Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 23

Though furious, Dante had taken the reins of the Hayes Corporation at a young age. Years of corporate battles had forged his temper into something brutally restrained and suppressed.

He approached with heavy steps. "It's one thing to make a scene outside, but who gave you permission to bring this man into my house?"

Quinn lifted her chin, her red lips gleaming under the chandelier, but she didn't offer a reply.

Three years ago, Dante had done the unspeakable in his study—an act that had indirectly caused the death of her beloved dog, Toffee. The mere thought of it still made her sick to her stomach.

Dante furrowed his brows. "I've told you a hundred times, that was an accident..."

Quinn scoffed inwardly. Men were all the same. They denied it until they were caught red-handed, and then it was suddenly an 'accident.'

Too exhausted to argue with him, she simply turned to the housekeeper. "Mabel, serve dinner."

Naturally, Dante was not about to allow Raymond to sit at his dining table.

He shot a glacial glare at Raymond. "Sir, it's time for you to leave."

Only then did Raymond stand up. Tall and formidable, he met Dante's icy stare without a flinch.

"Mr. Hayes."

"I am employed by Ms. Yates. Protecting my client is my duty."

"The employment contract explicitly states close-quarters protection. My staying here is entirely legal and compliant."

Quinn honestly didn't want to waste her breath explaining anything to Dante.

After all, their marriage would be over in four days.

But she refused to let Raymond be targeted. "Ray is the new bodyguard I hired to protect me and Leo," she stated coldly.

"He's staying here because I asked him to."

Dante's eyes grew dangerously dark.

He could tolerate Quinn throwing tantrums, giving him the silent treatment, or acting out.

But he absolutely could not tolerate another man brazenly moving into his house, taking over his space, coaxing his son, and getting this close to his wife.

"Leo, come here."

He barked the order at his son.

Sensing the hostility radiating from Dante, Leo shrank back in fear, instinctively hiding behind Raymond's legs.

Seeing his son's reaction, Dante shifted his piercing gaze back to Quinn.

Out of an entire table full of food, there wasn't a single dish he liked.

He had explicitly told her he was coming home tonight, but she clearly hadn't bothered to pass the message to the kitchen.

Seeing Dante's displeasure, Mabel quickly stepped up. "Mr. Hayes, I'll go whip up a couple of your favorites right now."

"Don't bother."

With that, Dante spun on his heel and stormed upstairs with a thunderous expression, leaving the rest of the room in silence.

Quinn couldn't care less about his temper tantrum. She just kept enjoying her delicious meal.

Later, the dinner tray the maid brought up to the study sat completely untouched.

As the night deepened, the villa fell into a quiet stillness.

Quinn put Leo to bed and, after a quick wash, returned to her own bedroom.

Exhausted from a long day of running around, she drifted into a deep sleep the second her head hit the pillow.

In the dead of night, when everything was eerily quiet, the faint, muffled sound of someone groaning in pain drifted into her ears.

The sound was faint and broken, almost like a hallucination, yet it lingered persistently in the air.