From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 119

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Lydia couldn't be bothered to look at them anymore. She gently guided her mother forward. "Mom, let's go."

"Okay," Madeline replied softly, giving Lydia's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Hold on a minute. Sierra was just playing a prank. She obviously didn't mean to hurt you," Arthur said, stepping into their path.

"I just wanted to take my big sister's new car for a spin," Sierra chimed in, playing the tragic victim.

"If you had just let your sister borrow the car, none of this would have happened," Arthur completely flipped the narrative to blame Lydia. "Besides, you both fell in. You're perfectly fine, but Sierra severely sprained her ankle."

"Let's just drop this," Arthur commanded dismissively.

Lydia ignored him entirely, but Madeline had heard enough. "We are going to pursue these charges to the absolute fullest extent of the law!"

"You!"

"Madeline! How dare you brainwash Lydia into turning against her own sister?"

"You have one foot in the grave. When you're gone, the only people Lydia will have left to rely on are her father and her sister!"

"Stop being so incredibly selfish. You're going to destroy Lydia's future just to satisfy your pathetic, decades-old grudge!"

Hearing those vile words, Lydia's hands balled into tight fists at her sides, absolute fury incinerating the last shreds of her restraint.

But a warm hand wrapped around her trembling shoulders.

She looked over to see her mother standing tall, radiating a terrifying calm. "Watch your tone, Arthur. Karma is a bitch. We'll see who God drags to hell first."

"I spent my entire life being a naive fool. It took me until today to figure out how to be selfish."

"Not only is Lydia pressing charges against your precious daughter, but I am officially revoking my medical patents. The Sutton Group is legally barred from ever using them again!"

"You... you..." All the blood drained from Arthur's face. He clutched his chest, gasping violently for air.

"Dad!"

"Arthur!"

Cecilia and Sierra screamed in unison. "Get a doctor! Hurry!"

Watching Arthur crumple in agony, a tiny, pathetic flicker of grief sparked in Lydia's chest.

She couldn't help but remember the tall, loving father who used to hold her like she was the center of his universe.

Her family used to be perfect.

Her father was strong and affectionate, her mother was gentle and brilliant, and she was the fiercely protected little princess, just like Joanna.

Until the year she turned five, when her father dragged a strange woman and a little girl exactly her age through their front door.

Overnight, she was thrown from heaven straight into hell.

Her mother was violently cast out of the house and forced into a divorce.

And Lydia became the ultimate hostage in her father's twisted game.

The most unforgivable thing Arthur ever did was brainwash her into believing that Madeline had abandoned their family, that her mother had thrown her away like garbage.