The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 31

Saturday at three in the afternoon, on the fifth floor of Metropolitan Plaza.

The French restaurant's open-air booth overlooked the entire atrium of the mall. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the hundred-foot ceiling, while the glass dome filtered in the warm autumn sunlight of New York. Soft jazz flowed through the restaurant, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee and freshly baked bread.

Evelyn Sullivan and Madeline Thorne sat by the railing, two pour-over coffees and a selection of delicate pastries—macarons, a mille-feuille, and a raspberry tart—resting on the table before them. Madeline wore beige wide-leg pants today, cleverly concealing the cast on her left leg beneath the fabric; without looking closely, one would hardly notice her limited mobility.

"So you just turned them down?" Madeline bit down on her silver fork, looking entirely unconvinced. "You actually skipped the Lancaster family's little setup? Penelope Lancaster even called my mom, beating around the bush to figure out where you were. She sounded absolutely livid."

"Something came up," Evelyn said, gently stirring the dark brown liquid in her cup, watching the latte art slowly dissipate. "An older friend of mine was critically ill, and I needed to be there."

Madeline raised an eyebrow, her red manicured nails tapping lightly against the table. "Which older friend? I had no idea you had anyone in New York who required you to rush over in the middle of the night."

"Someone... who has been very kind to me." Evelyn vaguely brushed it off, looking up at Madeline. "Maddy, let's not talk about that. How's your leg? How much longer do you need the cast?"

"The doctor said it can come off in two weeks." Madeline patted the cast. "It's practically healed anyway, it's just annoying having to walk so slowly. But getting to come out and have lunch with you makes it worth it."

She paused, leaning forward and lowering her voice. "Evelyn, I heard... Lyra Langford has been going in and out of the Lancaster estate with that kid lately. Penelope tells anyone who will listen that it's her grandson, treating him like absolute royalty. Last week she even threw a private family dinner, invited all the close relatives, and officially introduced Lyra and the boy."

"Yes, I'm sure." Evelyn looked out the window at the bustling mall atrium below. Parents held their children's hands, couples walked arm in arm—everyone had their own direction and a place to belong. "Three years is enough."

Madeline looked at her tranquil profile and felt a sudden pang of sympathy. The Evelyn she knew had always been gentle yet resilient, like the reeds growing along the waters of the Coastal Valley—seemingly soft, but possessing an astonishing strength. Yet this current calmness felt more like a deep pool of water: motionless on the surface, but entirely frozen underneath.

"Evelyn," Madeline reached out and grasped her hand, finding it freezing cold. "No matter what you decide, I support you. I'll handle the divorce lawsuit for you. I guarantee I'll take Christian Lancaster for everything he's got. You won't lose a single cent of what you're owed."

Evelyn smiled, a fleeting expression that barely touched her eyes. "There's no need. I don't want anything from him, except my freedom."