"The engagement was called off."
For a still second, everyone froze, their eyes fixed on Derek. Even Melissa was stunned to see him — but the moment she spotted Celestine beside him, everything clicked. Derek kept his gaze on Melissa, 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 Melissa Young and I are no longer together. I'd appreciate it if you stopped putting my name next to hers."
Silence followed until the cameras suddenly clicked again, more aggressively this time. The questions came rapid-fire.
"Mr. Derek Lancaster, does that mean it's true? That the Youngs were exploiting the Lancaster family?"
"If not that, was it because of a third party?"
