Chapter 30
“You…” I gasped in shock, about to ask what
inn was up to, but he quickly covered my mouth with his hand.
“Didn’t you say you can’t sleep without someone to hold? Let me help with that,” Quinn murmured in a low voice, his tone so soft it made me wonder if he’d lost his mind.
At the same time, he leaned close to my car and whispered barely audibly, “Someone sent by Alex to check on us.”
I froze. The drama in this family never ceased to amaze me. Spying at night? Really?
Quinn removed his hand from my mouth and ordered firmly, “Make a scene with me.”
“What?” I hissed under my breath. But then it clicked–he wanted me to act.
To convince Alex we hadn’t divorced, we’d have to make it as convincing as possible. That way, the spy outside would report every detail back to Alex, and he’d believe it
I gathered myself and launched into a loud tirade. “Don’t touch me with the same hands you used to hold Diana! Divorce was always in the cards for us. What’s this? Are you scared of losing the Madden Group chairman title now and trying to win me back?”
Quinn’s dark eyes locked onto mine, and he said in a steady voice. “I never wanted a divorce from you.”
I froze. I thought I was doing a decent job acting, but compared to Quinn, I was a complete amateur. He slipped into character effortlessly, his expression perfectly controlled.
Snapping out of it, I continued, “Who are you fooling? If you don’t want a divorce, how else are you planning to marry Diana!”
Quinn’s gaze deepened, his voice tinged with subtle weariness and melancholy. I’ve only ever felt gratitude and responsibility for Diana. Her mother was the daughter of my grandfather’s housekeeper and grew up with my mom. After my mom married, she brought Diana’s mother into the Madden family as the housekeeper. When my mother passed away giving birth to me, Diana’s mother raised me like her own.
I already knew all this from my own investigation, but I hadn’t expected Quinn to tell me himself.
It was the first time he’d ever shared so much with me. Not wanting to interrupt, I asked. “Then what?”
“When I was ten, I fell into the lake one winter. I couldn’t swim, and Diana was the first to see me. She jumped in to save me and struggled to pull me out of the freezing water. She caught a fever afterward, leaving her with lifelong health issues. I swore that day I’d take care of her forever.”
Hearing this, I finally understood why Quinn was so devoted to Diana.
His storytelling was so vivid that I got lost in it. Before I could stop myself, I murmured, “So, you planned to marry her and care for her forever. My sudden appearance must’ve ruined everything…
My voice trailed off as a lump formed in my throat. It felt cruel to break up what was clearly a bond forged through sacrifice and loyalty.
For a moment, I genuinely felt like a terrible person.
Quinn frowned, staring at me intently for a long time. Then, his voice low and hourse, he said, “Natalia, I never planned to marry Diana, just as I never planned to divorce you. What will take for you to believe me?”
1 looked up at him, stunned, my heart racing in my chest. But then I snapped back to reality and reminded myself this was all just an act.
22:38 Thu, Dec 12
Chapter 30
Avoiding his gaze, I glanced at the door. The shadow outside was gone. “Well, looks like we’ve fooled them. Let’s sleep, I muttered, turning away from him and closing my eyes.
His long arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me firmly into his embrace. In a mulled voice, he said. “Natalia, since we’re acting, we need to commit to the role completely”
Before I could respond, his warm skin pressed against mine, and his breath grew heavier.
I didn’t even have time to protest before a cascade of kisses silenced me.
That night left me utterly drained.
The next day was the charity gala.
When we returned to the villa, the stylists Finn had arranged were already waiting for me.
I felt like a life–sized doll as they worked on my makeup and outi
Hours later, I found myself in a limited–edition gown, stepping into the gala venue with Quinn.
The event was held at a six–star hotel, and the moment Quinn appeared, a steady stream of people came to greet him.
To squash the divorce rumors, he stayed close to me the entire time, even interrupting conversations to ask, “Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”
1 shook my head, giving him a sweet smile.
Nearby, a female guest sighed enviously, “Mr. Madden and his wife are such a loving couple!”
“Natalia““”
I turned, surprised to see Skylar at the event. She was heavily made up, hanging onto the arm of a young man with a dark complexion, as they made their way toward us.
I didn’t bother hiding my annoyance at seeing her, but I managed to keep it together,
The man handed out two business cards and introduced himsell “Mr. Madden, Mrs. Madden, here’s my card.”
I glanced down and saw the words Harvey Real Estate.
His name was Mike Harvey, and he was the general manager of Harvey Real Estate. They’d made a name for themselves. with a few big projects after entering Enschester two years ago.
Clearly, our parents had sent Skylar to cozy up to him.
“Natalia, isn’t it boring to hear them talk business? Let’s go have some fun, Skylar said, tugging on my arm.
She was obviously trying to get me out of the way so Mike could cozy up to Quinn. Reluctantly, Het her drag me to a quieter.
corner.
She grabbed two drinks from a passing waiter and handed one to me, lowering her voice with a smirk. “Still got your tricks, Natalia. Divorced, but still showing up as Mrs. Madden.”
I frowned, my voice cold. “You’d better watch what you say. Piss Quinn off, and it’s our family that’ll suffer.”
“Ob, please,” Skylar scoffed, giving me a disdainful look. “Enjoy while you can. Once Miss Terell becomes Mrs. Madden, everyone will see that I’m the one who can take Hinton Group to the next level.
So she’d pinned all her hopes on Diana. I couldn’t decide if she was naive or just plain foolish.
22:38 Thu, Dec 12
Chapter 30
She wouldn’t dare cause trouble here, so I left her with a glare and headed for the restroom.
On my way out, someone called my name. “Ms. Hinton.”
10
I tumed and saw York, his signature charming smile in place. “Oh, wait. In this setting, I suppose Mrs. Madden is more appropriate?” he teased.
“Funny as always, Mr. Smith,” I replied, keeping my tone polite but distant. “My husband is waiting for me. Excuse me.”
“Hold on.” York stepped closer and, to my surprise, brushed his fingers through my hair. He smiled apologetically. “My mistake. Thought I saw something there.”
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