From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 21

“This slap is to teach you a lesson on behalf of my grandmother.”

“And this necklace was given to you by Frederick. Without my permission, you have no right to wear it.”

Lydia Sterling watched the red, burning handprint bloom on Sierra Sutton's delicate cheek. Her own palm ached and throbbed from the force, her fingers curling slightly.

The slap silenced the room for a frozen second.

The next moment, Sierra covered her cheek and started sobbing, though she didn't dare retaliate.

Cecilia Byron shot a venomous glare at Lydia before turning to Charles Foster with a perfectly mild expression. “Mr. Foster, Sierra is still young. We'll take her home and properly discipline her.”

Charles looked displeased but showed no intention of escalating the issue. “This ends here.”

He swept a glance over everyone present and ended the video call.

“Mom, Dad, neither of you are helping me...” Seeing that no one stood by her side, Sierra ran out of the villa in tears.

In that instant, Frederick Foster stood up from his armchair and strode toward the door.

His tall, broad-shouldered frame brushed past Lydia without a single glance in her direction.

She watched as he caught up to Sierra under the porch, his expression gentle as he coaxed her.

He used to coax her exactly like that.

Memories of their passionate entanglement in his CEO office that very morning flooded her mind.

She forced back the stinging tears gathering in her eyes and tuned out the angry cursing from Arthur Sutton and Seraphina Gates.

She tucked the ruby necklace away.

She also gathered the emerald necklace and the pink diamond.

She would rather throw them in the trash than leave them for Sierra.

She got into her car and sped away from the villa, the engine roaring like a tsunami along the empty mountain road.

Her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the caller ID.

She answered anxiously, noting it was three in the morning.

“Julian, what's wrong?”

“Lydia, your mother is having a heart attack. Get to the hospital, now!”

Her previously steady heartbeat went frantic, hammering hard enough to crack her ribs. A loud ringing filled her ears as sheer panic crashed over her.

The phone nearly slipped from her sweaty palm. She tightened her icy fingers around it, her voice trembling. “I'm on my way, Julian.”

She hung up and slammed on the gas pedal, the silver Bentley tearing through the night like an arrow.

She arrived at the hospital in less than thirty minutes.

She found Julian. “Julian, where's my mom?”

“How is she doing?”

“Lydia, she's already in the operating room. The other doctors are trying to stabilize her, but we can't find her usual attending physician! What are we going to do?” Julian, a man in his fifties and a respectable university professor, was usually calm and collected. Now, terrified of losing the woman he loved, he was completely falling apart.

“How is that possible? You can't reach him?”

Outside the VIP suite was a private lounge.

A man sat on the sofa, casually flipping through a stack of documents, exuding an air of effortless nobility.

Only after Wesley West announced them were they allowed to approach.

Harrison spoke with extreme politeness. “Mr. Ford, I was wondering if you might be able to help us with an urgent matter.”

Lydia's chest heaved from the run, her face flushed. The heartstrings she had managed to soothe for a few seconds pulled taut again as she looked at him with desperate hope.

He lowered his documents and asked flatly, “What is it?”

Unable to wait, she stepped forward. “Mr. Ford, my mother is in critical condition from a heart attack and needs immediate bypass and valve surgery. I heard that your grandmother's attending physician is the world-renowned cardiothoracic expert, Alistair Vaughn. Could I beg you to ask Dr. Vaughn to perform my mother's surgery?”

The man's expression remained indifferent, his brow twitching slightly.

Wesley suddenly interjected. “Mr. Zane, let's wait outside. The old Mrs. Ford needs a quiet environment.”

Only a single door separated the lounge from the patient's room. Worried that waking the matriarch might anger Xavier, Lydia quickly turned to her visibly uncomfortable friend. “Harrison, wait for me outside.”

This was her burden to bear, and it truly wasn't appropriate for Harrison to beg on her behalf.

“Alright, I'll be right out here.” Harrison gave her a reassuring nod before stepping out with Wesley.

The lounge door clicked shut gently.

She fought to rein in her frayed emotions. Seeing the man's impassive gaze shift to her, she stepped closer. “Mr. Ford, we can sign a new employment contract. I don't want the millions in annual salary anymore. I'll trade it all just for Dr. Vaughn to perform this one surgery.”

But the man remained unmoved, his dark eyes—flickering with a faint, unreadable light—dropping to her ring finger.