The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 580

**TITLE: Military 580**
**Chapter 580: Joaquin Again**

Quinn leaned in closer, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. “How has the company been faring these past few days?”

Laura exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, a wave of relief washing over her. “It’s all under control. Thankfully, there haven’t been any unexpected crises. The police have already detained my stepmother. I plan to hire the best lawyer I can find. If I can’t manage to have her locked away for life, I will at least ensure she spends a significant portion of her life behind bars—ten, maybe even twenty years.”

As those words left her lips, Laura’s gaze fell, weighed down by an unsettling mix of guilt and determination. She felt exposed, raw emotions shimmering in her eyes, but she forced herself to meet Quinn’s gaze once more, seeking strength in her friend’s unwavering presence.

“If my family’s chaos hadn’t spilled over, you and the baby would never have been caught up in something so horrific,” she murmured, the confession trembling on her tongue like a fragile secret.

Quinn, however, wasn’t one to back down easily. She gently lifted Laura’s chin, her eyes shining with quiet defiance. “But what if I’m the one who inadvertently pulled you into this crossfire?”

Laura blinked, thrown off balance by the unexpected turn of the conversation. “What do you mean?”

“The hospital’s report confirms it,” Quinn explained, her voice steady and serious. “Your stepmother was hypnotized before she ever laid a hand on that acid. And the man orchestrating this whole nightmare is almost certainly Joaquin Whitethorn, Julius’ father.”

Quinn proceeded to share the bare essentials of Joaquin’s daring prison escape and the revenge he had openly vowed against Laura.

“So, if we’re being honest here, I’m the one who put a target on your back,” Quinn concluded, her voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. “If your stepmother acted purely out of hypnosis, then you—”

Laura’s heart sank as she lowered her eyes. The notion of hypnosis—a possibility she had never even considered—sent an icy shiver down her spine, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.

“I understand what you’re saying, but if Joaquin orchestrated this to hurt you, how can we possibly defend ourselves against someone like that?” she asked, her voice laced with worry that sharpened each word. “Have you and Julius found a way to stop him?”

Quinn shook her head slowly, her expression grave. “If he were that easy to neutralize, he wouldn’t be a Whitethorn.”

After all, Joaquin Whitethorn had once been groomed to take the helm of the entire Whitethorn dynasty.

The grief stemming from his wife’s untimely death had twisted his judgment, causing the family patriarch to strip him of all rights to succession, branding him as unstable.

Yet even now, a faction within the household continued to rally around him, a testament to his cunning and influence.

A thin sheen of sweat began to form along Laura’s hairline, her body betraying her mounting anxiety.

Quinn’s gaze sharpened as she noticed the beads of sweat glistening on Laura’s forehead. “Laura, you’re sweating profusely. And why on earth are you wearing a turtleneck in this weather?”

“I just grabbed the first thing I could find when I left the house,” Laura muttered, attempting—and failing—to sound casual.

Quinn’s brows knitted tighter, concern etched on her face. “Wait a minute, Laura. Your neck…”

Laura’s fingers instinctively rose to conceal the dark smudges, forcing a light laugh that never quite reached her eyes. “Oh, that? It must have happened when I ran into my father at the police station. He grabbed me for a second—left a little evidence behind, that’s all.”

Quinn’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide with concern. “Your father gave you trouble at the station?”

Laura let out a quiet, sardonic snort. “He begged me to spare my stepmother and stepbrother. The trouble is, I’m no longer that obedient daughter who swallowed every word he fed me. Whatever pressure he tries to exert won’t land.”

Relief softened the tension in Quinn’s shoulders as she absorbed Laura’s words. “Still, you need to be careful for a while. And, Laura, maybe limit your visits. If we keep some distance, his family won’t have an easy pawn to use against you.”

Laura nodded, her expression sober as she recognized the unspoken fear lurking beneath her friend’s calm demeanor.

After all, if Julius’ father had previously exploited Laura’s tumultuous family history to hurt Quinn, there was no reason he wouldn’t try again. And if the two women were seen together less frequently, even the most cunning schemer might find no foothold to initiate the next game.

Laura managed a teasing smile, attempting to lighten the mood. “Then I’ll head out. Rest up—I’m still holding you to that promise to make me godmother when the baby arrives.”

Quinn’s answering grin, small yet genuine, flickered like the first light of dawn breaking through the hospital’s gloom.

Julius took a measured step forward, his tailored coat brushing against the doorway. “I’ll see Ms. Wentworth off. I’ll assign two bodyguards to keep her safe in the meantime.”

Laura opened her mouth to refuse—she had no desire to be alone with the Whitethorn heir—but the command in Julius’ gaze silenced her protest. *Fine, let him play escort. I better not cross a big shot like him.*