From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 45

"Once they have a child, their relationship will naturally mend..."

Hearing those words, a wave of shock rippled through her heart. She never realized Charles valued her that highly.

"Frederick, aren't you coming in?" Charles finally noticed them outside and called out.

But she refused to let Sierra inside. She stood her ground, staring down Frederick's irritated glare.

Sierra suddenly pulled Frederick's arm tighter in a blatant display of provocation. "Lydia, I'm just here to visit your mother."

Staring at their intertwined arms, Lydia's eyes darkened, but she didn't budge an inch.

Frederick frowned, visibly annoyed with Lydia, yet he lowered his voice to speak gently to Sierra. "Wait for me out here."

Sierra obediently let go. As soon as Frederick walked into the room, she shot Lydia a vicious glare.

Lydia didn't care. She turned around and shut the door behind her, cutting off Sierra's insanely jealous stare.

"Lydia, come here."

Hearing Charles call her, she masked her emotions and walked over to stand beside Frederick.

"Your mother and I both want you two to live happily together. Stop fighting and give us a grandson soon."

"When I get back from Kingsleigh, I expect to hear good news. Do you understand?"

Frederick's expression remained entirely unreadable.

She met the hopeful gazes of both Charles and her mother.

It seemed Charles had completely won her mother over.

But by the time Charles returned from Kingsleigh, she would already have her divorce certificate. Telling them the truth then wouldn't be too late.

Noticing her silence, Charles turned his attention to Frederick. "You heard what I said out there. If you want control of The Foster Group, you treat Lydia right. Give me a grandson so I can rest easy."

This time, Frederick gave a curt nod of agreement.

It felt as though someone had ripped open her chest, leaving nothing but a hollow, stinging ache.

So that was it. He refused to divorce her purely to secure Charles's shares.

As soon as Charles let go of her hand, she immediately pulled it back and turned to walk him out.

After seeing Charles off, she said her goodbyes to her mother, strictly instructing the private nurse not to let any random outsiders near the room, and drove toward the Michelin-starred restaurant.

On the way, she got a call from Joanna.

"Lydia, how's the settlement process going?"

"Are you absolutely sure you don't need my help?"

"Okay."

They hung up. She arrived at the restaurant just in time to see Xavier stepping out of his black Bentley.

Remembering what happened last night, she felt a little awkward.

But she hadn't forgotten that she owed him, so she walked over to say hello.

He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and tailored black trousers, making him look even more intensely elegant than usual.

"Mr. Ford..."

As she approached, he suddenly frowned.

His large hand grabbed hers, firmly pulling her against his chest.

She stared up at him in shock. Behind him, a transparent umbrella bloomed open just in time to deflect a massive spray of muddy water from a passing car, the water splashing outward like a shattered flower.

He had shielded her from the street runoff.

Tucked tightly in his arms, she breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath.

They were so close she could feel his warm breath ghosting over her delicate face, almost like a baptism. His Adam's apple bobbed slowly as his turbulent, pitch-black eyes stared deeply into hers.

In that split second, her heart skipped a beat.