The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 472

The elevator doors slid shut. The polished steel walls reflected two figures: one tall and imposing, the other small and rigid. Lydia Langford stood exactly half a step behind Mr. Arthur Taylor, gripping her folder so tightly her knuckles were turning white. The elevator descended smoothly, the digital display dropping from 28 to 27, 26, 25. Taylor said nothing. Lydia said nothing. The only sound in the confined space was the low, mechanical hum of the descent.

Taylor suddenly broke the silence. "Do you know Ms. Charles?"

Lydia's heart skipped a beat. She looked up, but Taylor wasn't looking at her; his eyes were fixed entirely on the descending numbers above the door. She took a slow, silent breath, forcing her voice to remain perfectly even. "I told you, sir. I don't know her."

Taylor turned to face her. His light blue eyes were piercing, bright enough to strip away any lie. He studied her for two agonizing seconds before the corner of his mouth ticked upward. The smile wasn't entirely malicious, but it carried a distinct, *'don't play games with me'* edge. "Her friend's reaction when she saw you certainly didn't look like a case of mistaken identity."

Lydia's fingers dug harder into the folder. She locked her voice down, layering in just enough grievance to sound like a wrongfully accused intern, desperate to defend herself but too terrified to overstep. "Mr. Taylor, I'm just an ordinary international student. I rely on scholarships just to study in France. Someone of Ms. Charles's standing... I've only ever seen her in the news. How could I possibly run in the same circles as her?"

Taylor didn't respond immediately. He just kept looking at her. His dissecting gaze violently yanked her mind back to a few afternoons ago—back to the Duke's assistant standing in her cheap hotel room, surveying her miserable surroundings. That exact same look: calculating, scrutinizing, appraising her worth like an object on an auction block. She quickly lowered her eyes, staring down at her folder, forcing her expression to look as painfully innocent as possible.

"Fair enough," Taylor's voice finally relaxed. "If you really did know her, and were on good terms, it would certainly do wonders for your career here." He paused. "But it doesn't matter either way. You came with a direct recommendation from the Duke. You'll do just fine."