From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 73

"Glad to hear they caught them."

"People are just terrible these days. You really have to keep your guard up next time, Ms. Sterling," Wesley advised.

"I will."

The elevator chimed and opened. She absentmindedly stepped out.

A powerful force suddenly grabbed her arm, and her momentum jerked her backward, sending her crashing into a solid, muscular chest.

The crisp, clean scent of cedarwood instantly enveloped her.

She looked up in shock, her eyes meeting Xavier's deep, lowering gaze.

Flashbacks of her delirious state from the night before flooded her mind. Her eyes darted to his pronounced Adam's apple, remembering how she had clung to him, kissing that very spot. Her pulse skyrocketed.

"Ms. Sterling, this isn't your floor yet," Wesley gently explained.

Lydia looked at the digital display. Eleventh floor. Realizing her mistake, she muttered, "Thank you."

As she thanked him, he released her arm, leaving behind a lingering, dominant heat.

She quickly stepped aside, putting space between herself and Xavier, and slowly let out a breath.

He couldn't stand her.

She had no intention of being a nuisance either.

When they reached the twelfth floor, he strode out with an icy expression, while Wesley politely let her go first.

She followed Xavier out of the elevator, taking a right to Apartment 1202.

Steam was rolling out of the kitchen. Hearing the noise, Gable poked her head out. "Ms. Sterling, why are you wearing a different outfit than the one you left in this morning?"

"I..."

Her own clothes were still at the hotel. She was currently wearing the dress Xavier had a staff member bring up to her.

Only now did she realize it was a high-end designer piece from the new spring-summer collection. She had seen it in a magazine—a limited-edition set with only ten pieces globally. It was exorbitantly expensive.

"Ms. Sterling, where are your earrings?" Gable asked as she brought out a plate of food.

Belatedly, Lydia reached up and touched her earlobe. Had she dropped it at the hotel?

But when she changed out of her soaked dress and showered in the hotel bathroom, she hadn't noticed it missing.

Could it be...

"Gable, I have to step out for a minute."

"Come back soon, dinner is ready," Gable called out.

"Okay."

Grabbing her phone, Lydia walked from 1202 over to 1201 and knocked on the door.

The door cracked open a few inches, revealing half of the man's handsome face.

He was wearing a dark blue bathrobe, the belt tied loosely. The neckline was wide open, and beads of water dripped from his messy, damp hair, sliding down his broad chest and disappearing into the V-line of his waist. The seductive sight struck her right in the eyes.

Startled, her ears burned as she took a step back. She looked up at him. The man radiated a chilling aura, his brow slightly furrowed as if profoundly annoyed by the interruption.

"Mr... Mr. Ford, did you happen to see my pearl earring?"

"No."

His large, defined knuckles tightened around the door handle.

Lydia quickly put her hand flat against the door, meeting his warning, displeased glare. She hurriedly explained, "Mr. Ford, how much was this dress?"

"I can transfer the money to you."

"No need."

"How can I just take it?"

It cost a fortune.

The man slowly straightened up, his gaze dropping to sub-zero temperatures. "It's a gift."

"You saved my life. I can't let you spend that kind of money on me." The moment the words left her mouth, Xavier grabbed her hand.

She spun around in shock. Frederick was reading over the report, his tall, commanding figure radiating a chilling aura.

"Give that back!"

She reached out to snatch it, but he clamped his hand firmly around her wrist.

"What is this?" he demanded in a low voice.

Lydia tried to rip her arm away, but his grip was ironclad. Resentment, fury, and a profound sense of grievance crashed over her all at once. The pain was unbearable, and her eyes instantly brimmed with furious, red-hot tears. "I can't have children!"

"I've been secretly drugged for two whole years!"

Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw his imposing presence turn absolutely lethal. A storm of rage erupted in his dark eyes, only to be entirely wiped away by icy indifference a second later.

Meeting his cold gaze, she wrenched her hand free.

"Now we can finally get a divorce."

Frederick's arms fell to his sides, his fingers curling slightly into fists. His voice was completely devoid of emotion. "If you can't give birth, we'll just adopt."

A fine drizzle began to fall from the sky, the thin mist seeming to draw an impenetrable line between them.

It made his silhouette look all the more heartless.

The agonizing regret of never being able to carry her own child was dismissed with a single, flippant sentence.

She had sworn never to shed another tear over him, but in that moment, he still managed to pierce her heart.

They had talked about this before, even if it had only been a black-and-white marriage arrangement.

A boy and a girl.

Best if they looked like him, but fine if they looked like her.

Just then, Sierra chased after them. She rested a hand delicately over her lower abdomen, glaring at Lydia with venomous spite.

Could it be...

She looked up at the man's indifferent face, her lips parting in disbelief, her voice choking on a sob. "Whose child do you expect me to adopt?"