The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 388

The night had settled into a heavy, suffocating darkness.

Christian pushed open the door to Room 1707. The faint, stale scent of cigarette smoke still clung to the air. He strode directly to the window and pushed it open, letting the cool night breeze off the Seine rush into the room.

Standing by the ledge, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

The thick smoke spiraled into the darkness, blurring the sharp, exhausted lines of his face.

Dinner with Lyra tonight had been an absolute waste of time.

She had talked nonstop the entire evening—bragging about Leo getting a gold star in kindergarten, complaining that the baby had kicked her, obsessing over which elite hospital she would use for checkups once they returned to the States. Christian had barely managed to offer a few detached grunts in response.

He realized with terrifying clarity that unless she was talking about the child, he had absolutely zero desire to speak to her.

She must have noticed it too.

By the second half of the meal, her endless chatter died down, and they finished the rest of the dinner in a suffocating silence before returning to their separate rooms.

Christian took a long drag of his cigarette and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

A sharp knock on the door broke the quiet.

"Come in."

Miles pushed the door open, clutching a secure tablet. He stopped three paces behind his boss, staring at Christian's rigid back. A complicated wave of unease washed over the assistant.

Ever since yesterday, this man had completely transformed.

The old Christian Lancaster had been cold and ruthless, but there was always a spark of ambition in his eyes. He calculated every move with flawless precision and protected the bigger picture.

But this version of him...

Standing by the window, the cigarette burning low between his fingers, his profile looked like it had been carved from solid ice. There was a terrifying, violent emptiness radiating from him.

Miles took a steadying breath and broke the silence.

"Mr. Lancaster. The background check on that man you asked for... the results are in."

Christian didn't turn around.

"The man is Leon Astor," Miles reported, keeping his tone carefully neutral. "He's the Duke's son, but he's illegitimate. A bastard child. His connection to Ms. Langford is extremely deep. During her initial years in France, he was her primary benefactor. Everyone in the elite circles assumed they were having an affair, though neither publicly confirmed it."

Christian's fingers paused.

He slowly turned around, locking his dark, predatory gaze onto his assistant.