The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 305

Sebastian nodded and turned to leave.

After a few steps, he stopped.

"This friend of hers," he asked over his shoulder, "who are they?"

Madeline thought for a moment. "I don't know? Evelyn said it was someone she met in France, they're pretty close. She didn't give me a name."

Sebastian remained silent for a second.

"Understood," he said, continuing down the hall.

—

Suite 1808.

The moment Sebastian walked in, he grabbed his phone and dialed Lance's number.

"Find out where Evelyn is right now," he ordered, his voice tight with urgency. "Who picked her up, and where did they go?"

On the other end of the line, Lance hesitated. "Right now? Boss, it's barely 8 AM..."

"Right now," Sebastian interrupted. "As fast as possible."

"Yes, sir!"

Hanging up, Sebastian immediately opened his chat with Evelyn.

He typed out a few words: [You went out?]

Send.

He waited a few seconds. No reply.

He typed another line: [Do you want to get dinner tonight?]

Still no reply.

He stared at the screen, his frown deepening by the second.

The internet said pregnant women shouldn't overexert themselves, shouldn't go hungry, and shouldn't experience massive mood swings.

She left so early—did she even eat breakfast? Was she going to exhaust herself? Was this 'friend' even reliable?

Sebastian's chest tightened all over again.

He paced back and forth across the suite. After several laps, he checked his phone again.

No reply.

More pacing.

Still nothing.

He walked over to the window, staring down at the bustling streets of Paris, and for the first time, felt completely aggravated by the city.

—

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Paris.

A red Ferrari crossed the Seine, winding through a quiet, affluent neighborhood before pulling up to a historic building.

It was a private art and design academy. Ivy crawled up the pristine white walls, and the wrought-iron gates exuded centuries of elegant history.

Louis parked the car and walked inside with Evelyn.

The campus was serene, with only a few students hurrying past carrying sketchpads. When they spotted Louis, they immediately adopted respectful expressions, offering polite nods of acknowledgment.

"You're quite popular around here," Evelyn teased.

Louis flipped his hair haughtily. "Of course I am. I'm the son of the board director, darling."

Evelyn laughed.

The two of them crossed the small courtyard and entered one of the main academic buildings.

On the third floor, they stopped outside an office.

"Two days," Evelyn replied. "My flight is tomorrow night."

The Professor nodded, then shook his head. "Far too short. But just seeing you here makes me very happy."

He stood up, walked over to his bookcase, and pulled down a framed photograph.

It was an old picture—a much younger Evelyn in her graduation gown, standing in the courtyard next to the Professor and a few classmates.

"Do you remember this?" The Professor handed her the frame. "On graduation day, you told me you were going back home to be a doctor. I didn't believe you then. I was so sure you'd come back to design."

Evelyn looked at the photo, a soft, tender smile gracing her lips.

"And then?" she asked.

The Professor smiled. "Then your work started getting famous. I'd see the name 'Iris' popping up in magazines, and I knew you hadn't given up."

He paused, looking deeply into her eyes. "Child, design is your gift, but saving lives is your calling. Both are a part of you, and both are wonderful."

Evelyn's eyes grew slightly hot.

She looked down and offered a soft, "Mhm."

Louis watched the exchange from the sidelines, unusually quiet for once.

After a moment, the Professor stood up.

"Come, let me show you around the campus," he said. "It's changed quite a bit over the years. We built a new design building, and there's an entire exhibition dedicated to your work."

Evelyn blinked in surprise. "My work?"

"Yes," the Professor smiled proudly. "The school set up a special gallery just for your award-winning pieces. The students look up to you as their greatest inspiration."

Evelyn fell silent.

She stood up, following the Professor toward the door.

Just as she reached the hallway, her phone buzzed.