From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 155

But the phone rang out to voicemail.

Forced to give up, she decided to try again the next day.

She arrived at the door to her mother's room.

“Increase the patent licensing fee for The Sutton Group by ten million dollars,” Frederick's voice echoed out into the hall.

She stormed inside, squaring off against his impassive stare. “Don't even dream of it.”

He sat on the sofa, radiating aristocratic arrogance, looking up at her with pitch-black eyes. He didn't say a word.

“Lydia,” a voice called out the next second. Her freezing hands were enveloped in warmth, and she turned toward her mother's voice.

“You two are married. There's nothing you can't talk out calmly.”

“You shouldn't be snapping at him like that.”

“Mom, you don't know what he's...”

“I know, and I agreed,” Madeline interrupted gently. “Twenty million dollars a year, for a thirty-year license. That's six hundred million in total.”

“Mom?” She blinked in shock.

“We would never get terms this good on the open market. We have Frederick to thank for this.”

“Mom, we don't want their money...”

“Yes, we do.” Madeline lifted both of Lydia's hands, stroking them tenderly. Her expression was as warm and comforting as it had been when Lydia was a little girl. “This is what Arthur owes me. It's yours by right.”

It clicked instantly.

Arthur had been right in the presidential suite. In black and white, she and her mother couldn't win a lawsuit. The only leverage they had was the economic hemorrhaging The Sutton Group would suffer while operations were paused during litigation.

If she had figured that out, her brilliant mother had certainly figured it out too.

That was why Madeline compromised.

“Frederick, could you give us a moment?” Madeline suddenly asked.

He stood up and walked out of the room.

Caleb quietly pulled the door shut behind him.

“I've thought about what you brought up earlier.”

“I'm being discharged tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon, Julian and I will host the reception and officially get married,” Madeline said with a smile, pulling Lydia down to sit on the edge of the bed.

She stayed with her mother for a long while, clearing the air between them, before finally leaving the room.

Stepping into the hall, she met Frederick's unreadable gaze.

They walked in total silence to the treatment room.

As soon as the doctor walked in, Frederick stated, “She had alcohol tonight.”

His voice was frigid, yet it carried an unmistakable undercurrent of concern.

Understanding immediately, the doctor began the treatment.

Lydia leaned back against the recliner, staring blankly at the slow drip of the IV bag hanging above her.

She had no idea what game he was playing.

He had never cared about her before.

But it didn't matter anymore.

This pointless medical treatment, and this marriage that should never have happened, would finally be over in just one more day!