Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 105

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity**

**Chapter 105: Determination**

Bella stood there, a whirlwind of shock and fury swirling within her.

**Lucky Draw**

The lively murmur of the gathering faded into an oppressive silence as all eyes turned toward her, captivated by the intensity of her piercing scream.

“Mr. Torres, how could you do that?” Bryce’s voice was a mix of anger and disbelief as he positioned himself protectively beside Bella, his glare fixed firmly on Sebastian. “Even if you believed Bella was out of line, there’s no excuse for humiliating her in front of everyone!”

“Oh?” Sebastian replied, his tone dripping with condescension as he raised an eyebrow, seemingly unbothered. “So, when the woman next to you decided to inspect the martyrs’ urns and had those airport security guards swarm around Riley, you thought that was perfectly acceptable? Mr. Murphy, your sense of justice is quite peculiar.”

Bryce felt the heat of embarrassment flood his face. He had been replaying the airport incident in his mind, kicking himself for not intervening sooner. If only he had put a stop to Bella’s reckless behavior back then, perhaps they wouldn’t have found themselves in this chaotic situation now.

“That was Riley’s fault!” he insisted, his voice rising defensively. “If she had just mentioned that her parents were martyrs, none of this would have happened!”

Bella, wincing from the stinging pain in her neck, interjected, “Mr. Torres, I was merely trying to ensure the safety of the plane! Riley set me up!”

Just then, another steel knife shot through the air, this time aimed directly at Bella’s lips.

A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth, and her complexion turned ghostly pale, fear gripping her heart. Had Bryce not been there to steady her, she would have crumpled to the floor, utterly defeated.

“Still want to keep running your mouth? I’ve got plenty more knives where that came from,” Sebastian taunted, his voice as cold as ice.

“Mr. Torres, you can’t keep hurting her like this!” Bryce shouted, desperation lacing his words.

Sebastian ignored him completely, his gaze locked onto Bella. “You think I’m foolish enough to believe your lies? Is that why you’re saying all of this?”

Bella’s face flushed a deep crimson, humiliation washing over her. She had brought Bryce here to flaunt her connections and charm, but the night had spiraled into a public spectacle of disgrace before it had even truly begun.

“Mr. Torres, you’re just playing favorites with Riley,” Bella whined, her voice tinged with desperation. “What was so terrible about what I said? If I had known those were martyrs’ ashes, I wouldn’t have touched them! Riley could have told me, but she didn’t. She completely set me up!”

“Oh,” Riley interjected sharply, her voice cutting through the tension. “So, if those weren’t the ashes of war heroes but just some regular person’s remains, you’d think it’s fine to mess with them?”

Bella gasped, momentarily at a loss for words.

Riley’s expression was icy as she fixed her gaze on Bella. “You enjoy your little games, Bella, but don’t assume everyone plays as deviously as you do.”

Mortification swept over Bella like a tidal wave. As she noticed the crowd closing in on them, she gritted her teeth and pushed her way through, desperate to escape the spotlight that felt like it was burning into her skin.

Bryce hurried after her, concern etched on his face.

Turning to Sebastian, Riley said, “Thank you.”

He paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. “I thought you’d be upset that I intervened.”

“I’m not that much of a saint,” Riley replied, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “I know who’s got my back.”

It was an odd thought, knowing that Sebastian, whom she had known for less than two months, was standing up for her while her ex-husband, who had shared three years of her life, had remained silent during her public humiliation. The irony of it struck her deeply.

As the onlookers gradually dispersed, the party resumed, the atmosphere returning to its previous vivacity as if nothing had transpired.

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