The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 338

The air in the grand hall felt as thick as concrete.

Leaning on his cane, Charles walked forward step by step. Sebastian and Henry followed closely behind, feeling the crushing weight of the gazes directed at them—a mixture of sheer awe, intense curiosity, wild speculation, and blatant disbelief.

Sebastian's eyes cut through the crowd, locking onto the figure walking directly toward him.

Evelyn.

She was wearing a simple beige trench coat, her hair cascading freely over her shoulders as she walked with effortless grace. The surrounding elites instinctively parted to make way for her. A few nodded in respect or murmured quiet greetings, which she politely acknowledged without ever breaking her stride.

She was walking right toward him.

Sebastian's breath hitched in his throat.

And then it hitched again.

He saw her eyes lock onto his, saw the faint, beautiful smile curving her lips, and watched as her heels clicked against the marble, bringing her closer and closer.

The deafening silence of the room seemed to fade away entirely.

The nervous whispers, the clinking of crystal glasses, the suffocating presence of the world's most powerful people—it all vanished.

There was only her.

It felt as if a spotlight had centered entirely on her, wrapping her in a soft, ethereal glow. She was so stunning, so breathtakingly poised, that he literally couldn't tear his eyes away.

Without even thinking, Sebastian took a step forward.

Then another.

He reached his hand out, ready to pull her into his arms.

His mind was already racing, vividly picturing her stopping in front of him, softly saying, *'Sebastian, you made it,'* and him taking her hand, leading her to a quiet corner, asking if she was tired, if she was hungry, if she was taking care of herself—

"*Hiss—*"

A sharp, collective intake of breath pierced his eardrums like a needle.

Sebastian violently snapped back to reality.

He realized his hand was still hanging in mid-air, frozen in that welcoming gesture.

But Evelyn had already walked right past him.

She hadn't stopped.

Her gaze hadn't even lingered on him.

She was walking directly toward the man standing right behind him.

Charles de Rothschild.

Sebastian's hand hung rigidly in the empty space.

He slowly turned around, watching the woman in the beige coat walk steadily toward the white-haired titan.

——

Henry was absolutely paralyzed.

"Are you serious?"

"The old guard knows the truth. When Mr. Charles was young, a woman betrayed him in the worst way imaginable. Ever since then, his tolerance for women has been... non-existent."

"So for decades, not a single woman has been allowed within ten feet of him."

"Then who does this girl think she is?"

"It doesn't matter who she is. To Charles, they're all the same. A woman is just a woman."

"But she was just chatting and laughing with Lady Elara a second ago?"

"So what? Lady Elara is Lady Elara, and Charles is Charles. You think he gives a damn about anyone's feelings?"

"Look, she's still walking. The bodyguards are about to intercept her."

"Oh, this is going to be a bloodbath."

The whispers were hushed, but they crawled into everyone's ears like thousands of venomous ants.

Someone finally recognized Evelyn.

"Wait, isn't that Iris? The designer who swept the awards tonight..."

"Iris? Who cares about some jewelry designer? In Charles's eyes, any woman approaching him is a threat."

"Exactly. You think he cares about her resume? A literal royal princess once tried to offer him a toast, thinking her title would protect her. What happened? The bodyguards drew their weapons, and she fell to her knees crying in terror."

"He might look like a sweet old grandpa, but the old guard knows the truth. In his prime, Charles was the most ruthless predator alive."