Chapter 265 Fractured Loyalties
Trent ignored his mother. “Apologize, Jacinda,” he repeated, voice low and iron–cold.
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“I said nothing wrong,” Jacinda insisted. “She brags about a family of martyrs. If that were true, why <b>have </b>you never mentioned it?<b>” </b>
Those words were another p, this time to Trent’s face. His heart throbbed because of those words<b>. </b><b>I </b>never <i>bothered </i><i>to </i><i>know </i><i>Quinn</i>. <i>We </i><i>married </i><i>for </i><i>convenience</i><i>: </i><i>Sidonie </i><i>had </i><i>left </i><i>the </i><i>country</i><i>, </i><i>my </i><i>parents </i><i>kept </i>pressing <i>and </i>Quinn seemed an <i>eptable </i><i>wife</i>. <i>When </i><i>she </i><i>told </i><i>me </i><i>her </i><i>parents </i>died <i>abroad</i>, <i>I </i><i>offered </i><i>only </i>hollow condolences. <b><i>If </i></b>I had <i>truly </i><i>tried </i><i>to </i>understand <i>her</i><i>, </i><i>perhaps </i><i>we </i><i>would </i><i>never </i><i>have </i><i>walked </i><i>the </i>road to divorce.
“Jacinda, the one spewing lies is you, not Quinn. Apologize, or stop calling me your brother.” Trent’s face
fell.
“You’re taking her side? You’d disown me for that woman?” Jacinda whispered, stunned.
“Trent, have you lost your mind? How can you possibly side with Quinn?” Penelope demanded.
“Apologize,” Trent barked.
Jacinda flinched. She nced at her brother’s storm–dark face, then at Penelope’s, and finally muttered, “I’m sorry.”
“Toote,” Quinn scoffed. “Jacinda, you and your mother are already out on bail. The trial for spiking my drink in that hotel is almost here. When we reach court, I’ll add another charge–insulting veterans!”
She turned to Laura. “Ready to head back?”
“Absolutely. I’ve finished my prayers,” Laura replied.
Quinn nodded. “Then let’s go,” she said, already walking away.
Jacinda’s knees buckled. “Trent, I only said a few things about Quinn–how is that insulting veterans?”
Penelope hissed, “She’s kicking us while we’re down. You can’t let her get away with it, Trent!”
Trent watched Quinn stride toward the church’s exit, then bolted after her. <i>This </i><i>cannot </i><i>be </i>how it <i>ends</i>. I <i>have </i>so <i>much </i><i>to </i><i>tell </i><i>her</i><i>–</i>so <i>many </i><i>regrets </i><i>to </i><i>confess</i>.
He caught up as Quinn and Laura reached the car park outside.
“Quinnie, don’t go. I need to talk to you!” Trent called.
Quinn turned, frost in her eyes. “Trent Grafton, you may call me Quinn, Ms. Bridger, <b>or Ms. </b>Quin Bridger–but ‘Quinnie‘ is no longer yours to call.”
He faltered. “I’m… just used to it, that’s all.”
“Used to it?” Quinn scoffed. <i>During </i><i>three </i><i>years </i><i>of </i><i>marriage</i><i>, </i><i>he </i><i>rarely </i><i>called </i><i>me </i><b><i>that</i></b><b><i>. </i></b><i>Now </i><b><i>that </i></b>we’re divorced, <b><i>he </i></b><i>suddenly </i><i>remembers </i><i>the </i>nickname.
“Break that habit now. Hearing it makes my skin crawl.” Quinn did not mince words.
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Chapter 265 Fractured Loyalties.
Color drained from Trent’s face.
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<i>Disgusting</i><i>? </i><i>Once</i>, <i>when </i><i>I </i><i>shyly </i><i>called </i><i>her </i><i>‘</i><i>Quinnic</i><i>‘ </i><i>for </i><i>the </i><i>first </i><i>time</i>, <i>she </i><i>answered </i><i>with </i>the gentlest <b><i>smile</i></b>. <b><i>Now </i></b><b>it </b><i>repulses </i><i>her</i><i>? </i>
He blocked her path. “Please, can we talk? I have so much to say.”
“If this is about your sister, save it. My stance won’t change. When court convenes, her list of charges <b>will </b>grow. Go plead with awyer instead of me.” Quinn’s voice was cial.
Laura added with a smile that cut like ss, “Assuming you can still afford a decent attorney. If Grafton Tech fails tond fresh capital within a month, its cash flow copses–and bankruptcy follows.”
Trent’s eyes widened. “How could you know that?”
Company finances were supposed to be ssified.
Laura shrugged. “Everyone in the industry is talking. Thought you should hear the rumor from a friend before it hits the papers. Oh, and the fifty–million loan you took is still frozen because <i>of </i>your ‘savior‘ Sidonie Stonehurst. You might go broke before you even touch the money.”
The word savior struck Trent like a p, coloring his cheeks red, then white. It mocked every mistake <b>he </b>had made.
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