The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 351

Evelyn looked up, glancing at Sebastian.

Her gaze was perfectly calm, betraying no readable emotion.

"Charles," she said, "don't make things difficult for him. We're just friends."

Sebastian's heart sank.

Just friends?

Charles, however, let out a soft chuckle.

"Friends?" He raised an eyebrow. "Then he definitely needs testing. This is merely the price of admission."

Evelyn looked at him, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Charles, there's no need..."

"There is every need," Charles interrupted. "Not just anyone gets to pursue my granddaughter. If he wants a chance, he has to go through me first."

Evelyn turned to Sebastian, a hint of helpless resignation in her eyes.

But Sebastian stood up.

He looked at Charles, his gaze unwavering.

"I accept," he said.

Evelyn froze.

Sebastian continued, "I know I'm not good enough right now. You have every right to think I don't deserve her. But I will work hard to prove myself."

He paused, his voice growing firmer.

"If she doesn't have feelings for me right now, it simply means I haven't tried hard enough. I won't give up."

A complex wave of emotion flashed through Evelyn's eyes.

But she didn't say a word.

She simply lowered her head and went back to scrolling on her phone.

"Do whatever you want," she murmured.

Watching her reaction, the amusement in Charles's eyes deepened.

He turned back to Sebastian, a look of genuine appreciation crossing his features.

"You have some nerve," he said. "A lot of men have tried to pursue my girl in the past, and I scared every single one of them off. You're the first one brave enough to step up."

Sebastian remained silent.

Charles continued, "But attitude alone isn't enough. You need strength."

He paused, his tone shifting into something deadly serious.

"You know who she is. There's never a shortage of people plotting against her. If you want to be her man, you first need to be capable of protecting her."

Sebastian nodded. "I understand."

Charles watched him, speaking slowly.

"I have a head of security named Albert LeClerc. Former French Foreign Legion, top-tier special forces. Twelve years of combat, seventeen bullet and shrapnel scars, and a body count higher than the number of people you've ever met."

Sebastian's pupils contracted slightly.

Charles went on, "Your test is to fight him. If you can stay on your feet for ten minutes, you pass."

Standing nearby, Lance felt the color drain from his face.

He grabbed Sebastian's sleeve, lowering his voice into a frantic whisper.

"Boss! Don't do something crazy! French Foreign Legion? Special forces? Do you understand what that means? You've been sitting in an office for years and barely even hit the gym. How are you supposed to fight him?"

Sebastian looked at him without saying a word.

Lance was panicking. "I'm not doubting you! I'm saying these guys are professionals! They're trained killers! You're basically serving yourself up on a silver platter!"

Charles overheard Lance and chuckled.

"If your appetite is off," he suggested, "you should try something tangy and spicy. It helps."

Charles looked at him.

The butler looked at him.

Evelyn also looked up, her gaze landing on him.

Being stared down by all three of them made Sebastian slightly uncomfortable, but he forced himself to continue.

"I asked a doctor about it before. They said when you lose your appetite, bold, zesty flavors can stimulate it."

The butler arched an eyebrow. "Are you well-versed in medicine, Mr. Thorne?"

Sebastian shook his head. "No. Just... when Dr. Sullivan was operating on my mother, I noticed something. My mother had no appetite during her recovery, but she ate a lot of spicy lemon chicken."

He phrased it very carefully.

He didn't dare mention pregnancy.

He didn't dare bring up his suspicions.

He was just... purely showing he cared.

The look in the butler's eyes subtly shifted.

He looked at Sebastian with a newfound warmth.

"That's very observant of you, Mr. Thorne," the butler noted.

Charles also threw a glance Sebastian's way, an unreadable smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Evelyn lowered her head, looking back at her phone.

But her fork lightly nudged the food around her plate.

Meanwhile, back at the Shangri-La Paris, Lyra had no idea that someone was waiting in her room...