The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 360

The news out of Paris grew wings, tearing across high-society circles back home through endless group chats, phone calls, and urgent emails.

An event as exclusive as the Fontainebleau Gala was never short on gossipmongers. The elite billionaires, international executives, and privileged socialites had immediately snapped photos and sent texts, broadcasting the earth-shattering revelation that 'Iris' was Charles de Rothschild's granddaughter to the entire globe.

In the capital, at the Lancaster family estate.

It was 9:00 PM.

The grand living room was brightly lit. Lawrence Lancaster sat back on the leather sofa, reading a financial newspaper while the massive flat-screen played the evening business reports. He occasionally adjusted his reading glasses, fully engrossed in his reading.

Penelope Lancaster sat opposite him, clutching her phone, looking deeply displeased.

"Just look at this Lyra woman," she huffed loudly. "I had people look into her background. Her time in France was an absolute mess. It's a complete scandal."

Lawrence didn't even bother looking up.

"Weren't you absolutely obsessed with her before?"

Penelope choked on her words.

"That was before! How was I supposed to know she was acting like a common streetwalker abroad..."

"Watch your mouth," Lawrence warned, glancing around the room.

The living room was quiet, save for the low hum of the television. The staff had been dismissed, and little Leo was already asleep upstairs.

Penelope lowered her voice, though her venom didn't lessen one bit.

"I'm telling you, with all this dirty laundry coming to light, I'm starting to resent Leo too. Yes, he's my grandson, but every time I think about his mother..."

She paused, seamlessly shifting the blame.

"It's all Evelyn's fault! Married for three years and she couldn't even give us a single child. If she had just been useful and given the Lancaster family an heir, Christian would never have gone looking elsewhere!"

Lawrence folded his newspaper and took off his glasses.

"Are you somehow unaware that your son and Evelyn slept in entirely separate bedrooms their entire marriage?"

Penelope froze.

"Separate bedrooms? How was I supposed to know? Why would I monitor their private lives?"

Lawrence looked at her, his eyes filled with pure exhaustion.

"Your son was constantly drowning in scandalous rumors for three solid years, and you have the absolute audacity to blame someone else."

Penelope's face flushed hot red, but she stubbornly doubled down.

"That just proves Evelyn had zero charm or capability! If she was actually worth anything, she would have kept her own husband in line!"

Lawrence shook his head, completely done with the argument.

Sensing an opening, Penelope leaned forward, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper.

"Lawrence, listen to me."

"Read it yourself."

Penelope took the phone and peered at the glowing screen.

The chat was practically exploding. The pinned message at the top featured several high-definition photos—

[Massive Breaking News! Iris is Charles de Rothschild's granddaughter! Charles just confirmed it publicly at the Fontainebleau Gala!]

Penelope's pupils dilated in pure shock.

She scrolled down frantically.

[Charles?! The top-three Forbes billionaire?!]

[His granddaughter? The jewelry designer Iris?]

[Yes! And she's also Dr. S! The medical genius!]

[Holy shit, her background is literally god-tier...]

Penelope's hands began to shake uncontrollably.

She kept scrolling.

Someone had uploaded another photo—Charles leaning heavily on his cane, Evelyn gently supporting his arm, both of them standing shoulder-to-shoulder, completely surrounded by the bowing royalty of European high society.

[Charles has no living children! That means his granddaughter is his sole heir!]