Free Web NovelChapter 238: Chapter 238 Ryan Knew About The Child
Ryan stared at Rose, who stood amid the crowd.
A terrifying storm seemed to rise instantly in his eyes. The knuckles gripping the phone tightened inch by inch until they turned pale white. Yet his expression remained calm and emotionless, devoid of any warmth, as though he had suddenly been plunged into an icy abyss.
He slowly lowered his gaze.
He looked at the phone screen once again.
The lively chatter and laughter surrounding him faded into nothing but distant background noise.
In the photo, Rose’s face glowed with the joy of motherhood. Back then, her hair had fallen to her shoulders.
During all the years Ryan had known Rose, she had only worn her hair that length for two years.
Just from her hairstyle alone, he could determine exactly when the photo had been taken.
The prominent curve of her abdomen beneath the hospital gown was unmistakable.
She had been in the final stages of pregnancy.
He scrolled upward.
On the slightly blurred critical condition notice for postpartum hemorrhage, the signature of the family member was not visible in the picture.
“Ryan?”
Samantha noticed him standing there, his gaze lowered, his entire body radiating a frightening coldness.
James also looked over. “What’s wrong? Is something happening at the company?”
Before Ryan could answer, Oliver, who had been watching Rose and Trevor the entire time, suddenly spoke.
“It looks like Rose really intends to accept Mrs. Ellis’s family heirloom.”
Samantha and James both turned their heads.
Julia clearly didn’t mind presenting the gift in public.
She looked at Rose warmly. “This jewelry doesn’t suit me anymore. It would look much better on a young woman like you.”
Rose understood Julia’s meaning.
Julia genuinely liked her.
Rather than a simple gift, it was more like a family heirloom intended for a future daughter-in-law.
Rose could understand that.
The observant guests around them naturally understood as well.
Almost instantly, many eyes turned toward Ryan, who stood quietly off to the side.
Their expressions carried unmistakable sympathy.
Since Rose’s marriage to Ryan had already become known, many people also glanced toward Samantha.
Everyone understood the nature of their relationship.
Whether the marriage had truly reached its end or whether the couple had simply become strangers sharing the same home, no one knew.
But now that Rose had publicly received such an expensive gift, and Julia had openly expressed her approval, it was obvious that the competition had moved into the open.
However, the guests also noticed something else.
Ryan made no comment whatsoever.
It was as though he had truly accepted that the marriage was over.
As though he had silently allowed Rose to be taken away by another man.
Samantha clearly understood the situation.
A smile slowly appeared on her lips.
Ryan’s indifference was her greatest source of confidence.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arm around his.
“Ryan, it seems Rose and Mr. Robinson have rekindled their relationship. Mr. Robinson must have brought her here today specifically to introduce her to his family.”
Ryan lowered his gaze, absently rubbing his fingers across the phone in silence.
Samantha tightened her grip on his arm, leaning closer.
A trace of excitement and calculation flashed in her eyes.
“If Rose accepts Mrs. Ellis’s gift first, what will people think? Should we announce our engagement before that happens?”
It would be better than allowing Rose to take the initiative.
Even if Ryan no longer cared about Rose, he was still a man.
And men had pride.
One woman was his wife.
The other belonged to his rival.
The chances of Ryan agreeing seemed quite high.
James frowned slightly after hearing Samantha’s words.
Then Ryan moved.
He looked up and quietly withdrew his arm from Samantha’s grasp.
Samantha froze.
Meanwhile, Trevor could clearly understand his mother’s intentions.
He also knew that Rose would be placed in a difficult position.
Before she could respond, he stepped forward and accepted the jewelry box himself.
“Mom, let’s not talk about this right now. I’ll keep it for you.”
His actions immediately eased the awkward atmosphere.
Rose silently breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, they were standing in front of so many people, and her relationship with Trevor had not reached that stage.
She could never openly accept such a valuable heirloom.
Trevor’s intervention saved both her and Julia from embarrassment.
His acceptance of the gift could be interpreted in many ways, but no one lost face.
Suddenly, a hurried voice rang out.
“Ryan?”
Rose noticed the surrounding guests gasping in surprise.
She instinctively turned her head.
Ryan was pushing through the crowd.
His dark eyes were fixed entirely on her.
Behind him, Samantha’s face had become extremely pale, yet her call clearly had no effect.
Trevor also glanced toward him.
The next second, Ryan tightly grabbed Rose’s wrist.
Without a word, his expression colder than ever, he said:
“Come with me.”
Rose was stunned.
She had no idea what Ryan meant.
He had never behaved this way toward her in public.
Interrupting her conversation with Julia, stopping the presentation of the gift, and acting with such obvious aggression—it was completely unlike him.
“Where are we going? Let go of me first.” Rose tried to pull free.
Seeing Ryan’s expressionless face, an inexplicable unease rose inside her.
It felt as though a blade had been pressed against her throat.
Ryan did not release her.
Without another word, he dragged her away.
Trevor immediately caught Rose’s other hand and looked directly at Ryan.
“Mr. Knight, what exactly do you mean by this?”
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
The confrontation caused even greater shock among the guests, and whispers spread throughout the room.
Ryan slowly turned.
His dark eyes were covered with a thin layer of ice. “Do our marital affairs require Mr. Robinson’s permission?”
Trevor narrowed his eyes slightly.
Rose, however, saw the cold sharpness in Ryan’s gaze all too clearly.
Ryan had never been a true gentleman.
At his best, he appeared like a refined British aristocrat, capable of captivating anyone.
But when he removed that mask, he became merciless.
Over the years, Rose had rarely seen his true nature.
Yet at this moment, she finally saw it.
His voice remained calm, but she could clearly feel that something was different.
Rose took a deep breath and turned to Trevor.
“It’s okay. Let’s talk.”
A trace of softness appeared in Trevor’s eyes.
After looking at her for a moment, he slowly released her hand.
“If anything happens, call me.”
“Okay.”
Without another word, Ryan led Rose directly out of the banquet hall.
The scene shattered everyone’s expectations.
The guests who remained behind could not help but look toward Samantha, who stood frozen in place.
Her nostrils trembled.
She could not understand why Ryan had suddenly become a completely different person.
It was as if he no longer cared about anything.
The gazes directed toward her now carried obvious mockery, sarcasm, and contempt.
Samantha silently clenched her fists.
Her lips gradually lost their color.
James, meanwhile, fell into deep thought.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He knew Ryan well.
Even if the sky collapsed, Ryan would never react this strongly.
For him to cause such a scene at the Robinson family’s banquet could only mean one thing.
There had to be a reason.
****
Rose stumbled after him.
Ryan’s long legs carried him forward quickly, and in her high heels, she was nearly forced to run to keep up.
His grip on her wrist tightened uncontrollably.
After several failed attempts to pull free, she finally gritted her teeth.
“Let go of me.”
He neither stopped nor answered.
Finally, Rose could no longer endure it.
“Ryan, you’re hurting me!”
His footsteps stopped abruptly.
Ryan slowly turned around.
His cold gaze fell upon the hand gripping her wrist.
Only then did his fingers gradually loosen.
Rose suppressed her anger. “If you have something to say, then say it.”
But his eyes remained fixed on her lower abdomen.
Then they slowly rose to her face.
For a brief moment, he felt disoriented.
The lively, smiling Rose standing before him suddenly seemed unreal because of that critical condition notice.
In his memories, he had never known that Rose had nearly died during childbirth.
She had hidden it perfectly.
After surviving such a life-and-death ordeal, she had continued living beside him as though nothing had happened.
The darkness in his eyes became terrifying.
A cold sweat broke out along Rose’s back.
Instinctively, she took a step backward.
Then she heard Ryan’s hoarse voice.
His eyes were red.
“Why didn’t you bring the child you gave birth to behind my back for me to see?”
