The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 593

**Military 593: Bloodstained Pages**

Julius settled beside Quinn on the couch, the cushions shifting slightly as he took his place. The quiet thrum of the room enveloped them, and he opened his sleek laptop, the screen illuminating his chiseled features. As he navigated through a stream of confidential documents, the soft glow cast shadows that danced across his face, creating an air of intensity around him.

Quinn shifted slightly, a wave of thirst washing over her. Just as she began to rise in search of a refreshing drink, a crystal tumbler appeared in front of her, steady and unwavering in Julius’s hand, as if he had anticipated her need.

“I thought you might be feeling thirsty,” Julius said, his voice calm and steady, offering the glass as if it were the most natural act in the world. “It’s warm—just the right temperature.”

“Thank you,” Quinn replied, accepting the glass with a grateful smile. The first sip was a soothing warmth that flowed down her throat, a gentle comfort that seemed to wrap around her like a soft blanket.

In the doorway, several servants exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of astonishment and disbelief. In this grand household, the simple act of pouring water typically fell to the staff, who moved through the halls like silent shadows, performing their duties with practiced efficiency.

Yet moments before, Julius had crossed the room himself, filled a glass with warm water, and placed it before Quinn with an ease that suggested this was a gesture he had longed to perform. The scene felt effortlessly choreographed, as if the universe had conspired to bring together her soft smile and his quiet service in a perfect moment of connection.

The older servants of Whitethorn Manor, who had witnessed Julius’s icy detachment for years, exchanged stunned glances. Their carefully maintained composure cracked like old paint under the weight of their master’s unexpected transformation. No one, not a single soul who had once trembled under his frigid gaze, could have foreseen that this same man would one day cradle another’s heart with such unguarded tenderness.

As dinner approached, the soup bubbled impatiently on the stove, steam curling upward like a dancer. Julius deemed it too hot for Quinn and, with a gentle scoop, took a spoonful. He blew softly across the surface to cool it, then brought the spoon to her lips. The ritual continued—scoop, blow, offer—until the bowl grew emptier with each careful gesture.

“You’re spoiling me,” Quinn teased, a playful glint in her eyes. “At this rate, I might start to believe that all I have to do is open my mouth, and the world will feed me. Aren’t you worried I might get addicted to this level of ease?”

“I wonder if you truly would,” Julius replied, an amused brow arching slightly as he regarded her.

“I wouldn’t,” she declared with a playful shake of her head. “A little indulgence is delightful, but daily pampering? That would drive me absolutely insane.”

“I’d actually prefer it if you relied on me more,” Julius confessed, a hint of vulnerability flickering beneath his polished exterior. “Even if it turned into a habit, I would welcome it.”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” Quinn replied, her tone firm yet kind. “But I don’t want to become so cushioned that I forget how to stand on my own. I intend to remain my own strongest lifeline.”

“Why can’t I be that lifeline?” he asked, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of longing that made her heart flutter.

“Julius, the partnership I envision isn’t about one person leaning while the other holds firm. I want us to climb together—separate strengths, shared summit,” she explained, her eyes sparkling with determination.

His fingers tightened around the spoon, knuckles whitening. “Independent and indispensable—aren’t those opposites? Do you genuinely believe they can coexist?”

“We’ll use our marriage to prove it,” Quinn said, her smile radiant as the dawn.

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