement. Her Saintess reputation required the appearance of a stable, loving marriage. Divorce was bad enough; a fake marriage for career advancement was potentially devastating.

Marcus’s dragon senses detected Quinn’s rising panic-her elevated heart rate, the way her Saintess aura flickered with barely controlled emotion, the subtle trembling in her hands beneath the table.

Despite everything between them. Despite the coldness of their arrangement. Despite the fact that she’d abandoned him to die while saving another man.

She needed him to maintain this façade for her career.

And in this moment, he chose to honor their agreement.

“My wife,” Marcus said, his voice carrying across the hall with unexpected power that made Tessa’s smirk falter, “asked me to be a good husband. Part of that duty is ensuring her professional events aren’t disrupted by uninvited guests who cause disturbances.”

He turned to Tessa, his eyes gleaming with something that wasn’t quite human. “You’re creating a scene that reflects poorly on Quinn’s ability to manage social situations-which directly impacts her Saintess standing. Leave now, or I’ll have security remove you.”

The room went absolutely silent. This was not the meek, powerless Marcus Steel anyone remembered.

Tessa’s face turned purple with rage. “How dare you threaten me! Quinn, are you going to let him speak to me like this? To your sister? Your family?”

“Marcus is right.”

Quinn’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. Her Saintess aura flared with authority, filling the Imperial Hall with divine pressure that made even Tessa flinch.

“You’re disrupting an important company event and damaging my professional reputation.” Quinn’s voice was cold but controlled. “As his wife, I support his decision.”

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CHAPTER 16 PART 2

The words clearly cost her-supporting Marcus publicly, even in this limited capacity, went against every instinct she’d developed over three years of treating him like worthless baggage. But her Saintess duties

required it.

Marcus turned to the waiters stationed discreetly along the walls. “Please escort Mrs. Lancaster out. She wasn’t on the guest list.”

At Azure Pierce, even a Hartford wasn’t above the rules-especially when the person giving orders held an obsidian card that granted him more authority than most of the hotel’s regular clientele combined.

Two waiters approached immediately, their expressions professionally neutral. “Ma’am, we’ll need you to

leave.”

“You can’t be serious!” Tessa shrieked, her voice going up an octave. “Do you know who I am? I’m Bradford Hartford’s daughter! Quinn’s older sister! You can’t just throw me out like some common-”

“Ma’am,” the waiter repeated firmly, “you’re causing a disturbance. Please leave voluntarily, or we’ll be

forced to escort you out.”

“This is outrageous!” Tessa turned back to Quinn, desperation mixing with rage. “Quinn, tell them! Tell them who I am! We’re family! Blood! You can’t let them treat me like this!”

Quinn’s expression remained cold and unmoved. “You created this situation. Marcus is correct-you’re damaging my professional standing. I cannot allow that.”

“Cannot allow-” Tessa’s voice broke with fury. “You’re choosing him over me? That worthless nobody you’re just using for your Saintess promotion? Everyone knows it’s a fake marriage! Everyone knows you’re planning to divorce him the second your career is secure! And you’re going to humiliate me for stating the obvious truth?”

The employees shifted uncomfortably. Several phones captured every word, every expression.

The waiters moved closer. “Ma’am, final warning. Leave now.”

“Don’t you dare touch me!” Tessa backed away, her voice rising to near-hysteria. “I’ll have your jobs! I’ll call the manager! I’ll-”

They grabbed her arms-firmly but professionally-and began guiding her toward the exit.

“Let go of me! Let GO!” Tessa thrashed, her designer heels scraping against the polished floor. “This is assault! You’re assaulting a Hartford! Quinn, how can you just sit there? How can you let them-”

“The fake marriage!” Tessa screamed, her voice echoing through the hall as they dragged her toward the doors. “Ask her about the arrangement! Ask her how she’s just using Marcus until her promotion goes through! Ask her about-”

The doors closed on her voice, muffling her continued shrieks.

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