The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 79

At the very least, the issue with Seraphina had been completely laid to rest.

Ever since his ruthless visit to the Sinclair Group to ensure Seraphina would never dare harass them again, Maloney had been searching for the perfect opening to explain the situation to Nora.

But the timing was never right.

You couldn't push Nora too hard.

If he just randomly sat her down to talk about it, she would overthink it and assume he had some hidden agenda. If he forced the conversation, she would panic, shut down, and it would completely backfire.

Today had provided the flawless opening.

Bella's recent return had amplified Nora's reliance on him; it was Jasmine's engagement party, so Nora was in high spirits; and Parker's idiotic outburst had naturally dragged Seraphina into the conversation.

Perfect timing, perfect setting, perfect execution.

Maloney had intentionally waited in the cafe alone.

He knew she would come looking for him.

And she did.

The threat of divorce was still hanging over his head like a guillotine.

Maloney knew he had to be patient. Identify the landmines, neutralize them one by one, and leave absolutely zero room for error until his marriage was bulletproof.

That brief conversation had yielded a massive amount of intel.

Nora lowered her gaze, staring blankly at the floor, lost in thought.

She was piecing it all together.

Maloney leaned in and kissed her neck.

Nora flinched away. "Why do you keep kissing my neck?"

"There's setting powder on your face," Maloney replied casually.

Nora just stared at him.

She immediately scrambled off his lap.

This time, Maloney didn't try to trap her.

The two of them headed downstairs back to the banquet hall.

"Shouldn't I?"

"Let me put it this way," Cassidy whispered back. "Do you know why Maloney was so incredibly untouchable in high school, and why no other girls ever tried to date him? Because Seraphina publicly announced she had a Jameson family heirloom. She declared she was the future Mrs. Jameson, and anyone who went after him was officially a homewrecker."

Nora blinked, stunned. "What heirloom?"

"Nobody knows for sure," Cassidy shrugged. "But it doesn't matter anyway. You're the actual Mrs. Jameson now. Whether he's telling the truth or just saying what you want to hear, who cares?"

She paused. "Although, if he *is* telling the truth, then Seraphina's delusions are genuinely terrifying..."

As they whispered, the engagement ceremony officially commenced.

The officiant read the vows, and the next step was the traditional tea ceremony to honor the parents.

Nora and Cassidy grabbed their phones and pushed their way to the front of the crowd to record Jasmine's big moment.

Just as Jasmine and Yates Quigley knelt and raised their teacups toward their respective parents, the warm, joyful smiles on Mr. and Mrs. Smith's faces completely vanished, replaced by sheer panic.

Both of Jasmine's parents leaped out of their chairs and bolted off the stage.

In his frantic rush, Mr. Smith's arm collided with Jasmine's outstretched hand. The hot tea splashed violently across her pristine white gown, leaving a dark, ugly stain.