The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 294

3:00 PM in Paris, 9:00 PM in New York.

Flight AF381 cruised smoothly above the clouds. Inside the first-class cabin, the lighting was soft, and the faint scent of champagne lingered in the air.

Evelyn sat by the window, watching the rolling sea of clouds outside. Sunlight pierced through the gaps, casting a golden glow over the white expanse.

Beside her, Maddy was flipping through the inflight duty-free catalog, muttering to herself, "This bag is cute... this perfume... oh, chocolate..."

Evelyn's lips curved into a slight smile.

Her phone buzzed.

She glanced down to see a text from Sebastian Thorne:

[Where are you?]

Evelyn replied: [Still on the plane. You?]

Sebastian: [Already arrived. At the hotel.]

Evelyn blinked in surprise: [That fast?]

Sebastian: [I left a day early from the Bay Area.]

Evelyn looked at the message, picturing the serious, business-like expression he definitely wore while typing it, failing to hide the underlying eagerness.

She typed: [Which hotel?]

Sebastian: [Shangri-La.]

Evelyn's smile widened slightly.

The exact same hotel.

Before she could respond, he sent another message: [You too, right?]

Evelyn: [Yes.]

Sebastian: [What time do you land? I'll pick you up.]

Evelyn's fingers hovered over the screen.

She typed: [No need, the organizers sent a car.]

Sebastian: [My car is already waiting.]

Evelyn stared at the text, hesitating for a moment.

Then she typed a single word: [Okay.]

Send.

She put her phone away and turned her attention back to the window.

The faint smile on her lips remained.

—

On the other side of the first-class cabin, the seating arrangement was undeniably awkward.

Evelyn and Maddy were seated on the left side, by the window. Across the aisle on the right sat Christian. Lyra sat next to him by the window. One row behind them, Piper had her headphones on, glued to her phone.

Miles was seated in economy.

This layout created an incredibly suffocating atmosphere.

From the moment they sat down, Lyra's eyes kept darting toward the left. Evelyn was focused on her phone, her profile calm and relaxed, completely oblivious to Lyra's presence.

Or rather, she simply didn't care.

Lyra gripped the armrest tightly.

She took a deep breath, pasted a gentle smile on her face, and turned to Christian. "Christian, I'm a little thirsty."

Christian, who had his eyes closed to rest, opened them and pressed the call button.

A flight attendant promptly arrived. "Sir, how can I help you?"

"Get her a glass of warm water," Christian instructed.

The flight attendant nodded and left.

Lyra's smile stiffened for a second.

She had wanted Christian to ask for it himself, not just push a button for the staff.

But Evelyn couldn't even be bothered to put on an act.

Lyra bit her lip, looking incredibly wronged. She turned to Christian, her voice a frail whisper. "Christian, did I say something wrong? Dr. Sullivan seems... upset..."

Christian didn't respond.

He just looked at Evelyn.

She was looking down, her profile serene, paying absolutely no attention to them.

A sudden, inexplicable wave of irritation washed over him.

"If you're not feeling well, then stop talking," he said, his tone sharper than intended.

Lyra was stunned.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

She could only lower her head, her fingers gripping the armrest so hard her knuckles turned white.

—

Christian got up to use the restroom.

Lyra's gaze drifted to the left once more.

Evelyn was still on her phone, that same soft smile on her lips. She seemed deeply engrossed in a very pleasant conversation.

The needle in Lyra's heart dug deeper.

She bit her lip, then suddenly spoke up, her voice just loud enough for Evelyn to hear:

"Penelope really loves this baby. She said the Lancaster family hasn't had a newborn in so long, and that this child is an absolute blessing sent from above."

She paused, sighing softly, her tone lacing with subtle venom. "You know, some people stay married for three years and still can't get pregnant. It makes you wonder if... something is wrong with them."

Maddy, who had been flipping through her magazine, froze.

She looked up, glaring directly at Lyra.

Lyra ignored her, keeping her eyes cast downward at her stomach, a serene smile resting on her face.