She's Too Busy Winning to Watch Him Cry novel Chapter 246

"Is Alistair going to be okay?"

"He didn't pass away, if that's what you mean."

A second later, Madeline sent over a video file.

Lyra's vision swam with panic. She hurriedly hung up the call, her fingers shaking as she tapped the play button.

In the video, the opulent engagement venue had devolved into absolute pandemonium the moment the police stormed in. The celebratory music had been abruptly cut. As the officers declared they were there for Jonathan, both Jonathan and Tabitha, dressed to the nines, looked entirely horrified.

Alistair, the patriarch and most respected figure in the room, stood silently watching the catastrophe unfold. His expression was completely unreadable, save for the profound disappointment pooling in his eyes.

It was likely the first time in his entire life he had ever looked at his golden grandson with such bitter disappointment.

But the real disaster struck when Jonathan, blindly trying to back away from the officers, accidentally shoved hard into Alistair.

Rowan had been shielding Jasmine behind him, but his reflexes kicked in instantly. He shot a hand out to grab Alistair, while Vivienne rushed from behind to break the older man's fall, acting as a human cushion. Even with their combined efforts, the patriarch lost his balance and crumpled to the floor.

Up until that second, Jasmine had been tucked safely behind Rowan, refusing to step out of his protective shadow.

But when Rowan abruptly let go of her to catch his grandfather, he whipped his head back to look at the source of the chaos. The sheer violence in his eyes practically shattered the camera lens. It was a cold, predatory, and brutally merciless glare—a look of pure, unadulterated murder aimed directly at the Fords.

"Oh, crap."

Sitting alone in her car, Lyra felt the blood freeze in her veins. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she instantly locked her phone screen, tossed it onto the passenger seat, and cranked the ignition. She needed to get as far away from this blast zone as possible.

Back at the Fairchild estate, Lyra bee-lined for the kitchen and downed a freezing bottle of water.

Lyra paused on the steps, staring blankly ahead. She didn't stay to listen to the rest. She walked into her bedroom and firmly shut the door behind her.

Her phone buzzed relentlessly. Someone in the Atlantic High Alumni Group had leaked the video of Jasmine's engagement disaster, and it was spreading like wildfire.

Lyra casually tapped the video. On screen, Jasmine watched her father get dragged away. Her spine was completely straight, though the sheer humiliation radiating off her was impossible to hide.

She clearly hadn't anticipated her fairytale engagement ending in handcuffs.

Lyra scrubbed back to the beginning and zoomed in on Jasmine's face. Behind the stubborn pride in her eyes, tears were clearly welling up.

In her past life, Lyra had cried until she had no tears left to shed. Jasmine hadn't shed a single tear for her then.

Lyra suddenly felt a whole lot better.