The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 569

Military 569

569 Feelings Faded Away

“I’ve already told you,” Laura said firmly, her eyes locked onto Weston’s without a hint of wavering. “The very first condition is that I have to genuinely like the man I’m with. My feelings for you? They withered long ago, Weston. So why should I keep risking my heart on you?” Her voice was steady, resolute. “I don’t love you anymore, and it’s not your fault. I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me recently, truly. But I refuse to treat my own emotions as some sort of debt I owe you. If I decide to be with someone, it will be because I want to be with him—because I love him. Sure, I’m the kind of person who notices a handsome face, a body that makes the mind wander. But that doesn’t mean I can’t give my heart to a man who looks nothing like you.”

Every word she spoke was clear and precise, delivered with the cold finality of a judge handing down a verdict.

Weston’s lips pressed into a thin, pale line. Another rejection, sharp and clinical, carved itself deep into his chest.

“And for the record,” Laura added, her tone almost casual but cutting, “I don’t think Gavin Huxley falls short of you in looks or stature at all.”

The words shattered the silence like shards of glass, each one ringing painfully in Weston’s ears.

“That’s enough,” she said, her voice firm. “I’ve said everything I needed to. Now let go of my hand. I have to get back to the office.”

Today, the company was in complete turmoil. Once she returned, the real storm would begin.

“I’ll drive you,” Weston offered abruptly, his tone clipped but unwavering.

“There’s no need. I can—”

“I’m taking you, or I won’t feel at ease,” he interrupted, his voice final, like a door slammed shut.

Since he’d heard about the acid attack she’d narrowly escaped—and now seeing the faint bruises encircling her neck—every breath felt like a struggle, as if it might catch in his throat.

“Weston, I’ve made myself clear. I don’t intend to be with you, and I won’t fall for you again. Stop bothering me. I’m perfectly capable of getting back on my own,” Laura said, her patience thinning.

“I know you’ve refused me more than once,” he said quietly, his voice low and heavy like a dark river. “You don’t have to repeat it. Either let me drive you back, or we stand here until nightfall. Your choice.”

Laura exhaled softly, a silent sigh escaping her lips as her patience frayed.

“Fine. Drive me, then,” she relented, weighed down more by her schedule than by pride.

Weston’s smile in response was small but unexpectedly warm, like the familiar, polished barrister she once knew had briefly resurfaced.

They climbed into the car. Weston pulled onto the avenue, stealing glances at Laura in the passenger seat whenever the city lights flickered across the windshield.

Gavin exhaled through his nose, thinking carefully. “Because Laura is Quinn’s friend. And don’t forget—Quinn was a soldier. She may have retired, but the instinct to protect others under fire never really leaves.”

To Gavin, Quinn’s choice was no surprise. She had grown up surrounded by uniforms; both parents served, and she and her older brother followed the same path. In a family steeped in duty, throwing oneself into danger to save another felt as natural as breathing.

Julius stared down at the tiled floor, his voice barely a whisper. “Yes. She’s always like this—throwing herself between danger and someone else.”

He remembered the first time she caught his eye: a crowded mall, chaos erupting, and Quinn diving forward to pull him out of harm’s way.

Long before that, in a childhood scarred by gunfire, she had dragged him from a burning village. Now, selfishly, he wished she could learn to put herself first—if only to stay alive.

—

Evening shadows stretched across the hospital ward when Fabian Wooley appeared, his tie loosened and askew from a hurried sprint through the corridors.

“Mr. Whitethorn, the acid attacker is Sylvia Sanders—Laura’s stepmother. She’s currently in police custody, but the officers suspect she’s been hypnotized. They’re escorting her to the hospital for evaluation.”

The word “hypnotized” hit Julius like a cold blade. His eyes narrowed, a dark possibility flickering in their depths.