The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 106

Inside The Jade Pavilion, the fragrant aroma of tea filled the air.

Madeline snapped her chopsticks down on her plate of grilled asparagus, her brows furrowed in annoyance.

"I am so done with this!" she hissed, leaning in. "Guess who I just ran into on my way to the restroom?"

Evelyn slowly stirred her truffle bisque and looked up. "Who?"

"Lyra Langford! And Christian!" Madeline rolled her eyes aggressively. "They were downstairs in The Whispering Pines Suite. The door was cracked open. Lyra was sitting right next to him, playing the perfect, loving angel. If you didn't know better, you'd think she was already Mrs. Lancaster! And Christian was just sitting there, laughing and talking while she waited on him hand and foot."

Her anger escalated the more she spoke. "The ink on your divorce papers isn't even dry yet, and he's already parading her around town? Is he showing off his new prize? Has he completely lost his mind? And Lyra looked like a nervous wreck, totally pale. Probably guilty because she knows she's a homewrecker!"

Evelyn listened quietly, her face a mask of total serenity. She picked up her cup and took a sip.

The tea was crisp, with a sweet, lingering finish.

"Are you done?" She set her cup down, a faint smile touching her lips. "Drink your tea and calm down."

Madeline stared at Evelyn's total indifference, feeling her frustration hit a wall. "Evelyn! Are you seriously not even a little bit mad?"

"Why should I be?" Evelyn tilted her head slightly. "Who Christian spends his time with is his business. What Lyra decides to do is her choice. None of it has anything to do with me anymore."

Her voice was incredibly light, yet utterly resolute.

"But after everything they did to you!"

"Maddy," Evelyn interrupted softly, her gaze warm but firm. "The past is in the past. I'm doing great right now, and that's all that matters. As for them, they aren't worth another ounce of my energy. You're my best friend, and I hate seeing you upset over my baggage. It's really not worth it."

The man paused right in front of them.

"Maddy?" a smooth, refined voice called out, laced with just the right amount of pleasant surprise.

Madeline looked up. When she recognized him, her eyes went wide, and her face lit up with pure joy. "Julian?! Julian! Is it really you? What are you doing here?"

Evelyn looked over.

Standing before them was the very same young man from the hidden room. However, the cold, calculating indifference had completely vanished from his face, replaced by a warm, welcoming smile. The predatory sharpness in his eyes was expertly veiled, leaving him radiating the sophisticated charm of a perfect gentleman.

Yet, Evelyn's sharp instincts immediately picked up on something. Hearing the affectionate nickname "Maddy" roll off this supposedly polite and professional lawyer's tongue felt subtly off. It clashed quietly with the flawless, highly polished courtesy he was currently projecting.

He looked at Madeline, his smile widening. "What a coincidence. I'm just here to meet a client." His gaze shifted naturally to Evelyn, his eyes clear and remarkably polite. "And this is?"