The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 513

er 513 Unwelcome Reunion

Chapter 513 Unwelcome Reunion

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“It really has been a long time, Harlan. How have you been?” Quinn asked, polite yet distant.

Harlan offered a small, almost fragile smile. “I’m all right.” His eyes drifted, uninvited, to the still–flat line of her abdomen.

Is she already carrying their child? And I suppose my chance is gone for good.

Harlan’s gaze snapped to Julius, bitterness sharpening every word as he stepped closer. “Quinnie was ambushed by your father in Celosia, yet you made her confront him herself. Your family’s filthy mess drags her down–this is your idea of protection?”

He had only learned of the ambush the following noon. The knowledge had left a cold sweat on his palms; the mere thought of something happening to her knotted his stomach.

Julius’s eyes darkened. “This is Whitethorn business and none of yours.”

Harlan shot back, “Your family may be off–limits to me, but anything concerning Quinnie is absolutely my business.”

With that declaration, he cocked his arm and swung a fist at Julius.

The blow never landed. A slender yet unyielding hand seized Harlan’s wrist mid–flight, stopping the strike inches from Julius‘ chest.

“Harlan, everything swirling around the Whitethorn family has scarred Julius as it has me. He threw himself between me and danger, but I wanted—no, needed–to shield him instead. So I stepped forward and took the initiative to end it.”

Harlan blinked, caught completely off guard. The rebuttal poised on his tongue collapsed into silence.

“You know me, Harlan. I was never built to sit and wait for the axe to fall. If Julius‘ father has decided to make me his target, I won’t spend my life huddling behind someone else’s shield. I’ll go on the offensive and drag him into the light myself.”

“But aren’t you afraid this mess will keep sucking you back in? The Whitethorn family is chaos incarnate. Joaquin may be locked up, yet his remaining influence could strike at you any moment,” Harlan said, concerned.

“Harlan, back when I enlisted, every assignment dripped with risk, yet I never flinched. Why should that change now? Life was never meant to be perfectly safe. And, Harlan… in a couple of days, Julius and I will be registering our marriage.”

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19:55 Mon, Oct 27

Chapter 513 Unwelcome Reunion

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Harlan went rigid, as though an unseen hand had turned his spine to iron. He remembered Laura mentioning that Quinn and Julius planned to legalize their union the moment they landed.

Yet hearing the confirmation from Quinn herself felt like a shard of ice driven straight through his heart. He realized she was spelling it out to kill any lingering fantasies he still harbored.

Harlan forced a smile after a long while. “Then let me offer my congratulations, Quinnie. I hope this time your marriage is blessed with nothing but happiness.”

“Thank you.”

“Where are you going? I’ll drive you,” he added.

“No need, Mr. Ingram. The Whitethorn driver is already waiting outside.” Julius’s voice cut in, polite yet edged with steel.

“Is that so?” Harlan let out a thin, humorless laugh, then turned to Quinn. “At least allow me to escort you to the departures curb.”

“All right.” Quinn nodded, making no move to refuse him.

The three formed a silent phalanx–Harlan, Julius, and Quinn shoulder to shoulder at the front, with Laura and Gavin trailing a few paces behind.

“Hi, I’m Quinn’s friend, Laura Wentworth. And you are?” Laura asked with easy familiarity.

“Gavin Huxley,” he said. “I serve as the Whitethorn family’s doctor, more or less.”

Lowering her voice, Laura leaned closer. “So… how are you in a fight?”

Gavin arched an eyebrow. “Why would you ask something like that?”

“If Harlan and Julius throw punches again, someone needs to jump in and pull them apart, right? If you’ve got any skills, I’d feel a bit safer.”

Although Harlan had just congratulated Quinn, the air between the two men felt thick and brittle, as though one wrong word might make it shatter.

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