The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 109

The corner of Christian's mouth twitched upward into a faint smile, but the warmth never reached his eyes. He picked up his water glass, took another deep swallow, and his Adam's apple bobbed heavily.

Lyra dug her nails deeper into her palms.

The dinner finally concluded on a high note. Mr. Hilti was clearly thrilled with the meeting, shaking Christian's hand with vigorous enthusiasm.

"Mr. Lancaster, I look forward to finalizing our partnership. I have no doubt this will be a massive victory for both of us," Hilti beamed.

"Absolutely," Christian nodded. His voice was still authoritative, but anyone paying close attention could detect a faint, raspy edge to his words. "My team will reach out with the finalized contracts shortly."

"Excellent! I'll head back to my hotel now. I have an early flight to San Francisco tomorrow." Hilti turned to give Lyra a courteous bow. "Ms. Langford, thank you for a spectacular evening. You are a truly magnificent hostess."

"You're far too kind, Mr. Hilti. Have a safe flight," Lyra replied, dipping her head with a flawless smile.

As they watched Hilti and his assistant walk out, the heavy wooden doors of the suite slowly clicked shut.

The absolute second the door closed, Christian's usually unshakeable posture faltered. He swayed slightly, immediately grabbing the edge of the table to steady himself. He pressed his other hand hard against his temple, his brows knitting tightly together as an unnatural, feverish flush bloomed across his face.

Preston was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing his boss stumbling and practically being carried by Lyra, his eyes widened in alarm as he sprinted over.

"What happened to Mr. Lancaster?"

"He's been exhausted from work, and the wine tonight pushed him over the edge. He's totally burned out," Lyra answered rapidly, her tone a perfect mix of frantic worry and authoritative command. "Preston, take us to Christian's place at The Pinnacle Apartments. It's much closer, and it'll be quieter for him. I need to take care of him."

Preston took one look at Christian—eyes shut, brows furrowed, face flushed with a burning heat, leaning entirely on Lyra—and didn't dare waste another second. "Right away, Ms. Langford. The car is right here."