?Chapter 1042:


    Marissa, for her part, allowed him a moment of reprieve, her lips curling into a knowing half-smile. Their shared past had given her insight into the depths of Derek’s character, enabling her to decipher his thoughts with ease.


    The previous day, Xander had ryed to her that Derek had ventured alone to the Blebert branch of the Doomsday Base, intent on a rendezvous with the chief instructor, ck Mallow. Discovering ck Mallow’s absence had visibly deted him.


    Derek had hovered outside the fortress-like doors of the Doomsday Base for ages before finally walking away. Before he left, he had the staff ry a message to ck Mallow, a deration of his admiration and his eagerness to swear fealty.


    After Xander reported this, he said to Marissa, confused, “I’m at a loss with Derek’s antics. He’s poised to join Aelfric’s family, yet Aelfric himself was cast out from Doomsday Base. How can Derek still expect a warm wee here? And yet, he brazenly seeks favor with you. Has his judgment deserted him? With Aelfric now a sworn enemy of the base, plotting his vengeance, Derek’s maneuvers could only be seen as a stark betrayal. How can he not fear Aelfric’s wrath?”


    Marissa merely offered a knowing smile and advised Xander to disregard Derek’s machinations.


    Her understanding of Derek ran deep; his motives were transparent to her seasoned eye.


    Derek was forever chasing the coattails of power, aligning himself with the mightiest. Knowing ck Mallow had defeated Aelfric, it was inevitable Derek would gravitate toward this new beacon of strength. Marissa also surmised that Derek, chafing under Aelfric’s heavy hand, yearned to break free from the chains of subservience. Tired of being a mere puppet, Derek was positioning himself to climb the socialdder, using ck Mallow as hisdder to reach new heights.


    To Marissa, Derek’s actions were merely a source of mild amusement. She knew that his arrival today was driven not by his own volition but by Aelfric’s maniptive grip. When Chloe saw Derek’s timidity, his reluctance to voice his thoughts, her patience wore thin. Her concern that he might waver when most needed spurred her into action. She stepped forward, her voice tinged with urgency. “Derek, why this silence? Tell me, is this Tiffany in front of us really your ex-fiancée in disguise?”


    Caught in the spotlight, Derek stuttered, “I…” His voice faltered, and he bowed his head, ovee by the gravity of the moment.


    Chloe silently condemned Derek as utterly useless and turned her wrath toward Marissa. “Given Derek’s hesitation, you must really be an imposter. What have you done with the real Tiffany? Why pose as her?” she demanded, her voiceced with fierce suspicion.


    Her emotions escted dramatically as she grasped Marissa’s cor, her voice tinged with desperation and usation. “Did you harm Tiffany? You’ve injured my best friend, haven’t you? I want her back!”


    Chloe’s theatrical disy seemed to cement Betty’s previous assertions, effectively painting Marissa as a deceitful impersonator.


    The crowd started to buzz with judgment and suspicion. “How could this country girl resemble Tiffany so much? She must have known Tiffany for a while, maybe even studied her, to dare such a deceitful act.”


    “She’s been parading around as Tiffany for so long without a hint of fear. Perhaps she’s bold because she’s ensured Tiffany will nevere back.”


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