Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 109

Luke's voice faded in the distance as Raymond ignored him, his tall frame moving steadily down the corridor.

As he walked past one of the private rooms, the door was left slightly ajar. Through the gap, he caught sight of Dante.

Dante looked absolutely miserable. His handsome, usually arrogant face was clouded with dark frustration as he threw back shot after shot of liquor.

A guy sitting next to him was trying to intervene. "Dante, what the hell is wrong with you today? You look like you just got dumped."

"Seriously, what on earth could have you this messed up?"

"What do you think? It's definitely about Vivienne. The guy is practically dying of unrequited love."

"Don't sweat it, man! I just called her. She's on her way to keep you company!"

...

Instead of being grateful, Dante snapped at them. "Why the fuck did you call her?"

"Oh, oh, listen to him! It hurts him to even inconvenience her!"

"Shut up!" Dante roared, clearly losing his patience.

"Of course I care about Vivienne, but I'm more worried about what Quinn thinks..."

Dante was clearly wasted. His dark, unfathomable eyes were glazed over with a rare vulnerability.

"I kissed her today, and she actually..."

That she was utterly repulsed by him, that she called his touch disgusting—he couldn't bring himself to confess that part to his friends.

"No way, Dante. Are you telling us you can't let your wife go, so you forced yourself on..."

Standing outside the door, Raymond froze. The usual icy calm in his eyes instantly shattered, freezing over into absolute, murderous frost.

"Honestly, your wife is gorgeous. If I were you, I'd just cut ties with Vivienne and settle down with her."

"Yeah, man. You were completely obsessed with Quinn back in high school. How did you suddenly pivot to Vivienne anyway?"

Dante downed the last half of his glass. The harsh liquor burned a path straight down his throat, setting his chest on fire.

"Vivienne, you finally made it! If you were any later, he was going to drink himself to death!"

"Seriously, you're the only one who can cure his heartbreak!"

Raymond heard Vivienne's sickeningly sweet voice chime in, "Dante, what happened? Why are you drinking so much?"

...

Because of his terrible stomach, Dante had finally stopped drinking.

But the careless jokes from his friends had successfully convinced Vivienne that Dante was madly in love with her. She fully believed he was only staying in his hollow marriage with Quinn to protect the Hayes Corporation's public image.

She was overwhelmingly touched by his supposed sacrifice.

She desperately wanted to tell him the truth—that he and Quinn had already signed the divorce papers, and legally, he was a free man.

But remembering Mrs. Hayes' strict warning, she swallowed the words.

If she leaked the secret and infuriated his mother, Mrs. Hayes might change her mind and force him to marry someone else. That was a risk she simply couldn't take.