Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband? novel Chapter 263

“How’s it going?”

Forrest’s expression instantly cooled at the question. The gentle, approachable look he usually wore was gone, replaced with open irritation for the first time.

“All those tricks you bragged about—giving gifts, splurging on presents, inviting her out for fun—they were completely useless. And you call yourself a master of romance?”

“Please.”

Roland couldn’t let that slide. He grabbed Forrest by the arm and pulled him aside.

“Hold on, you’d better explain what went wrong. My advice is foolproof! It has to be your fault—your head’s always full of code and business jargon, you probably botched the execution. Come on, spill it. Tell me exactly what you did.”

...

Meanwhile—

Ryan Lockwood stepped into the ballroom, scanning the crowd until his gaze landed on Giselle, who was surrounded by people. His eyes instantly lit up.

“Giselle!” he called out, voice brimming with excitement as he made his way toward her.

Giselle was chatting animatedly with a group, but at the sound of his voice, she turned, momentarily surprised, before greeting him with a bright smile.

“Ryan, you made it! Where’s your brother?”

If Ryan was here, his older brother Roland must be around as well. Giselle glanced around but didn’t spot him.

“He went off to find Forrest,” Ryan replied, stepping closer without a care for the curious eyes nearby. His gaze lingered on Giselle, full of unguarded affection. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of worry and sleepless nights over his brother’s troubles. He and Giselle had only managed phone calls lately—it felt like ages since he’d seen her in person.

When he heard Forrest was hosting a party tonight, Ryan all but begged Roland to bring him along, hoping he might get lucky and run into her.

And luck was on his side.

Now that she was right in front of him, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

Giselle felt the warmth of his attention, and while she enjoyed it, she instinctively glanced away, mindful of the crowd. After all, she was still Lysander’s girlfriend.

People nearby recognized Ryan immediately; everyone knew about his family’s close ties with Forrest, the host of the evening. The Lockwood Group was making waves lately, so guests greeted him with enthusiasm.

A few observant attendees noticed Ryan’s lively greeting—and the way Giselle seemed to draw attention wherever she went. Earlier, she’d been seen deep in conversation with Forrest. No one knew what they talked about, but the easy laughter between them had caught a few eyes. Whispers started making the rounds.

“Ms. Harvey, you seem to have a great relationship with both Mr. Lockwood and Mr. Whitmore, don’t you?” someone asked, curiosity barely concealed.