From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 108

"Huh?"

Startled, Lydia held Joanna by her slender shoulders and gently pushed her back, using her fingers to wipe away the tears from the corners of Joanna's eyes. "What do you regret?"

"Is it about the engagement?"

Joanna had grown up showered with love. Her parents adored each other, and her older brother and sister doted on her. She practically had no worries in life.

When she changed her major back in college, Lydia had been worried.

But Joanna excelled, graduating top of her class. Now, she had taken over Quinn Jewelry and was running it brilliantly.

Aside from romantic troubles, Lydia couldn't think of anything else that would upset her this much.

Joanna's eyes darkened. She looked at Lydia for a long two seconds, her face pale. Instead of answering, she asked, "There's been some explosive news going around our circles these past two days. I heard the CEO of the Ford Group got engaged. Do you know who it is?"

A sudden, uncomfortable sensation radiated from her cold fingertips. Looking down, Lydia realized Joanna was squeezing her hand.

She had never lied to her best friend.

But the terms of the contract flashed in her mind.

Terrified of ruining Xavier's reputation, she shook her head.

At that exact moment, the warmth on her hand vanished.

It felt as if something else was slipping away from her, too.

Anxiously, she reached out and grabbed Joanna's retreating hand. "Why the sudden interest in this?"

Unless Joanna was the rumored fiancée, to them, it was just another piece of society gossip.

But wait. This was the second time Joanna had brought up Xavier in front of her.

Did they know each other?

But Lydia knew everyone Joanna knew.

They had grown up in the same social circles. The people they knew were either classmates or wealthy heirs and socialites.

Even after she had left with her mother and stepped away from her old life, she had still hovered on the edges of that circle because of Joanna.

The Ford family's assets spanned the globe. The Averton branch was just a subsidiary, and the Fords practically never made appearances in Averton's elite circles.

If it weren't for Harrison's connection... she would never have met Xavier. And Joanna's jewelry business would never naturally intersect with the Ford Group's tech developments.

She figured she was just overthinking things. If Joanna knew Xavier, she would have told her.

Joanna stood up, looking down at her. The warm yellow light shone on the top of her head, casting a faint halo that obscured the look in her eyes, but her gaze was intensely focused. "Nothing. Just asking."

Lydia linked her arm through Joanna's. "Are you hungry? Let's go grab a bite at the restaurant downstairs."

She desperately wanted to comfort Joanna and figure out what had made her so regretful and heartbroken.

"No."

"I'm tired."

Her hand was suddenly pressed down, and the next second, Joanna brushed her off completely.

Lydia stood frozen in place, watching Joanna turn and walk away, her retreating figure resolute and distant.

In that moment, Lydia's heart trembled. Something felt terribly wrong, and she wanted to chase after her.

But Joanna suddenly looked back over her shoulder. "I'll try contacting my brother and ask him for you."

Her anxious heart slowly settled. She offered a faint smile. "Okay."

Pulling her gaze away, she walked back into the hospital room.

Julian had fallen asleep on the cot.

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