Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid

Chapter 14: Chapter 14 He Signed Away His Daughter Without Knowing

After entering, Ryan crossed the room while unbuttoning his suit jacket, his gaze drifting toward Rose.

"What’s so urgent about this document?"

Rose knew exactly what he meant.

He was probably annoyed that she had shown up without warning.

After all, she wasn’t supposed to expose her identity.

Or damage Samantha’s reputation.

Letting out a soft chuckle, Rose walked over and placed the documents on his desk. Avoiding Ryan’s gaze, she pointed to the paperwork.

Ryan glanced down at the title on the first page.

Clarification of Post-Marital Assets

"I plan to buy a house for my grandfather using my personal savings," Rose explained. "I’m taking out a mortgage, so I need your signature confirming that the funds are entirely mine."

Her tone remained as calm and natural as possible.

If she had simply asked him to amend the divorce agreement, she was certain Ryan would scrutinize every page.

That wouldn’t work.

She had no choice but to take a more indirect approach.

Ryan looked at the document with little interest.

"Why take out a loan? How much do you need? I’ll transfer the money to you."

He knew better than anyone that Rose hadn’t come from a stable family background.

The Bennett family was small and struggling.

For years, Rose had been the one holding everything together.

It wasn’t surprising that Ryan would offer.

Rose knew he had always been generous when it came to money.

But in the past, she had never asked for anything, and he had never volunteered to help.

Because there had been no love, there had been no concern.

Still, she needed a believable excuse.

Housing prices in New York were among the highest in the country. She had worked in a hospital emergency department for years, and anyone would assume she didn’t have substantial savings.

Creating a contract under the guise of obtaining a mortgage was the safest option.

"I want to avoid any future disputes over marital assets," she explained. "I don’t want anyone claiming I used your money to buy a house for my family. I’d rather avoid unnecessary complications."

Only then did Ryan’s dark eyes settle on her face.

She would rather shoulder the burden of a mortgage herself than spend his money.

After a brief pause, he said calmly, "As you wish."

Rose had already flipped the paperwork to the signature page.

Ryan glanced at it but didn’t sign.

Instead, he picked up the entire document and began reading.

The simple gesture made Rose’s heart skip a beat.

Ryan was an exceptionally capable businessman.

He was never careless when signing documents.

Even paperwork handed to him by his own wife would be reviewed thoroughly.

Rose immediately clenched her fists.

Her nails dug into her palms, the pain helping her maintain control.

She forced herself to suppress the urge to rush over and snatch the agreement away.

The first several pages were merely a smokescreen.

All she could do was hope Ryan lacked the patience to review every page.

Unfortunately...

She had underestimated him.

Ryan didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

Not only did he read page by page, but he carefully reviewed every clause.

The office was so quiet that the only sounds were their breathing and the occasional rustle of turning pages.

An absurd thought crossed Rose’s mind.

Throughout their entire marriage, there had been very few moments when Ryan had simply sat quietly beside her.

Ironically, now that she no longer needed his patience, he was finally giving it to her.

She watched him turn each page.

As he approached the section titled Declaration of No Custodial Interest...

Swish.

Ryan’s long fingers had barely turned the page halfway when the office door suddenly opened.

Owen hurried inside, looking visibly anxious.

"Mr. Knight, Miss Hill accidentally twisted her ankle downstairs. Please go check on her."

Ryan’s brows immediately furrowed.

Without hesitation, he set down the document.

Then he stood and headed for the door.

His pace was so quick that as he passed Rose, his shoulder clipped hers.

She stumbled.

For a moment, she nearly fell.

Only by grabbing the edge of the desk did she manage to steady herself.

Ryan didn’t even notice.

Tears suddenly welled in Rose’s eyes.

Looking at his retreating figure, she smiled faintly.

"Ryan, just sign it. It won’t take more than a few seconds."

Her voice was astonishingly calm.

Her gaze remained fixed on him.

Apparently, he hadn’t expected her to persist at a moment like this.

Ryan turned around.

His dark eyes met hers.

Stubborn.

Determined.

Unwilling to back down.

Rose ignored the irritation in his expression.

She picked up the document, flipped directly to the signature page, and handed him a pen.

Thoughtful and composed as ever, she said, "I won’t take up your time. I only need two seconds."

She truly only needed two seconds.

She had never asked for more.

But Samantha had sprained her ankle.

A matter that was apparently urgent beyond comparison.

Ryan clearly had no interest in reviewing the final pages.

He frowned and looked at Rose one last time.

Then, finally, he took the pen.

With a decisive stroke, he signed exactly where she had indicated.

His bold signature carved deeply into the paper.

Strong.

Sharp.

Distinctly his.

As Rose watched each stroke appear on the page, her heartbeat quickened.

"Anything else?"

Ryan capped the pen and looked at her as though expecting another excuse to delay him.

The question carried an unmistakable warning.

Rose no longer cared whether he misunderstood her motives.

She took the document back.

This time, she looked up and gave him a bright smile.

"That’s all."

Ryan’s dark eyes cooled slightly as he stared at her for several seconds.

Meeting his gaze, Rose replied sincerely, "Thank you."

But before she could say anything else, he was already gone.

He wasn’t listening.

His mind was entirely occupied with Samantha’s injured ankle.

Rose’s expression remained unchanged.

She simply watched the door open and close.

Her voice was so soft that only she could hear it.

"Congratulations to you, too..."

Thank you for choosing Samantha once again when it mattered most.

You never realized what you had actually signed.

A declaration relinquishing any future custody claims.

Ryan’s unwavering preference for Samantha had once been poison to Rose.

Now it had become the antidote that saved her.

Congratulations, Ryan.

Because of your unquestioning devotion to another woman, you had unknowingly signed away any future claim to your own child.

The very actions that had hurt her most had ultimately given her a chance to protect Ariel.

For the first time, the guillotine hanging over her neck no longer seemed ready to fall.

Once the divorce was finalized, the waiver would take effect.

How could Ryan possibly be unable to bear a simple "thank you"?

The moment Ryan left, Rose wasted no time.

She took the elevator downstairs and headed straight for the parking garage.

As she drove out, she caught sight of Ryan carrying Samantha into Kingswell Group.

Many employees witnessed the scene.

Naturally, it only reinforced their belief that Samantha was the rightful Mrs. Knight.

Rose looked away.

For once, it no longer bothered her.

She returned to the marital home she shared with Ryan.

Not because she missed it.

But because of the agreement.

Ryan kept his personal seal in their bedroom.

Worried that a signature alone wasn’t enough, Rose decided to add the seal as extra protection.

Once everything was taken care of, the constant feeling of walking on a knife’s edge finally eased.

Rose wasn’t entirely sure how much weight the agreement would carry if it were ever challenged in court.

But it was another layer of protection for Ariel.

At the very least, Ryan had signed a document clearly stating that he had no interest in pursuing future custody claims.

Until the divorce was finalized, she still needed to keep Ariel’s existence a secret.

Fortunately, the divorce paperwork was already in place.

All she had to do now was complete the divorce proceedings when the time came.

Ryan would likely be even more eager than she was to end the marriage and move on with Samantha before Ethan’s release.

Rose was anxious.

But Ryan had every reason to be even more impatient.

*****

With the signed declaration safely in her possession, Rose’s mood visibly improved.

She was scheduled to begin her new position at Grand Sage on Monday.

That left her with two free days.

She spent the entire day shopping with Diana, buying furniture, decorations, and household items for her new home.

She also toured several detached villas in prime New York neighborhoods.

Although purchasing a house had merely been an excuse, she genuinely intended to buy one for her grandfather, who currently lived in a nursing home.

That way, Ariel could eventually move in and keep him company.

Diana’s extensive network proved helpful.

Together, they found a property in an excellent location with outstanding amenities.

The claim that she needed a mortgage had been another lie.

After all, she was one of the key figures who helped take Grand Sage public.

Money was the least of her concerns.

Once the property was selected, Rose immediately placed a $300,0000 deposit.

That evening, she received a message.

It came from Margaret.

"Rose, Grandma has picked out several promising young men for you. Are you free tonight? Go meet them."

Attached was an admission pass to a private club.

"It’s at this club. I’ve already arranged everything."