Chapter 246

"Don't remember, why?"

Royce glanced at me briefly, his voice still flat.

"She's married now. Remember when she confessed to you? The whole school knew, but you just ignored her."

Yvonne suddenly burst into laughter, leaning on Royce's shoulder with a clear, ringing laugh.

"Back then, everyone thought you might be gay since you're still single."

"By the way, why did you turn her down? Her family had money, and she was really pretty too."

I found myself looking at Royce, inexplicably curious about the answer.

To my surprise, Royce met my gaze and slowly smiled. "Because I liked someone else at the time."

Yvonne was stunned. "Who?"

Royce shook his head and didn't say anything.

"That must be over now, right, Royce?" Yvonne asked cautiously, looking at him.

I could clearly see that Yvonne liked Royce. When he mentioned he had someone he liked, her face showed obvious disappointment.

"No, I still like her."

Yvonne was taken aback, almost at a loss for words.

Royce, breaking his usual silence, continued, "I don't know if she'd give me a chance. She keeps running away, and I can't figure out what she's thinking."

"If I could, I'd like to know what's on her mind. I can tell she likes me too, so why does she keep avoiding me?"

I clenched my dress, knowing those words were meant for me, but I didn't know what to say.

Yvonne's eyes, which had been bright, dimmed. She was so young and vibrant, the kind of person who seemed perfect for Royce.

As for me? Did I really deserve this relationship?

Doubt filled my heart.

"Excuse me, I need to step out for a moment."

Royce stood up, adjusted his perfectly tailored suit, and spoke to Yvonne.

Before leaving, Royce's gaze briefly fell on me, and he nodded slightly.

I said nothing, watching him leave.

After Royce left, Yvonne suddenly looked at me. "Royce likes you, doesn't he?"

I was taken aback and didn't respond.

"I know you. Your divorce with Brandon was all over the place; everyone knows you."

"If I remember correctly, you have a few kids, right?"

I nodded. "You're right."

"Do you think someone like you deserves Royce? He's young, successful, and has always kept himself clean. Why would he like a divorced woman like you?"

"If I were you, I'd stay away from Royce and not stick around him."

I frowned, listening to her.

"Why?"

"Why should I listen to you? Who are you?"

"If you have the ability, go change Royce's mind instead of trying to push me away by belittling me."

"Are you mad? It's someone like me who beat you."

I stood up, looking down at Yvonne. Her face was indeed young, but also arrogant and annoying.

"If I'm not mistaken, you like Royce too, right?"

"And yet, it's me, the one you belittled, who won Royce's heart. Aren't you ashamed?"

"You..."

Yvonne glared at me, her eyes burning with jealousy.

"You think you've really won Royce's heart? He's just caught up in the moment with you. Once the passion fades, he'll leave you without a second thought."

I chuckled. "Really? That's none of your concern."

"At least I have his momentary passion, which is more than you have."

I walked away in my high heels, not bothering to look at Yvonne's expression.

I entered the venue and looked around.

For this celebration, I had invited Kathy and Savannah, but they insisted on getting all dolled up, so they hadn't arrived yet.

Just then, the door opened, and Savannah walked in wearing a women's suit, looking particularly sharp and confident, while Kathy wore a gown that highlighted her allure.

Seeing them felt like seeing family. I rushed into their arms. "Why are you guys so late?"

"What's wrong? Did someone mess with you?"

I hung my head, feeling down.

To be honest, Yvonne's words had affected me.

"Someone bullied you on your turf? Tell me who, and I'll deal with them right now."

I shook my head and sighed. "Forget it, I'm really tired. I'm going to rest for a bit."

I glanced back and saw Yvonne standing next to Royce, chatting and laughing without a care.

Noticing my gaze, she smiled at me smugly.

I turned away and headed to the lounge.

Maybe it was my glance, but Savannah and Kathy noticed Yvonne hovering around Royce. They exchanged a look.

While I wasn't paying attention, they approached Yvonne.

"Who are you?"

"I checked the guest list, and you weren't on it. How did you get in?"

Kathy crossed her arms, looking Yvonne up and down with a cold snort.

Yvonne's face turned sour. "Royce is here, so I came."

She linked her arm with Royce's, as if claiming him, but Royce subtly pulled away.

"Where's Caroline? Isn't she with you two?"

Savannah shook her head. "Caroline said she's tired and went to the lounge."

Kathy turned to Royce. "You should go. Now's your chance to make a good impression."

Royce hesitated. "But she just..."

"If you don't go, you'll regret it."

Royce nodded and turned to leave.

Just then, Yvonne called out, jealousy flashing in her eyes. "Royce, I'm not familiar with this place. Can you stay with me a bit longer?"

Royce shook his head firmly. "Sorry, Yvonne, I have something important to do. If I don't go, I'll regret it."

"But if you're bored, you can leave early."

"This celebration was for you, since you said you were having trouble adjusting after coming back. If you're still uncomfortable, just go home."

With that, Royce left.

Kathy covered her mouth, laughing. "Royce really knows how to talk."

"Miss, did you say something to Caroline earlier?"

Yvonne's eyes were full of resentment. "I didn't say anything. It's not my fault if she can't handle it."