Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 353

Serena sat at the dining table, sipping her coffee as she scrolled through her phone. The morning light streamed through the large windows of her apartment, casting a golden hue over the sleek, modern space.

It was peaceful—until she saw the headlines flashing across her screen.

RYAN WINTERS ENGAGED TO KATE ANDREWS!

BILLIONAIRE HEIR FINALLY SETTLES DOWN WITH HIS LONGTIME LOVE!

Serena let out a low chuckle, shaking her head. How predictable.

She scrolled further, finding pictures from the gala, including the moment Ryan’s father had announced the engagement.

Kate looked like she had won the lottery, her face glowing with fake surprise and delight. Ryan, however, was nowhere to be seen. That told Serena everything she needed to know.

Ryan had no idea this was happening.

She rolled her eyes and took another sip of her coffee.

It didn’t matter.

She wasn’t stupid. She had always known Ryan was never truly hers. Even when they were married, his heart belonged to Kate.

He had made that clear when he cheated on her, when he had chosen Kate over her, when he had thrown their marriage away without a second thought.

So why should she care now?

If he wanted to get engaged to Kate, that was his choice.

He could live his life, and she would live hers.

Besides, she preferred it this way. Being the sidekick was easier. No expectations, no disappointments. Just pleasure when she wanted it, and distance when she didn’t.

Ryan was just a game to her now.

She smirked, placing her phone down as Amy came running into the room.

“Mommy, can I have pancakes?”

Serena ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Of course, baby. I’ll make you some right now.”

And just like that, she pushed the entire engagement nonsense out of her mind.

At the same time, in a high-rise office across the city, Ryan Winters was oblivious to the chaos unfolding in his name.

He sat in his sleek leather chair, staring at the financial reports Jefferson, his assistant, had just placed in front of him. He had barely gotten through the first page when Jefferson cleared his throat, looking hesitant.

“Sir, have you seen the news this morning?”

Ryan frowned, flipping another page. “No. Why?”

Jefferson hesitated, then pulled out his phone and placed it on Ryan’s desk. The screen showed a news article with bold headlines.

Ryan’s eyes skimmed over the words.

Then he froze.

RYAN WINTERS ENGAGED TO KATE ANDREWS!

He blinked, his grip tightening around the paper in his hand.

“What the hell is this?” His voice was dangerously calm.

Jefferson shifted uncomfortably. “It was announced last night at the gala. By your father.”

Ryan’s heartbeat pounded in his ears.

His father.

Of course.

His jaw clenched as he scrolled through the article, reading every detail. Apparently, a wedding date had already been chosen—by his father, without his consent.

A sharp knock on his office door made him look up. Before he could say anything, his best friend Ethan walked in, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief.

“Well, well, well,” Ethan drawled. “Care to explain why the hell I had to find out about your engagement through the damn news?”

Ryan shot him a glare, rubbing his temple. “I had no idea about this.”

Ethan raised a brow. “No idea? Your dad announced your engagement to the entire world, and you had no idea?”

Ryan exhaled sharply, standing from his chair. His entire body was rigid with frustration.

Ethan crossed his arms. “So, what now? You’re just gonna go along with it?”

Ryan scoffed. “Hell no.”

He grabbed his suit jacket and stormed past Ethan.

“Where are you going?” Ethan called after him.

“To get some damn answers.”

The Winters Mansion was quiet when Ryan arrived, but he knew his parents were home.

He didn’t bother waiting for the butler to announce his arrival. He pushed open the heavy oak doors of the sitting room, where his parents were enjoying their morning tea.

Mr. Thomas Winters barely looked up from his newspaper. “Good morning, son.”

Ryan slammed the news article onto the table. “What the hell is this?”

Mrs. Winters sighed, setting down her teacup. “Ryan, there’s no need to raise your voice.”

Ryan turned to his father, his patience hanging by a thread. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Did you think I would just accept this?”

Mr. Winters finally folded his newspaper, his expression calm. “I didn’t think I needed to ask for your permission.”

Ryan let out a humorless laugh. “You didn’t think you needed my permission? To announce my engagement?”

His father met his glare, unwavering. “Kate has been with you for years. It’s time you did right by her.”

Ryan clenched his jaw. “And you thought forcing me into an engagement was the right way to do that?”

Mr. Winters took a sip of his tea. “The world now knows, Ryan. There’s no taking it back.”

Ryan’s hands curled into fists at his sides.

This was a setup. A damn setup.

“You had no right,” he seethed.

Mrs. Winters sighed. “Ryan, dear, we are only looking out for you. Kate is the perfect woman for you. We all know that.”

Ryan scoffed. “Do we? Or is it just convenient for you?”

His father’s expression darkened. “You’re not going to embarrass this family, Ryan.”

Ryan’s anger boiled over. “Embarrass this family? You just made a damn fool out of me in front of the entire world!”

Mr. Winters leaned back in his chair. “You’ll thank me later.”

Ryan shook his head, stepping back. “You’re unbelievable.”

Mrs. Winters placed a hand on his arm. “Ryan, please. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Kate loves you. She’s been patient for years.”

Ryan pulled his arm away. “If I wanted to marry Kate, I would have proposed to her myself.”

His father let out a sigh, shaking his head. “You’re being reckless, son. We are protecting you from making a mistake.”

Ryan’s voice was low and cold. “The only mistake here is what you’ve done.”

Without another word, he turned and walked out.

His father’s voice followed him. “There’s no way out of this, Ryan. The world is watching.”

Ryan didn’t stop.

He didn’t care who was watching.

He wasn’t going to let them decide his future for him.