Cold Husband Burning Regret: The Divorce He Couldn't Handle novel Chapter 622

Quincy was fifteen minutes late. Ilse was already annoyed, but she bit her tongue, reminding herself she needed his cooperation. Still, she couldn't help but feel wary.

"Mr. Rayburn, you haven't forgotten our plan, have you? It's been days without a single word from you. I must admit, I've been worried," Ilse said, her voice as gentle as she could manage, feigning magnanimity.

Her greatest fear was that Quincy would suddenly jack up the price or make an outrageous demand.

Quincy hadn't even taken a sip of his tea since sitting down. He seemed to gather himself for a long moment before speaking, his voice hoarse. "About our partnership… let's just forget it."

"Forget it?" Ilse's voice shot up in disbelief. "Mr. Rayburn, are you just toying with me? The Howard family has shown you the utmost sincerity, and now you're just calling it off?"

Without waiting for a reply, she resorted to goading him. "I suppose I could forget it, but can you? Without the Howard family's support, how do you expect to fight against the rest of the Rayburns? Are you really content to be a marginal figure in your own family? Once your nephew takes over, where will that leave you?"

Quincy's face tightened, but all he could manage to squeeze out was, "I value my life, alright? Have you ever had a knife held to your throat? I'm just now realizing how lucky I am to still be breathing!"

Dropping all pretense of courtesy, he stood up. "Evander Howard is marrying into the Rayburn family. Our families will be connected soon enough. No matter how marginalized I am, I am still a Rayburn. Do you really think my nephew would let me end up on the streets once he's in charge? If you want to go after Evander, you'll have to find someone else."

Ignoring the look on Ilse's face, Quincy started to leave. But after a few steps, he paused. "Evander knew you were in Eldermere City. He already came to see me. He told me to tell you that Howard Enterprises is more than you can handle."

Ilse sat frozen in her chair long after he was gone, her hand gripping the handle of her coffee cup so tightly her knuckles were white. A wave of fury emanated from her, threatening to consume the entire restaurant.

She gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe her plan had failed before it even began. The bitterness was overwhelming.

Her face a dark mask, Ilse had not walked far from the restaurant when a familiar figure appeared before her. She met a pair of deep, knowing eyes and froze for several seconds before her expression turned ugly.

She had been overjoyed when she heard the news of Evander’s “death.” Without him, Rosemary Howard would lose her main pillar of support, and with the Howard family lacking another “son,” it would have been her golden opportunity.

But fate had been cruel. He had come back alive.

"You wouldn't dare—" As Ilse prepared to resist, Evander held his phone up to her face. It was playing a video of her meeting with Quincy.

The sight of the video drained the color from her face, and her defiant arrogance vanished.

"Are… are you threatening me?"

"Would you prefer I threaten Uncle Jensen?" Evander's smile was placid, but his eyes were like an unfathomable, icy pool, devoid of any warmth.