The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 623

Chapter 623 A Bitter Reunion

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“It’s a shame, isn’t it?” Laura said, letting the words land like pebbles tossed at stained glass. “After Mom died, you never took me back here again.”

The memory scraped her heart raw. Her father had erased her mother–years of marriage wiped clean, as though love were chalk on a wet sidewalk.

If he could forget his wife so quickly, Laura knew he would never spare a thought for his daughter.

When her stepmother appeared, he doted on her with feverish devotion, and because Sylas was her son, her father lavished Sylas with kindness that should have belonged to Laura.

She still found it unbelievable. The man who had always seemed gentle, faithful, almost dull, had rushed to remarry the moment her mother was laid to rest.

Did he ever truly love Mom? Or did he simply need a woman—any woman—to fill the space beside him? One wife dead? Fine. Marry another.

Caxton’s cheeks twitched with embarrassment. “I know, Laura, I neglected you. But that ends today. Come on, order anything you like. I’ll pay.”

He slid the laminated menu across the table, enthusiasm pasted over panic.

“Save it.” Laura pushed the menu back with two fingers. “I didn’t come for pasta. I’m here to tell you to stop calling. Even if you storm my office, I won’t withdraw the lawsuit. I’m ready-—really ready–to cut you out for good.”

“Must you fight me on everything? I’m your father!” Caxton’s voice rose, anger thickening each syllable.

“And I’m done having a father like you,” Laura answered, her tone flat, final.

The next instant, Caxton lunged. A white handkerchief flashed, clamping over Laura’s mouth and nose.

A sharp almond scent flooded her nostrils–chloroform.

Oh no!

Her reflexes fired. She yanked a slim stun device from her handbag and jammed it into

Caxton’s ribs.

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15:19 Sun, Dec 21

Chapter 623 A Bitter Reunion

Electricity cracked. He screamed, crumpling onto the tiled floor.

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Laura staggered, bracing herself against the table’s edge as numbness crept along her limbs, strength draining grain by grain. Muscles slackened, nerves hissing like cut wires.

She tried to call for help, but only silence answered. The pasta bar–normally buzzing at lunch -stood empty now. They were the only ones inside. Somehow, the front door had swung shut and latched, sealing them inside.

Dread detonated in her chest. Move, Laura. Run now!

A cool voice rose behind her. “If you weren’t friends with Quinn, I wouldn’t have needed to do this to you. Pity–you chose the wrong friend.”

Laura wheeled around, half–falling into a chair. A man stepped from the kitchen shadows, coat unbuttoned, eyes gleaming like wet stone.

She recognized that face from photographs.

Joaquin Whitethorn–father of Julius, patriarch of a family that made rivals disappear.

“I’m sure it’s him!”

Quinn had warned her that Joaquin had hypnotized her stepmother only because he had wanted to strike at Quinn through the woman’s unsuspecting hands. The memory hit Laura like ice water. Now Joaquin stood in this tiny shop, and her father had just attacked her. She swayed, mind unspooling, each ragged breath feeding the terror clawing up her throat.

Did Joaquin make a secret pact with my father? Is he planning to let my father finish me off? And then what–would he aim at Quinnie next?

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The thought galvanized her. She refused to drag Quinn into this. If she could fling the door

and race onto the crowded street, the pedestrians would force Joaquin to back down. Besides, Quinn had mentioned that Julius kept bodyguards shadowing her. Surely they lurked nearby.

Laura’s trembling fingers had barely brushed the brass handle when Joaquin’s voice drifted across the dim room once more.

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