Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 1023

She caught herself staring. He was seriously good-looking. Too bad, though. Just like her sister, her fate was already set. She’d have to marry into the royal family one day and become a princess.

“Who are you? Do you know Owen?” Janet was the first to speak up. She didn’t even know why she wanted to talk to him so badly. She just did. She wanted him to notice her.

Connor barely spared her a glance. His eyes slid right past, cool and uninterested, until they landed on Lydia. Suddenly, his whole expression softened. “If Lydia says the painting is fake, then it’s fake.”

Chloe let out a sharp scoff. “And who are you supposed to be? What makes you the authority here?”

A little smirk tugged at Connor’s lips. “I’m Lydia’s fiancé.”

“You?” Chloe looked at him like he was joking.

Janet was even more shocked. Her face turned pink with frustration. This guy... was Lydia’s fiancé?

“Yeah,” Connor replied, finally meeting Chloe’s gaze. There was something cold and intimidating in his eyes that made Chloe shrink back, even if she didn’t want to admit it. He was not someone you messed with.

“So you’re just covering for her?” Janet said, her voice sharp with jealousy.

Connor didn’t even look at her. He spoke to the whole room. “Lydia painted this herself. Out of everyone here, she’s the only one who knows if it’s real or fake.”

His words dropped like a bomb. Everyone stared at Lydia, completely stunned.

Chloe rolled her eyes. She thought Connor was totally delusional. If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Lydia was just a kid.

“Oh, please, she’s Owen? If she really is, let’s see her paint something right here, right now. Prove it.” Chloe looked at Lydia with pure sarcasm.

“If she’s Owen, I’ll get down on my knees and call her grandma. Seriously, I can’t believe this.” Janet’s eyes nearly rolled all the way back.

Wendy watched Lydia, disappointed, and turned to Mr. Robinson. “Uncle Glenn, they’re just kids. Let’s not let them get carried away. Owen is a legend. Not just anyone can pretend to be him.”

Lydia’s lips curled in a small, confident smile. She stood up slowly. “Bring me a brush and some paints.”