Chapter 768:
Everyone in the Owen family truly lived up to their reputation — outstanding and graceful.
Deandre’s features carried the same sharpness as Rylie’s, though softened by an easy, magnetic smile — the kind of smile that made it hard to look away.
Deandre, unbothered by her dazed stare, simply held her a moment longer. He was used to that reaction; most women faltered under his charm.
“You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” His voice was low and steady as his hand remained at her waist, keeping her balanced.
Melany jolted back to her senses,
Heat rushed to her cheeks. She quickly shoved him away and stumbled backward, putting as much distance between them as possible.
Her skittish retreat, so different from the dazed way she had stared at him moments earlier, drew a low laugh from Deandre. “Relax. I don’t bite. No need to run off like that.”
“Thank you… for catching me — for Rylie’s sake,” she blurted out, forcing a polite nod before darting toward Rylie without waiting for his reply.
The last thing she wanted was any connection with Deandre. His name carried stories of a reckless temper, countless lovers, and whispers of ties to the underworld. The very thought of it made her skin crawl.
Watching her scurry off, Deandre let out another amused chuckle, his interest only sharpened.
When Melany returned to Rylie, Kyla was suggesting a dinner celebration for their success. Fiona and Zander were there too, and everyone was in high spirits.
They were just making their way backstage when Ainsley suddenly appeared, phone clutched tightly in her hand as she stepped in front of Rylie. “Did you plot this with the organizers?”
Rylie’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Plotting? You mean you get to push my people around, but I’m not allowed to shield them? Don’t forget you’re the one who started this fight.”
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“I told them to erase that footage! How come it was released?” Ainsley snapped, her voice rising.
Rylie’s gaze stayed calm, almost amused. “So you did figure out a thing or two,” she said, her tone turning icy as her eyes flicked past Ainsley to the figure standing behind her. “But you’ll never outsmart Deandre.”
“What?” Ainsley froze, whipping around. Fiona instinctively turned with her.
Deandre strolled forward without a hint of discomfort, even with both of his exes standing there. Clad in a deep brown suit that fit him flawlessly, he carried himself with an easy smile. “What’s all this noise? Celebrating your win already?”
Ainsley’s jaw tightened. “So that’s it — you’ve tossed aside what we had just to stand with your sister against me?”
Sliding up beside Rylie, Deandre rested a casual hand on her shoulder. He bent slightly, his gaze locking on Ainsley with an icy sharpness that clashed with his smile. “For my sister, I’d do anything. And you? You were never worth the thought. To me, you’re nothing more than a story that ended long ago. Why would you even expect I would side with you?”
Startled by Deandre’s imposing presence, Ainsley bit her lip, stomped her foot in frustration, and snapped, “Just you wait,” before turning and rushing off.
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