Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 17

Unlike Dante's aristocratic elegance, Raymond carried an aura of pure, unadulterated testosterone and magnetic tension. He was aggressively masculine.

"Ray!"

The moment Leo spotted Raymond, he let go of his mother's hand and pumped his short legs as fast as he could toward him.

Upon reaching Raymond, the little guy executed his signature three-step charm routine: grab the leg, look up, and demand to be held!

Raymond lowered his gaze, peering through his sunglasses at the little boy. The kid was looking up at him with immense expectation, arms outstretched, his dark eyes sparkling like polished obsidian.

Seeing her son abandon her the second Raymond showed up, Quinn offered a helpless smile.

"I have to head to the Arts Centre today, and I didn't want him throwing a tantrum at home, so I asked you to clock in early."

Raymond replied in a deep baritone, "It's fine. The sooner I start, the sooner I get paid."

Quinn blinked in surprise. Coming from a man of such few words, that was practically a monologue.

She glanced past him, failing to spot the compact EV he drove last time. "You didn't drive that car today? How did you get here?"

Raymond hesitated for a fraction of a second. "A friend dropped me off on their way."

Quinn nodded. Seeing that Leo was still clinging to Raymond's leg like a koala, she instructed her nanny.

"Lydia, go pick up Leo."

But as Lydia approached and reached out, the little guy twisted his body from side to side, actively dodging her.

"No!"

"I want Ray!"

Lydia looked helpless. The kid still wasn't used to her and clearly didn't want to be carried by her.

Leo kept his face tilted up, staring at Raymond, who was staring right back down at him. When the man still didn't pick him up, the boy's lower lip quivered. Tears pooled in his eyes, threatening to spill over at any second.

Raymond was speechless.

Was Dante Hayes's son really this pathetic?

Treating a stranger like his dad? Pathetic.

Despite the inward critique, he bent down and scooped the little boy up with effortless ease.

He was incredibly tall, and Leo felt like he was flying. The boy let out a squeal of pure excitement.

"Dante, isn't that Quinn?"

Dante turned to look, but Quinn's group had already rounded the corner to the basement elevator. He only caught a fleeting glimpse of her back.

The silhouette did look like her, except the woman was wearing a dark red vintage qipao that hugged every stunning curve of her figure.

It was a far cry from the severe black-and-white corporate attire Quinn had strictly adopted during her time at The Hayes Group.

Dante's brow furrowed slightly.

He vaguely remembered that right before Quinn joined his company, she had opened some sort of design studio.

What was it called again?

He couldn't quite remember.

Once inside the venue, Leo announced he needed to use the bathroom. Lydia smiled and took him, while Raymond followed along.

The venue was packed. Quinn almost immediately spotted Lillian Quincy sitting in the VIP section.

She was just about to walk over when she saw Dante and Vivienne stepping out of the elevator.