The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 222

The Zenith, 6:00 PM.

The soft glow of the crystal chandelier in the private dining room reflected off the gold-rimmed bone china, casting a warm, elegant light.

The Lancaster and Langford families sat on opposite sides of the long table, the divide between them distinct.

Lawrence took the head of the table in a tailored charcoal suit, his expression carrying its usual strict authority. Penelope sat to his right in a designer silk dress, a string of perfect pearls resting against her collarbone. The polite smile she forced onto her face looked as fragile as thin ice, ready to shatter at any second.

Christian sat beside his mother in a black suit, his crisp white shirt buttoned all the way to the top. His eyes were lowered as he slowly stirred his soup with a silver spoon, seemingly oblivious—or entirely indifferent—to the suffocating tension in the room.

Across the table, the three Langfords sat rigidly.

Lyra wore a cream-colored knit dress, purposefully choosing a loose fit to conceal her still-flat stomach. Her hair was swept into a gentle low bun, her makeup flawless and understated, her lips a soft rosy pink. She was trying desperately to project the image of a perfect, demure wife.

Her parents were far more anxious. Mr. Langford continuously adjusted his tie, while Mrs. Langford kept stealing nervous glances at the Lancasters, her fingers twisting the tablecloth out of sight.

A waiter quietly served the appetizers and slipped out.

Lawrence broke the silence, raising his glass. "We invited you here today primarily to discuss the children's future."

Mr. Langford hurriedly raised his own glass. "You're too kind, Lawrence. We should be the ones toasting you."

The glasses clinked with a crisp ring.

Penelope took a small sip of wine, set her glass down, and let her gaze linger on Lyra for a moment before looking away. She spoke suddenly, her tone casual but laced with deliberate probing.

"Lyra, I didn't see your sister, Lydia, tonight. It's been a while since she's been around."

The moment the words dropped, the expressions of the Langford family froze in unison.

The hesitation was brief, almost imperceptible, but Christian looked up.

He saw Mrs. Langford's fingers suddenly clench, her nails digging into her palms. He saw Mr. Langford's throat bob nervously. And he saw the gentle smile on Lyra's face stiffen, though she quickly recovered and spoke softly.

"Penelope, Lydia is... a bit busy lately."

"Busy?" Penelope arched an eyebrow. "Busy with what? Didn't she used to come over to the house all the time? That girl always had such a sweet mouth, quite the charmer."

Her words sounded light, but they landed like needles in the Langfords' ears.

Christian knew his mother was doing it on purpose. Penelope never liked Lydia. The girl had practically lived at the Lancaster estate, blatantly throwing herself at Christian with tactics so obvious they were embarrassing. Even back then, Penelope had commented, 'That younger Langford girl is too calculating. No class.'

Bringing it up now was just a calculated strike.

Mrs. Langford forced a smile. "Lydia... found a new job out of town. She won't be back for a while."

"Out of town?" Lawrence joined the conversation. "What kind of work? It's good for young people to gain experience."

A fine sheen of sweat broke out on Mr. Langford's forehead. "Just... an office job. A regular company. The girl has a wild streak, we couldn't control her, so we just let her go."

"As for the dowry," Lawrence paused, "the Lancasters will be generous. Christian will transfer a downtown condo to Lyra's name, along with 0.5% of Lancaster Group shares."

Mrs. Langford's eyes lit up, though she tried her best to hide it.

Mr. Langford rubbed his hands together. "That's far too much. As long as Lyra is happy, we're content as parents."

Insincere pleasantries drifted across the table.

Christian felt thoroughly annoyed. He looked out the window at the brilliant lights of New York, the skyscrapers piercing the night sky like steel blades.

He thought of Evelyn.

If she were the one sitting across from him...

He immediately crushed the thought. It was impossible. The moment he signed the divorce papers, it was over.

"Christian," Lawrence called him.

He snapped back to reality.

"Are you listening?" his father frowned.

"Yes." Christian sat up straighter. "Go ahead, Dad."