Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 24

Sometime later, Quinn threw off her covers, her mind pulling itself out of the fog of sleep.

The suppressed, agonizing groans were coming from Dante's study next door.

Was the man who had been so arrogant and imposing just hours ago suddenly sick?

Hesitating for a moment, Quinn slipped into her slippers and walked over to the study.

The door was left slightly ajar, and the ragged sounds of suffering were slipping out through the crack.

Quinn stood there, her heart sinking against her will.

It was his stomach condition.

She was far too familiar with the sound of this specific agony.

During Dante's first two years taking over the Hayes Corporation, his foundation was unsteady, and he faced immense pressure from all sides.

Young and aggressively driven, he micro-managed everything. He spent his days in endless meetings and project reviews, and his nights navigating endless corporate drinking binges. Eating on time was a luxury he rarely afforded himself.

Over time, the relentless abuse tore his stomach apart, leaving him with chronic gastric issues.

They were newlyweds back then, and Quinn's entire world had revolved around him. Doing anything for him felt like the sweetest joy.

She had woken up early every single morning to slow-cook him a gentle, easily digestible oatmeal to soothe his stomach.

The process was tedious—balancing oats, pumpkin, and lotus seeds in just the right proportions to ensure it was soothing and completely non-irritating.

She completely overhauled the household menu, cutting out everything spicy, cold, or overly greasy. She meticulously researched recipes, creating balanced, mild dishes explicitly designed to heal his stomach.

For a full year, three hundred and sixty-five days, through rain or shine, she never missed a meal.

It was entirely thanks to her painstaking care that his stubborn stomach condition had finally been cured. It hadn't flared up once in the last two years.

He had always been a deeply proud man, refusing to show weakness to anyone. Even in excruciating pain, he would never make a sound.

The fact that he was groaning like this now meant the pain had to be agonizing.

She stood frozen in place, a messy swirl of emotions choking her chest.

After all these years, his heart was full of corporate schemes, profit margins, and his endless entanglement with Vivienne. He hadn't needed her care in a very long time.

He had been drinking on an empty stomach.

The sudden burst of light made Dante squint in pain.

When he saw Quinn, a flicker of light ignited in his dark eyes, but it was violently extinguished the second he noticed Raymond standing behind her, instantly replaced by a deep, visceral rage.

Quinn pulled open the drawer of a nearby cabinet and found some antacids. Checking the expiration date, she frowned.

She turned back to Dante, shaking her head helplessly. "They're expired. You can't take these."

Still standing quietly by the door, Raymond spoke up. "He looks like he's in rough shape. Should we take him to the hospital?"

That single sentence was like a jagged needle stabbing directly into Dante's fraying nerves.

Cold sweat rolled down his jawline, completely soaking through his dress shirt.

Pressing down aggressively on his violently spasming stomach, he gritted his teeth and forced out a response aimed directly at Quinn.

"I'd rather die than let him take me anywhere!"