From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 185

Xavier moved forward, and she shadowed him closely.

Something suddenly brushed against her ankle.

She gasped, instantly grabbing a fistful of Xavier's trench coat. "Mr. Ford..."

He swiftly caught her hand.

He pulled his arm forward.

She was hauled to his side by his momentum, and then he let go.

Lydia looked up, meeting the unmistakable irritation in his dark eyes.

He probably thought she was a massive burden.

But she had no choice but to stick to him, instantly looping her arm through his.

He averted his gaze but didn't shake her off. He led her to an empty corner at the back of the cell, far away from the foul-smelling communal toilet.

They sat down on the hard concrete bench.

He gently unhooked her arm from his.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this," she whispered, drawing his attention. She met his shadowy gaze. "I swear I didn't do it. It was my stepsister, Sierra."

"You let someone steal your car and scratch it up."

"You let someone steal your card."

"Are you just stupid?"

"Or do you genuinely not care?"

"What about the mansion? Did you sell it, or just throw the deed away?" The man's tone was scolding, his face visibly darkening.

"No, I haven't even been there yet!" Lydia quickly defended herself.

She felt a bizarre sense of whiplash.

She had fully expected him to be furious at her for dragging him down, or even suspect she was guilty—after all, Sierra had looked exactly like her in the footage. Instead, he just seemed pissed that she didn't value his gifts.

She assumed that for a billionaire of his status, throwing around luxury items meant absolutely nothing.

Hearing her answer only seemed to anger him more. He turned his head away, refusing to look at her.

The holding cell only grew more crowded as the night dragged on.

Lydia hadn't eaten a proper meal all day and had barely slept the night before. Exhaustion crashed into her. Her head felt like a lead weight, swaying dangerously until it suddenly drooped. Her forehead cracked against something solid, sending a jolt of pain through her skull. She blinked up, meeting Xavier's fathomless dark eyes.

"Sorry, Mr. Ford," she murmured weakly.

Xavier didn't say a word. He simply reached out, cupped her cheek, and gently guided her head to rest against his shoulder.

She knew she should pull away, but she was just too exhausted.

"Mr. Ford, how many hours have we been in here?"

"Three."

He replied quietly.

She curled into a tight ball against his side, shivering slightly in the damp chill.

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