When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 280

Chapter Two Hundred And Eighty: He Is Still In Love With Her.

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The music continued. It was not loud or overwhelming. It was just enough to keep the rhythm of the room steady. People were still on the dance floor. They were still talking and moving through the evening as though nothing had changed. But something had.

Cassienne Rhodes stepped away from the dance floor quietly. She did not draw attention to herself. She did not look back. She simply moved toward the side corridor that led to a more private section of the hall. She needed space. Not because she was overwhelmed. But because she needed control.

Her steps were steady, but her thoughts were not.

That was too close.

She could still feel it. Dreston’s hand at her waist. The warmth. The familiarity she had tried so hard to

suppress.

She exhaled slowly. Focus. That was all she needed to do.

Behind her, the room continued as though nothing had shifted. But not everyone had returned to their

conversations.

Some were watching. Among them was Tina Ackley. Her eyes followed Cassienne’s movement with quiet precision. Not obvious. Not careless. But deliberate.

Tina set her glass down slowly. So this is how it ends? The thought came with a sharp edge.

She had watched everything. The applause. The attention. The way the room responded to Cassienne without hesitation. And worse, the way Dreston looked at her.

That was what stayed with her the most. Not the words, not the rumors, but the truth.

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

No. Not like this.

She moved. Not quickly. Not suspiciously. Just enough to close the distance.

Cassienne was only a few steps ahead now, walking along the edge of the hall where the lighting softened and the crowd thinned.

Tina’s gaze dropped briefly. It was measured and calculated.

Then she shifted her step. Subtle. Almost unnoticeable. Her foot extended just slightly into Cassienne’s path. Just enough to make it look like nothing. Just enough to cause everything.

Cassienne did not see it coming. Her mind was elsewhere. Her thoughts still caught in a moment she had no right to feel.

Her foot caught. The shift was sudden, and unbalanced. Her body moved forward before she could stop it. And for a brief second, there was no control.

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Chapter Teve Hundred And Eighty He is Sullin Love With Her

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A sharp breath escaped her. Not fear, but instinct.

Across the room, Dreston Tremont saw it. Not the fall. The moment before it.

Something was wrong.

He moved without thinking, and without hesitation. By the time Cassienne lost her balance, he was already there.

His arm caught her firmly. It was immediate. Pulling her back before the fall could happen. His other hand steadied her. Careful. Protective.

Too fast to question. Too instinctive to hide. The room stilled. Not completely. But enough. Because people had seen it. Not everything, but enough.

And above them, the large screen that broadcasted moments from the gala did not miss anything. The

replay came almost instantly, with no filter or delay. Everything was in the open.

Cassienne walking, and Tina stepping behind her. The shift. The contact. And then Dreston catching her.

The room changed. This time completely.

Tina froze. For a second she did not move. Because she had not expected that. Not the fall. Not the

save. The screen.

Her eyes lifted slowly toward it. And what she saw was not what she planned. It was worse. Because it was clear. There was no hiding from it.

Her expression tightened. This was not supposed to happen.

Around the room, whispers began.

“She did that.”

“Did you see it?”

“That was not an accident.”

“She tried to trip her.”

The tone had changed, completely. No more speculation, no more uncertainty. Now it was judgment.

Dreston still held Cassienne. His grip had not loosened yet. His gaze was on her. He didn’t care about anything else. All that mattered is Cassienne and the baby. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Cassienne nodded. “I am fine.”

Her voice was steady. But her hand rested briefly against her abdomen. Instinct.

Dreston noticed. And something in his chest tightened. For a moment, nothing else mattered. Then reality returned. The whispers, the screen, and the tension in the air.

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Chopter Two Hundred And Eighty the is stalowe With Hos

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Cassienne straightened slowly. Dreston’s hand remained at her waist for a second longer. Then he let go. Reluctantly.

Across the hall, the reaction had already spread. Phones were out. Messages were sent. Clips were

shared.

Outside, where Cassienne’s fans still waited, the shift was even faster. Screens lit up. Notifications exploded.

And within minutes, it was everywhere.

“She tried to hurt Cassienne.”

“Tina is jealous.”

“After everything, she still did this?”

The response was immediate. And overwhelming. Tina’s name began to trend. Not in admiration. In

outrage.

Inside the gala, security had already stepped forward. Calm. Professional. But firm.

“Miss Ackley,” one of them said, his tone respectful but unmoving. “We need you to come with us.”

Tina turned. “What?”

“This is a misunderstanding,” she said quickly. “I did not-”

But her voice lacked the confidence it had before. Because the room had already decided.

“This way, please,” the guard repeated.

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