Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 28

Quinn squatted down and gave his chubby cheeks a gentle squeeze.

"Sweetheart, what did you do at home today?"

"Ray played with me! We went on the slide and built blocks..."

Raymond stood off to the side, his lips pressed in a tight line, projecting his usual cold, unreadable stoicism.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she genuinely would have doubted a man this intimidating and icy could actually play with children.

Just as she opened her mouth to say "thank you," he had already turned around, stalking into the dining room to grab a glass of water from the dispenser.

He left her staring at his broad, unapologetically chilly back.

Why did she get the distinct feeling that he was purposely ignoring her today?

Quinn didn't dwell on it. She needed to focus on her design sketches.

With the "Gilded Glamour" competition rapidly approaching, she couldn't afford to slack off. She needed to submit a piece that would absolutely blow the judges away.

For the next two days, Quinn stayed holed up in the house, obsessively drawing and refining her designs, conceptualizing every microscopic detail.

It wasn't until Mabel casually asked about Dante's condition that she finally remembered—tomorrow was the day their divorce agreement took effect.

The night was heavy, and Belvedere Gardens had descended into absolute silence.

At the hospital.

The days of absolute radio silence from his wife had piled a suffocating mountain of gloom over Dante's chest. Three straight days of crushing depression refused to dissipate.

Suddenly, his phone screen lit up with a text message. It was from Quinn.

A single, simple sentence:

[You're getting discharged tomorrow, right?]

The glow of the screen reflected in Dante's pitch-black eyes, and he narrowed them sharply.

She had finally broken her silence and reached out to him.

She still cared about him.

The tension in his fingertips vanished, and the corners of his lips pulled up into a smug, involuntary smirk. He quickly typed back a single word.

The next morning.

Dawn broke, painting the sky a flawless, cloudless blue.

Quinn arrived outside the City Clerk's Office right on time. In her hands was a folder containing every document and ID required for the divorce proceedings.

She looked up, gazing off into the distance. The sun was warm, the sky was pristine, and Riverton's jacarandas were in full, glorious bloom. The air was thick with their sweet fragrance, petals dancing wildly in the breeze.

It was breathtakingly beautiful!

Starting tomorrow, she would no longer be Mrs. Hayes. She would completely sever all ties with Dante.

Moving forward, she only wanted to focus on building her empire.

Finally, a black luxury SUV pulled up nearby.

Quinn's eyes sharpened. Mr. Hayes Senior had always kept a low profile and hated flashy cars, so the Hayes family owned several identical black SUVs, including one Dante frequently used.

He was finally here.