The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 465

Sebastian fell silent for a second. "Mark said my injuries haven't fully healed, so I can only do recovery training for the next two days. Missing one day won't matter."

Evelyn set her glass down and studied him. Her gaze swept over his face, lingering on the scabbed cut on his ear and the fading bruises along his jawline. She looked at him for a few seconds before speaking, her voice very soft: "Can you handle it?"

Sebastian's pupils contracted slightly. It wasn't the irritation of being doubted—it was something else entirely. It was as if she had struck the very core of his pride. He locked eyes with her, his own gaze burning bright beneath the dining room lights. His voice wasn't loud, but he enunciated every single word: "Failing isn't an option. I have to handle it."

Sitting beside them, Madeline paused with her fork in mid-air. She looked back and forth between the two of them. When Sebastian delivered that line, his back straightened even more, his jaw tight as if he were signing a blood oath. She suddenly found the man surprisingly endearing. Here was the ruthless CEO of the Thorne empire from San Francisco, a billionaire who drove his rivals to absolute despair, yet he was turning red at the tips of his ears simply because a pregnant woman asked him if he could handle a fight.

Watching his intense reaction, Evelyn's lips curled into a faint smile. She didn't press the matter further, simply lowering her head to continue eating. But Madeline couldn't hold back. Setting her fork down, she raised her water glass and looked at Sebastian with utter seriousness. "Mr. Thorne, you've got this. You're going to crush it the day after tomorrow."

Sebastian blinked in surprise. Seeing Madeline holding her glass up to him, the corner of his mouth twitched into something resembling a smile. He picked up his own glass and tapped it gently against hers. "Thank you."

Evelyn also picked up her glass. She didn't say a word, merely raising it slightly in his direction. Sebastian stared at her glass, his heart skipping a beat. He hurriedly lifted his own again, clinking it softly against hers. The three glasses met with a crisp chime that rang beautifully in the quiet dining room.

Outside, the sky had turned completely black. The garden lights illuminated the grounds, casting a silvery glow over the bubbling fountain. Standing silently in the doorway, Felton watched the scene unfold. A knowing smile graced his lips before he turned and walked away, his footsteps fading softly down the hall.

Dinner wrapped up. Madeline stood to help clear the table, but Felton smoothly took over. Unbothered, she dusted off her hands, announced she was heading up to digest her case studies, and jogged eagerly up the stairs. Only Evelyn and Sebastian remained in the dining room.

Evelyn leaned back in her chair, her fingers resting gently over her lower abdomen as she gazed out at the night. Sebastian sat beside her, silent and unmoving. After a long, quiet moment, Evelyn spoke. "Are you confident about the day after tomorrow?"

Sebastian thought about it. "No," he admitted honestly. "Albert is too strong. I'm not fully healed, and Mark said I can only recover up to eighty percent of my strength. But I'll hold my ground."

Evelyn turned to look at him. The warm lighting cast shadows over his bruised face. The fresh cuts layered over fading marks made him look like a rough, unfinished painting. Yet his eyes were intensely bright—far too bright for a man who was scheduled to take a brutal beating the next morning.

"If you can't hold on, don't force it," she said.

He met her gaze. "I'll hold my ground." His voice was soft, but unshakable.

Evelyn didn't say anything else. She stood up and walked toward the stairs. After a few steps, she paused, though she didn't turn around. "Tomorrow morning, I'll have Felton prepare an extra portion of breakfast for you. Eat before you go train."