Waited For His Love, I Divorced Instead

Chapter 6

The casual way Hailey offered to end their marriage, as though she were granting him a favor, left Yannick staring at her. A second later, his expression turned stormy.

He searched her calm face, and the lack of emotion he found there only fed his anger.

"Then I suppose I should thank you for finally setting me free, Ms. Serrano."

He clasped his hands and gave her a stiff, impeccably polite bow.

Pain stabbed through Hailey's chest. Her fingers tightened around the glass in her hand.

They held each other's gaze through the rain streaming down the windows.

A company secretary suddenly rushed into the room, her urgent voice cutting through the storm. "Ms. Serrano, Cameron's entire operation has collapsed. We've lost control of the northern front!"

A bolt of lightning struck outside, illuminating Hailey's grave face.

"Prepare the car. We're going to the top-floor conference room."

*****

That night, the top-floor conference room descended into chaos.

"Mr. Serrano, Cameron's operation has failed completely. Henry is stationed at the southern branch, and none of the remaining executives can stand up to Northgate's pressure..."

"We should contact them and negotiate before the losses get any worse..."

"No. Northgate wants the entire branch. A settlement will only buy them time to swallow us whole!"

The heavy doors remained shut while arguments erupted around the table. Hailey listened with her brows drawn tight.

Suddenly, the heavy doors were pushed open from the outside, letting out a dull thud.

Every voice stopped. The executives turned toward the entrance.

A man stood in the doorway against the light. The metal fittings on his protective gear clicked softly as he entered.

Only then did the crowd realize that the person who walked in was actually Yannick.

He wore the custom tactical armor that had belonged to his late father, Grayson. Old blood still darkened the seams.

Hailey rose instinctively as Yannick crossed the room and stopped before the chairman's desk, his posture straight and his expression resolute.

"I'm volunteering to take over every northern operation and lead the team against Northgate!"

Silence swept through the room.

Hailey felt the executives' attention shift toward her, some openly, others through carefully concealed glances.

She closed her hand into a fist, unable to untangle the emotions inside her.

Yannick acted as if he hadn't noticed the strange looks around him, raising his voice to continue. "The northern market is complicated. None of our current executives know the local channels. I've gone up against Northgate more than a dozen times. I know their people, their methods, and how they think."

He bowed deeply, his tone resounding like iron. "If I fail, I'll accept whatever consequences the company decides."

As his voice faded, the entire conference room fell dead silent. The atmosphere was so tense that it was hard to breathe.

Micah was about to refuse when a woman's voice rang out first. "Yannick is the best person for the job."

It was Hailey.

Yannick's head snapped up. For a moment, he seemed unable to believe she had supported him.

Their eyes met, but he could not read the emotion hidden in hers.

Once Hailey had spoken, the other executives began voicing their agreement.

After several moments of consideration, Micah approved the appointment.

By the time every assignment had been finalized and they left headquarters, dawn had broken.

Yannick followed behind Hailey, realizing that from the moment they left the building, she hadn't spoken a single word.

An inexplicable wave of irritation swelled in his chest. He took the initiative to speak. "Thank you for backing me, Ms. Serrano."

Hailey stopped and turned around.

In the pale morning light, Yannick noticed how much weight she had lost.

He frowned, but before he could ask about it, she said, "You leave in ten days. I'll make sure every supply, contract, and local resource is in place. Focus on the operation. You won't have to worry about anything here."

Yannick snapped back to reality, pushing down the strange emotions churning inside him, and replied with distant politeness. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

They had been married for three years, yet all he ever offered her was distant courtesy. Nothing in his voice suggested that she had ever been close to him.

A dull ache spread through Hailey's chest. She nodded and walked away.

For the next ten days, she spent nearly every waking hour between the warehouses and the finance department, coordinating everything the northern operation would need.

One day, carrying a piece of lightweight protective vest that she had gone to great lengths to have custom-made, she went to find Yannick.

He accepted it without interest. "Thank you, Ms. Serrano."

He did not even open the case.

Hailey pressed her lips together. When he lifted one arm, the outline of fitted body armor showed beneath his jacket.

She paused. "You already have a vest?"

A rare softness crossed Yannick's eyes. "An old friend made it for me."

There was only one old friend, Mira, who would make something so personal for him.

The light faded from Hailey's eyes. Before she could respond, Yannick continued. "Add Mira to the northern personnel roster. She trained under several leading physicians, and she's volunteered to serve on the medical team."

Hailey froze again. It took her a long time to ask in a low voice, "The north is dangerous. You're not worried something might happen to her?"

Yannick didn't hesitate for a second, his tone absolute. "I'll protect her. I won't let her get hurt."

Hailey's face instantly turned chalk-white, completely drained of blood.

Yannick rose. "I still have work to finish. Excuse me."

He didn't look back at her once, from the moment he stood up until he walked out of the room.

Hailey watched him disappear and finally accepted the truth. When Yannick vowed to protect someone at any cost, he was never talking about her.

The day of departure came quickly.

The convoy assembled at the highway entrance outside the city. Mira stood beside Yannick and said with quiet resentment, "You're leaving today, and Hailey couldn't even be bothered to see you off..."

Yannick's face darkened. He was about to answer when something ahead caught his attention, and he froze.

Hailey sat behind the wheel of an off-road vehicle, dressed in practical field clothes. A long line of vehicles separated them, but their eyes met across the convoy.

"Mr. Landry, I have been commissioned by Mr. Serrano to accompany you and oversee the project's progress."