The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 45

Evelyn pushed the door open, stepped out, and walked toward the office building. At the entrance, she glanced back.

Sebastian's car was still parked there. His window was rolled down, his gaze steady and warm as he watched her.

She gave him a slight nod, turned, and entered the lobby.

Sebastian didn't roll up his window until her figure vanished into the building.

The cabin still held the faint, crisp scent of her—a clean aroma reminiscent of a hospital.

He leaned back against his seat, staring at the office building for a long time before finally driving away.

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Westside Legal Partners, twelfth floor.

When Evelyn pushed open the glass doors, the receptionist Lily instantly stood up with a warm smile. "Ms. Sullivan, you're here. Madeline is waiting for you in her office."

"Thank you," Evelyn nodded slightly.

"Right this way."

Walking down the brightly lit hallway, Lily stopped in front of a dark wooden door and knocked gently.

"Come in," Madeline's voice called out.

The door opened. Madeline's office wasn't massive, but it was cozy. A bookshelf covered one wall, a comfortable sofa sat to the side, and a few potted plants lined the window. Madeline was on the phone behind her desk, and upon seeing Evelyn, she immediately said into the receiver, "Nathaniel, she's here. Okay, we'll wait for you."

She hung up and practically sprinted over to grab Evelyn's hands. "Eve, you made it. How was it? Any trouble on the way?"

"Hey, Eve, since when do you drink milk tea? I used to try and buy you some, and you always refused, saying it was a high-sugar, high-fat calorie bomb. Why the change of heart today? It's out of character!" Madeline stared at her in sheer confusion.

"A friend gave it to me, said it helps with a bad mood. I couldn't exactly refuse." Evelyn took a seat on the sofa.

Madeline nodded. Seeing that Evelyn wasn't keen on elaborating, she let it go and sat beside her, carefully studying her face. "Eve, you look... very calm."

Evelyn nodded, summarizing her three-year marriage in the most efficient terms possible—a marriage of convenience, separation, Christian's illegitimate son, and the mistress now parading the child through the front door.

She spoke clinically, as if recounting someone else's story.

Nathaniel listened intently, occasionally jotting notes on his legal pad. When she finished, he looked up. "Ms. Sullivan, what are your demands? What are you seeking in terms of asset division?"

"I don't want anything," Evelyn said flatly. "I just want the divorce finalized as quickly as possible."

Nathaniel and Madeline exchanged a look.

"Nothing at all?" Nathaniel frowned slightly. "Ms. Sullivan, under matrimonial law, you are absolutely entitled to a division of marital assets. The Lancaster family's wealth is astronomical. Even a tiny fraction would be enough for you to—"

"I don't need it. I'm not short on cash." Evelyn cut him off, her voice steady. "I don't want to be tied to them in any way whatsoever. A clean break is the best outcome."

Nathaniel fell silent for a few seconds, adjusting his glasses. "I understand your perspective. But Ms. Sullivan, I have to warn you, a contested divorce might not be quick. If the opposing party refuses to agree, the court typically won't grant a divorce on the first filing. You would have to wait six months before filing again. This process could drag on for a year, maybe two."