Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 55

The assistant nodded. "The main issue is that his whereabouts remain a mystery. He is operating in the shadows while we are out in the open. It puts us at a distinct disadvantage."

Dante's gaze darkened. "He can hide for a moment, but not forever."

"Since he has returned with intentions of taking over the family business, he will surface eventually."

Shifting gears, Dante asked about the property out by Sapphire Lake.

"Did you contact the owner's son? Is he willing to sell?"

The assistant shook his head helplessly. "I spoke to him yesterday. He makes an excellent living abroad and doesn't need the money. Even after we raised the offer to millions of dollars, he remained completely unfazed."

Dante frowned. "Give it time. Perhaps he will change his mind."

"Yes, sir."

He was determined to buy that estate and gift it to Quinn for her birthday.

***

Quinn was rushed to the hospital, where Dr. Xavier immediately examined her.

He confirmed that this attack was far less severe than her previous one. After administering the proper medication and putting her on oxygen, she only needed a brief observation period before she could be discharged.

Leo had a reading class that afternoon, so Tara and Lydia had already left to drop him off.

Only Raymond remained with her in the private suite.

The pristine white room smelled faintly of antiseptic, the silence so profound one could hear a pin drop.

Raymond didn't speak. He simply stood silently by the edge of her bed.

Complex emotions churned in the depths of his dark eyes, utterly unreadable to anyone else.

Quinn stole a glance at him.

From the moment the attack began to their arrival at the hospital, he had been calm and decisive. He hadn't wasted a single word, yet he handled every detail flawlessly.

"Why are you still standing?" Quinn's slightly raspy voice finally broke the heavy silence.

Raymond's lips parted slightly. "Watching over you."

However, he missed one crucial detail.

Quinn picked up the inhaler from the bedside table, eyeing it suspiciously. "I recognize this brand. It's a patented new release from a top-tier global pharmaceutical company."

"It's rarely distributed domestically, notoriously hard to source, and outrageously expensive. This tiny thing probably cost a month of your salary."

She leveled a searching look at him. "Isn't that a little extravagant just for my sake?"

The flawless shell of indifference Raymond maintained over his dark eyes cracked for a fraction of a second.

But just as quickly, it smoothed back over.

"I had a friend order it from overseas."

"My income isn't incredibly high, but things are different now."

He paused, meeting her gaze with a faint smirk playing on his lips.

"I have a wife now. This expense can definitely be reimbursed."