From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 63

But for him to treat her like this now...

It felt like a brutal slap to the face, making all her self-pity and lingering devotion look utterly pathetic.

The boy who had fiercely protected her all those years ago was truly gone.

The man's gaze was dark and heavy, yet he didn't say a single word.

She let out a self-deprecating laugh.

When he didn't care about someone, he wouldn't even waste a single breath on them.

Did she really think she was going to get an answer out of him?

Watching her broken, fragile state, Frederick felt as though a piece of his own chest had been violently hollowed out. He raised a hand, wanting to wipe away her tears, but she immediately flinched, shrinking into herself.

She stumbled up from the sofa and sprinted out of the manor, fleeing in sheer terror as if he were an absolute monster.

Blood dripped from the top of his head, blurring his vision.

He got up and chased after her.

A frantic thought suddenly seized him: if he didn't go after her right now, he would never see her again for the rest of his life.

"Lydia?"

His low, desperate call echoed from behind her.

Lydia?

He hadn't called her that in a very long time.

She turned around to see Frederick stumbling after her, a terrifying trail of blood sliding down his handsome face. Her steps faltered.

"Frederick!"

Sierra suddenly appeared out of nowhere, rushing forward to hold him up. "Why are you bleeding?!"

He stopped moving forward.

It was as if an impassable chasm had ripped open between them.

She watched Sierra cling to his arm, fawning over him with intimate concern, and saw him respond with gentle reassurance.

A sudden wave of clarity washed over her. Maybe Sierra was right; she never should have come back.

They were the real couple.

Pulling open the door of her Porsche, Lydia drove away.

She was never coming back.

Leaving the manor behind and staring at the breaking dawn across the sky, she anxiously dialed Daniel's number.

"Daniel, the sun is up."

"Yeah. Two more days, and we'll have the divorce certificate," Daniel confirmed steadily.

She let out a massive sigh of relief. Returning to Moonlight Cove, she stepped into the bathroom and scrubbed her entire body over and over again. Sinking into the bathtub, she stared at the blooming white bubbles, her vision slowly blurring.

As his lips sealed over hers again...

Unable to fully grasp what was happening, her lips parted as she let out a startled murmur. Her mouth and tongue trembled, accidentally kissing the man back.

Instantly, the man deepened the contact, tangling with her in a fierce, overpowering rhythm.

More burning air flooded into her...

Her stomach churned violently.

She shoved both hands against the man's chest. He let her go immediately. A hand, calloused and firm, grabbed her back, violently rolling her upper body over.

Face down, she threw up everything all over the floor.

"Ugh..."

She heard the man let out a faint, nearly imperceptible sigh of relief.

Turning her head, she stared at Xavier in pure shock. His dark eyes were bottomless, yet his gaze was terrifyingly cold.

Her eyes darted down to herself.

Beneath the thin blanket, her pale body was completely naked. He had pinned her jaw and kissed her senseless, while he was wrapped flawlessly in a tailored suit. The shocking contrast slammed into her brain.

Her entire body flushed violently, her face burning so hot it felt like it could bleed.

Horrified, she clutched the blanket to her chest, curling into a tight ball. She raised her hand to strike him, her voice weak but full of accusation, "What are you doing?"