The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 447

Victoria nodded, dropping the subject.

Instead, she offered a quiet warning. "Make sure you don't tell Pierre about today. Otherwise, your sister might not make it back alive."

Lydia looked at her intently. "Of course not."

———

The restaurant sat right along the Seine. Beyond the glass windows, the river glowed a brilliant gold-crimson under the setting sun, looking like a flowing ribbon of silk. Lydia and Victoria sat across from each other, a spread of exquisite dishes between them. The ambient lighting softened their features beautifully.

"What are your plans going forward?" Victoria asked, setting down her fork and dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

Lydia went quiet for a long time. The city lights began to shimmer on the water outside. Her gaze fixed on the reflections as she absently traced the rim of her water glass. "Going forward..." she murmured softly. "My future doesn't really belong to me right now. I'll just take it one step at a time."

Victoria watched her. The warm light washed over Lydia's face, highlighting an expression so profoundly detached she could have been talking about a stranger. Yet, beneath that calm surface, something incredibly heavy was weighing her down.

After a few moments of silence, Victoria spoke up. "You know, if you're miserable, you could always just leave."

Lydia's finger froze on the rim of her glass. She slowly turned her head to look at Victoria. Her gaze was piercing, as if trying to read her soul. Victoria didn't flinch, meeting her eyes head-on.

"Aren't you afraid I'll tell Pierre?" Lydia's voice was a whisper, as light as a breeze over the water. "People who interfere with his plans tend to meet very ugly ends."

Victoria studied her, the corner of her mouth ticking upward. "You won't."

Lydia blinked in surprise. Then, she smiled. The smile reached her eyes this time, something melting and simultaneously hardening in her expression.

"You're right," she said. "I won't."

Those two words carried immense weight. It was a promise, a test, and a silent pact all rolled into one. She took a sip of her water, set the glass down, and didn't say another word. Victoria didn't push it either.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Outside, the lights of the Seine continued to dance on the rippling water. Lydia stared out at the view, lost in her own thoughts.

Victoria signaled the waiter, paid the check, and stood up. "Let's head out. It's getting late."

Lydia nodded, grabbing her bag. They walked out of the restaurant into the crisp night air, the scent of the river washing over them. Lydia paused on the steps, taking a deep breath.

"Victoria," she suddenly said.

Victoria turned around.