"The engagent was called off."
For a still second, everyone froze, their eyes fixed on Derek. Even lissa was stunned to see him — but the mont she spotted Celestine beside him, everything clicked. Derek kept his gaze on lissa, his chest tightening at the sight of her.
It hadn’t been long since their confrontation at the Young residence, so the wounds in his heart were still fresh and raw.
Turning to the crowd, Derek’s expression hardened. "So stop asking questions. Miss lissa Young and I are no longer together. I’d appreciate it if you stopped putting my na next to hers."
Silence followed until the caras suddenly clicked again, more aggressively this ti. The questions ca rapid-fire.
"Mr. Derek Lancaster, does that an it’s true? That the Youngs were exploiting the Lancaster family?"
"If not that, was it because of a third party?"
Every word thrown at him echoed the rumors circulating online. Ninety percent of them weren’t true — just twisted narratives of half-truths.
But Derek didn’t bother responding. He only kept his eyes locked on lissa. Maybe it was anger that made him speak. Anger strong enough that he didn’t care if his words hurt her more than they hurt him.
Beside him, Justin clenched his jaw and looked away in frustration.
What terrible timing, he thought. Why is this woman even here?
Had Justin known this would happen, he would’ve ignored Celestine’s invitation entirely. He turned to his aunt, silently pleading for help. But Celestine, ever composed, remained calm and poised. When she t his eyes, she almost wanted to tell him that she hadn’t expected lissa either.
Raising a graceful hand, Celestine addressed the crowd. "I apologize for my nephew. He has yet to recover from the broken engagent, and his attendance tonight was rely an attempt to take his mind off things."
Her tone was smooth, refined, and every word controlled.
"However, I would greatly appreciate it if you refrained from writing anything until our family and company release an official statent," she continued, her voice exuding elegance and authority. "Anyway, tonight is an important event for G Fashion, and we are here to support the brand."
The flurry of cara clicks slowed. The questions ceased. All attention turned to Celestine, her grace commanding silence.
"Thank you," Celestine said softly, lowering her head slightly before facing lissa. Then, with a delicate smile that concealed her sharpness, she added, "lissa, I didn’t know you’d be here tonight. I’m surprised. After all, I thought that after everything that happened... you’d have enough sha not to use the invitation I handed you."
"What?" gasps rippled through the crowd.
"lissa was invited by Celestine Lancaster?"
"Goodness, this woman really has no sha!"
"I was shocked when even smaller brands than G cut ties with her. I thought maybe G kept her because it’s a foreign label — that they didn’t know."
"Pfft—" soone snorted. "Pretending to be high and mighty, but she’s still using the Lancasters to stay relevant."
Neither Derek nor Celestine had said it outright, but everyone had pieced it together. Celestine’s phrasing was masterful. Direct enough to sting, indirect enough to deny.
Surely, there was a reason she reigned at the top of the socialite ladder.
lissa scoffed under her breath as she listened to the murmurs. She bit the inside of her cheek, realizing Celestine had just confird the worst of the rumors — all while keeping her hands clean.
Her lips curved into a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Madam Celestine, accusing soone without proof isn’t sothing a woman in your position should do."
"Oh?" Celestine arched a brow, while Derek and Justin frowned. "Is that so?"
"I didn’t co here because of your invitation — which, if I recall, you only received because of ," lissa countered, her chin raised in defiance. Since the engagent was already over and the bridges burned, she had no reason to hold back.
"I had great respect for you, Madam, and I know what happened was unfortunate. Even so, everything I did for you and Derek ca from the bottom of my heart." Her tone softened just enough to sound sincere, though her courage made her seem almost admirable. "Even the invitations from G Fashion — had it not been for , you wouldn’t have been able to get one."
The crowd fell silent again. No one expected lissa to talk back to Celestine, yet she did, and with surprising poise.
"lissa, how could you?" Derek scoffed, and Justin was about to step forward before Celestine lifted her hand to stop them.
"It’s alright," she said with a pleasant smile, turning to lissa. "After all, it’s true that because of her, I was able to connect with Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet personally invited here — she’s good friends with the designer behind G Fashion."
The crowd gasped audibly.
"What? So it’s true? The Lancasters are here because of lissa’s connection?"
"But wasn’t it the Youngs exploiting the Lancasters, not the other way around?"
"Wow — that changes everything."
One by one, public opinion shifted quickly and dramatically. Who could bla them? Celestine herself had just confird lissa’s claim.
But then, Celestine smiled again.
"Still, as they say — fake it till you make it." Her voice dripped with honeyed condescension. "Miss Young, I’m truly glad to see you tonight. I hope your invitation is still valid."
lissa’s smirk sharpened. "I hope yours is."
She flicked her gaze from Derek to Justin, then finally back to Celestine. With her head held high, lissa turned and strode toward the entrance. The caras flashed, following her every step, but she didn’t care anymore.
That felt good, she thought. I’ve spent so long trying to curry favor with Celestine when she was never that great to begin with.
A thrill of satisfaction welled in her chest, nearly making her laugh. It was liberating — not having to act anymore. For once, she felt powerful. She felt in control.
anwhile, Derek and Justin glared at lissa’s retreating figure before turning back to Celestine.
"Auntie, why would you say that?" Justin hissed. "Even if that woman told the truth, you didn’t have to admit it! Just look at the headlines we’ll wake up to tomorrow!"
Derek opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words. Celestine only chuckled softly, her eyes glinting.
"You boys have no idea..." she murmured. "Just wait and see. Oh—" she tilted her chin toward the entrance, smirking. "You won’t have to wait long. Look."
Both n turned and froze.
There, at the entrance, stood lissa, scoffing in disbelief as the guard blocked her path, refusing to let her in.
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