Refusing to Remarry: Mr. Hawthorne, You Are Out-Chapter 17: What a Small World for Foes!

Just then, Leon Grant happened to be looking at her.

His gaze, deep yet tinged with appreciation and a hint of a smile, passed through the layers of the crowd and landed right on her.

A strange feeling flashed through her heart, and Raine Sinclair quietly lowered her eyes.

As she stepped down from the stage, she ran into Jonas Hawthorne again.

At that moment, one thought shot through her mind: Truly, enemies cross paths wherever you go!

Back when they were married, they’d barely see each other once a week.

Now that they’re divorced, they keep running into each other.

Jonas Hawthorne hadn’t planned to say anything; in his memory, Raine Sinclair was never one to be silent.

Every time some trivial family matter happened, she absolutely had to tell him, as if she didn’t even have half a life of her own.

But now...

She didn’t say a single word to him, and when she walked right past him, she didn’t even spare him another glance.

The sting of that made Jonas Hawthorne deeply uncomfortable.

"You and Leon Grant have known each other for a while?"

The words slipped out, tinged with jealousy Jonas didn’t even notice himself.

The two kept exchanging glances, and he noticed every one of them.

Raine Sinclair just raised her brow, obviously not intending to reply, passing directly by Jonas Hawthorne’s side.

From start to finish, her delicate face was as cold as ice, as if he didn’t even exist, let alone all those lingering feelings they once shared.

"Thud!"

Jonas Hawthorne’s heart gave a sudden, heavy beat.

He froze in place, feeling the cold wind as Raine Sinclair brushed past him—frigid and biting.

A moment later, Leo Keane returned.

He looked a bit tense, leaning in close to say to Jonas Hawthorne, "I was a step too late. That kid got taken away by Mason Sullivan."

Actually, Leo Keane was the first to look for him, but no matter how he tried, he couldn’t find him—only for Mason Sullivan to swoop in and take all the credit.

He was sure this wasn’t about his own lack of skill; it was pure bad luck!

Otherwise, how could he lose to some little brat?

Jonas Hawthorne’s brows twitched slightly, his pitch-black eyes showing not a trace of emotion.

He gave Leo Keane a cool glance, saying nothing.

But that look made Leo Keane uncomfortable, quickly defending himself, "I just have bad luck! It’s got nothing to do with my ability!"

As soon as the words landed, a commotion erupted ahead.

"It’s her! She gave me money and told me to spill red wine on Ms. Sinclair!"

Jonas Hawthorne’s dark eyes narrowed as he traced the voice.

He saw Mason Sullivan had already brought the male server who’d thrown the wine straight to Raine Sinclair, pointing at a woman in a red dress, accusing her!

The woman in red had never expected her scheme to be exposed so quickly.

Her face was panicked, her words stammering, "Y-you’re lying! When did I ever give you money? I don’t even know you!"

At an event like tonight, humiliated in front of so many, how was she supposed to keep her footing in Sedonia after this?

She would never admit it, even if beaten to death!

The onlookers were confused by what they saw.

This wasn’t an accident?

Someone actually set all this up?

Damn, tonight is wild!

Raine Sinclair’s cold eyes settled on the woman in red, lost in thought.

Mason Sullivan caught the unfamiliar look in her eyes and said, "That’s Nina Warren, Chandler Warren’s youngest daughter from Radiant Electronics. The company’s a rising star these last couple years with some real potential."

Hearing this, Raine Sinclair nodded slightly.

No wonder Nina Warren was so arrogant, pulling such underhanded moves behind the scenes.

"So, do you know me?" Raine Sinclair’s red lips parted lightly as she asked Nina Warren.

Her voice was cool, not loud, but it cut through the crowd, instantly silencing all those messy discussions!

Nearly everyone held their breath and stared at Raine Sinclair, wondering how she would handle it.

Leon Grant was also watching her, eyes glimmering with curiosity.

Nina Warren was already terrified and distracted. When Raine Sinclair asked, she blurted out, "Of course I know you! You’re Raine Sinclair, the woman who got divorced a few days ago! The abandoned wife everyone’s talking about!"

The place went dead silent.

Stuff like this, people usually only dare think it—saying it out loud like that, you’ve either got real power, or you’re completely brainless.

Nina Warren was one hundred percent brainless.

She was the one who’d messed up. Saying that now was just provoking Raine Sinclair.

But before Raine Sinclair could react, Mason Sullivan lost it and stepped forward to curse, "Abandoned wife? Get your facts straight—our Ms. Sinclair didn’t cheat! Why is it, these days, scumbags go unpunished while all the blame gets dumped on women?"

A few sharp words, and the target was suddenly Jonas Hawthorne standing nearby.

He was the scumbag in question!

Too bad the Hawthorne Family’s standing kept anyone from calling Jonas Hawthorne out!

But Mason Sullivan didn’t give a damn about that.

Anyone who messed with Raine would be his enemy!

"Exactly! It’s those two dogs that are at fault!" Lily Sinclair couldn’t help but jump in to curse as well!

Mason Sullivan’s ’scumbag’ was disrespectful enough to Jonas Hawthorne, but after Lily Sinclair’s ’two dogs’ comment, the whole room went deathly silent!

Everyone exchanged wary glances, barely daring to breathe!

Suddenly, everyone started searching for Jonas Hawthorne among the crowd...

With insults like that, he must be fuming, right?

Mr. Hawthorne, where are you?

Come out and fight with your ex-wife!

But little did they know, the man himself was standing in a distant corner, arms crossed, leaning sideways.

Leo Keane glanced at Jonas Hawthorne beside him, who seemed to be resting with his eyes shut, and bet that he’d definitely heard Lily Sinclair call him a dog. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

If this was the old Mr. Hawthorne, whoever said that would be dead meat!

But...

At this moment, Jonas Hawthorne wasn’t angry at all, barely even opening his eyes—completely calm.

Is it possible... he actually feels guilty?

Even Leo, as his brother, thought Jonas Hawthorne had handled this whole thing really poorly.

But it was a matter for the couple, and he had no right to weigh in.

——

In the hall, just as everyone was waiting for Jonas Hawthorne and Raine Sinclair to have a public showdown, Raine Sinclair reached over and grabbed Lily Sinclair, "Lily! Enough."

"Sis..." Lily Sinclair pouted, still unhappy. She just wanted justice for her cousin!

These people are infuriating!

Raine Sinclair, however, didn’t care. "When it’s over, don’t force it. And honestly, Miss Warren’s not wrong. But even if I’m divorced, what does that have to do with you? Was it really necessary to hire someone to attack me?"

With just a couple sentences, she pulled the conversation right back on track!

"I..." Nina Warren was instantly speechless, stunned for half a beat before snapping back, "It wasn’t me! I already said I don’t even know this guy!"

The server knew the moment he was caught that he was screwed, and now, seeing Nina Warren refuse to admit it, he got even more panicked, "It was you! You gave me the money! You told me to teach that woman who stole the spotlight a lesson!"

Maybe she’d really lost it—Nina Warren marched over and slapped him hard across the face!

"Shut up!"

"Smack!"

The server’s face was instantly knocked sideways.