Reborn? Screw the Fake Lover—I'm Snagging My Arch-Rival! - Chapter 10: Chapter 10
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The entire ballroom erupted.
Everyone knew Stella and Ryder had been at each other's throats since childhood—fighting and arguing whenever they met. Nobody expected Stella's choice to be him.
Chase's face instantly turned ashen as he strode forward: "Stella, what the hell does this mean?"
Stella ignored him, her gaze locked on Ryder.
He stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, looking completely indifferent. But Stella caught his eyes quickly scanning between her and Chase.
"I said I choose him." Stella raised her hand, slender finger pointing directly at Ryder.
This statement exploded like a bomb in the ballroom.
Guests erupted in chaos, voices drowning out everything.
"What? She chose Ryder Blackthorne?"
"Aren't they sworn enemies?"
"Holy shit, look at Chase's face..."
Chase's complexion shifted from green to white to red. He grabbed Stella's wrist: "Are you out of your damn mind? Do you know what you're saying?"
Stella coldly yanked her hand free: "I'm perfectly clear-headed."
"Impossible!" Chase's voice was practically grinding through his teeth. "You obviously…"
"Obviously what?" Stella cut him off, lips curving in a sarcastic smile. "Obviously chased you around for twenty years? Obviously would marry no one but you?"
Stella shook her head. "Chase, you think way too highly of yourself."
Chase looked like he'd been clubbed over the head, stumbling backward. He'd never seen this version of Stella—ice-cold eyes, sharp tone—like she was looking at a complete stranger.
Marcus, Preston, and Damien immediately closed in. Preston frowned: "Stella, don't joke around like this."
"Yeah," Damien agreed. "We all know you like Chase."
Stella looked at their fake faces, her stomach churning with disgust.
"I'm not joking." She enunciated each word clearly: "I choose Ryder Blackthorne."
The ballroom fell into eerie silence again. Everyone's attention turned to Ryder, waiting for his reaction.
He slowly walked over to Stella, looking down at her like he could see through her soul.
"Miss Whitmore," he sneered. "Don't try your little games on me."
Stella met his gaze without flinching: "I'm not playing games."
Their staredown continued, neither backing down while guests held their breath, afraid to miss anything.
Suddenly, Sophia squeezed up to Chase, weakly tugging his sleeve: "Chase..." Her voice was tearful. "Is Miss Whitmore just acting out? It's all my fault—I shouldn't have come..."
Chase immediately pulled her into his arms protectively: "It's not your fault." He turned to Stella, eyes blazing with fury. "Stella, do you have to humiliate me like this?"
Stella watched their intimate pose with complete calm.
"I'm not humiliating anyone," she said evenly. "I'm just making my choice."
Ryder suddenly chuckled, breaking the tension.
He turned to Chase: "She chose me. Got a problem with that?"
The words were casual but carried undeniable authority.
Chase's face turned ugly: "Ryder, don't get cocky! Stella's just confused—she doesn't love you!"
"So what?" Ryder shrugged. "It's just an engagement. Love's not required."
Hearing this, Stella's heart clenched sharply.
She knew Ryder was saying it on purpose, but the coldness still stung.
Chase wanted to argue more, but Mr. Whitmore stepped forward: "Alright, since Stella's made her choice, today's ceremony ends here." He looked around. "Thank you all for coming. Please, enjoy the party."
Guests tactfully dispersed, but whispers continued.
Stella watched Chase storm off in fury and the complex looks from Marcus, Preston, and Damien, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
She turned to Ryder, but he was already walking away.
"Wait!" Stella hurried after him, catching him in the hallway. "Where are you going?"
Ryder stopped without turning around: "Home."
"We need to talk." Stella reached for his sleeve but he sidestepped.
"Nothing to discuss." Ryder finally turned, eyes ice-cold. "I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not interested."
"It's not a game!" Stella said urgently. "I'm serious!"
Ryder stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes: "Stella, you chased Chase for twenty years and now suddenly wanna marry me?" His thumb brushed her lips, voice frighteningly cold. "You think I'd believe that?"
Stella's lashes trembled. They were too close—close enough to see her reflection in his eyes.
"If you don't believe me, fine," she said softly. "But please give me a chance."
Ryder released her, stepping back: "Why?"
"Because..." Stella bit her lip, ultimately deciding against mentioning the rebirth. "Because I finally see who's worth it."
Something flickered in Ryder's eyes before returning to coldness. He turned to leave, tossing back one sentence: "Tomorrow morning, ten sharp. Blackthorne Industries. Don't be late."
Stella stood there watching his tall figure disappear down the hallway, lips unconsciously curving into a small smile. This was better than she'd expected.
At least he was willing to give her a chance.
In the ballroom's corner, Sophia stared daggers in Stella's direction, her hatred almost tangible.
She whispered to Chase beside her: "Chase, Miss Whitmore must be getting threatened by Ryder. We can't just sit back and watch..."
Chase clenched his fists, a flash of malice in his eyes: "Don't worry. I won't let them get what they want."
Everyone knew Stella and Ryder had been at each other's throats since childhood—fighting and arguing whenever they met. Nobody expected Stella's choice to be him.
Chase's face instantly turned ashen as he strode forward: "Stella, what the hell does this mean?"
Stella ignored him, her gaze locked on Ryder.
He stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, looking completely indifferent. But Stella caught his eyes quickly scanning between her and Chase.
"I said I choose him." Stella raised her hand, slender finger pointing directly at Ryder.
This statement exploded like a bomb in the ballroom.
Guests erupted in chaos, voices drowning out everything.
"What? She chose Ryder Blackthorne?"
"Aren't they sworn enemies?"
"Holy shit, look at Chase's face..."
Chase's complexion shifted from green to white to red. He grabbed Stella's wrist: "Are you out of your damn mind? Do you know what you're saying?"
Stella coldly yanked her hand free: "I'm perfectly clear-headed."
"Impossible!" Chase's voice was practically grinding through his teeth. "You obviously…"
"Obviously what?" Stella cut him off, lips curving in a sarcastic smile. "Obviously chased you around for twenty years? Obviously would marry no one but you?"
Stella shook her head. "Chase, you think way too highly of yourself."
Chase looked like he'd been clubbed over the head, stumbling backward. He'd never seen this version of Stella—ice-cold eyes, sharp tone—like she was looking at a complete stranger.
Marcus, Preston, and Damien immediately closed in. Preston frowned: "Stella, don't joke around like this."
"Yeah," Damien agreed. "We all know you like Chase."
Stella looked at their fake faces, her stomach churning with disgust.
"I'm not joking." She enunciated each word clearly: "I choose Ryder Blackthorne."
The ballroom fell into eerie silence again. Everyone's attention turned to Ryder, waiting for his reaction.
He slowly walked over to Stella, looking down at her like he could see through her soul.
"Miss Whitmore," he sneered. "Don't try your little games on me."
Stella met his gaze without flinching: "I'm not playing games."
Their staredown continued, neither backing down while guests held their breath, afraid to miss anything.
Suddenly, Sophia squeezed up to Chase, weakly tugging his sleeve: "Chase..." Her voice was tearful. "Is Miss Whitmore just acting out? It's all my fault—I shouldn't have come..."
Chase immediately pulled her into his arms protectively: "It's not your fault." He turned to Stella, eyes blazing with fury. "Stella, do you have to humiliate me like this?"
Stella watched their intimate pose with complete calm.
"I'm not humiliating anyone," she said evenly. "I'm just making my choice."
Ryder suddenly chuckled, breaking the tension.
He turned to Chase: "She chose me. Got a problem with that?"
The words were casual but carried undeniable authority.
Chase's face turned ugly: "Ryder, don't get cocky! Stella's just confused—she doesn't love you!"
"So what?" Ryder shrugged. "It's just an engagement. Love's not required."
Hearing this, Stella's heart clenched sharply.
She knew Ryder was saying it on purpose, but the coldness still stung.
Chase wanted to argue more, but Mr. Whitmore stepped forward: "Alright, since Stella's made her choice, today's ceremony ends here." He looked around. "Thank you all for coming. Please, enjoy the party."
Guests tactfully dispersed, but whispers continued.
Stella watched Chase storm off in fury and the complex looks from Marcus, Preston, and Damien, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
She turned to Ryder, but he was already walking away.
"Wait!" Stella hurried after him, catching him in the hallway. "Where are you going?"
Ryder stopped without turning around: "Home."
"We need to talk." Stella reached for his sleeve but he sidestepped.
"Nothing to discuss." Ryder finally turned, eyes ice-cold. "I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not interested."
"It's not a game!" Stella said urgently. "I'm serious!"
Ryder stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes: "Stella, you chased Chase for twenty years and now suddenly wanna marry me?" His thumb brushed her lips, voice frighteningly cold. "You think I'd believe that?"
Stella's lashes trembled. They were too close—close enough to see her reflection in his eyes.
"If you don't believe me, fine," she said softly. "But please give me a chance."
Ryder released her, stepping back: "Why?"
"Because..." Stella bit her lip, ultimately deciding against mentioning the rebirth. "Because I finally see who's worth it."
Something flickered in Ryder's eyes before returning to coldness. He turned to leave, tossing back one sentence: "Tomorrow morning, ten sharp. Blackthorne Industries. Don't be late."
Stella stood there watching his tall figure disappear down the hallway, lips unconsciously curving into a small smile. This was better than she'd expected.
At least he was willing to give her a chance.
In the ballroom's corner, Sophia stared daggers in Stella's direction, her hatred almost tangible.
She whispered to Chase beside her: "Chase, Miss Whitmore must be getting threatened by Ryder. We can't just sit back and watch..."
Chase clenched his fists, a flash of malice in his eyes: "Don't worry. I won't let them get what they want."
End of Reborn? Screw the Fake Lover—I'm Snagging My Arch-Rival! Chapter 10. Continue reading Chapter 11 or return to Reborn? Screw the Fake Lover—I'm Snagging My Arch-Rival! book page.