Free Web NovelChapter 25: Chapter 25 Get a new handsome Dad for Ariel
At the time, Rose had simply wondered whether she had done something to offend Ryan’s friends.
That’s why she had asked.
She never expected to be met with such a cold response from Ryan.
She was upset about it for days.
But Ryan remained unaffected, never noticing her emotions.
Or perhaps...
Ryan had known all along, but he simply didn’t care.
He wasn’t willing to spend time comforting her.
Afterward, she could only deceive and console herself.
Having never experienced what it felt like to be cherished or cared for, she convinced herself that emotional distance and occasional neglect were simply normal parts of human relationships.
She even tried to persuade herself not to be so sensitive.
Thinking about it now...
Rose logged out of WhatsApp.
Everyone goes through a foolish stage while growing up.
Some wake up sooner; others wake up later.
When someone doesn’t love you, pouring your heart out is simply a mistake.
And insisting on clinging to someone who doesn’t love you—isn’t that just selfishness disguised as self-pity?
"When Ariel comes over, should she stay with you first or go to Dr. Hale’s place?" Diana’s question pulled Rose back to reality.
As she washed vegetables, Rose considered it.
"Wouldn’t it be safer for her to stay with Dr. Hale first?"
After all, unexpected situations were bound to arise at the Knight family estate.
It was better to be cautious and avoid any accidents.
Diana took a bite of radish.
"She could stay with me too. She’s a Robinson, after all. Even if someone sees her, everyone will assume she’s a child of the Robinson family. No one will suspect anything."
A child registered under her cousin’s name.
Even if someone investigated further, uncovering the truth wouldn’t be easy.
Rose thought that made sense.
Fortunately, she had left herself a backup plan all those years ago.
If the child carried the Bennett surname, it would practically expose everything.
She certainly wasn’t willing to let Ariel carry the Hill surname, either.
Rose set a bowl of noodles on the table. "You’re already busy enough. Don’t worry about it. We’ll deal with it when the time comes. Still, your cousin has done me an enormous favor. Since he’s unmarried, I should find a way to resolve this issue eventually. I don’t want some well-bred young lady he marries in the future to be unhappy because he supposedly has a daughter before marriage."
Diana slurped up a mouthful of noodles and waved dismissively. "Don’t feel guilty. Honestly, my cousin is just trying to escape an arranged marriage. He has a childhood engagement, but he refuses to accept the family’s arrangements. If he’s ’unmarried with a daughter,’ the other side will probably cancel the engagement on their own. Helping you is helping him."
Rose blinked in surprise.
Diana suddenly stopped chewing and looked Rose up and down with a peculiar expression.
"What? I’m not interested in women."
Rose clutched her chest dramatically.
Diana laughed awkwardly.
"Sweetie, how about a family alliance on top of a family alliance?"
"Huh?"
"Think about it. Ariel is registered under my cousin’s name, so legally he’s her father. He adores Ariel. And if you round things up, maybe he likes Ariel’s young, beautiful mother too. Why not turn the act into reality? He avoids the arranged marriage, you get a new family, and Ariel gets a handsome new dad. Everybody wins."
"..."
Speechless, Rose stared at Diana’s dreamy grin.
Then she picked up a pan-fried dumpling and stuffed it into Diana’s mouth.
"Finish eating and wash the dishes. If your cousin hears you treating him like a piece of merchandise, he’ll exile you to the ends of the earth."
Even with her cheeks stuffed full, Diana couldn’t hide the excitement in her eyes.
She looked more excited than if she were the one getting married.
Rose silently decided to stop paying attention to the crazy woman.
She wasn’t particularly close to Trevor Robinson.
They had met fewer than five times.
When Rose gave birth to Ariel and was so weak she couldn’t even leave bed, Diana had hidden her in a Robinson family villa.
Trevor had rushed over after hearing Diana’s explanation.
Standing beside her bed, he had asked directly: "Would you be willing to let me be the child’s father?"
"...."
Trevor was extremely busy.
He constantly traveled between the United States and other countries.
The Robinson and Knight families were known as "Robinson in the South, Knight in the North."
Both families possessed centuries of prestige and influence.
Unlike Diana, who came from a favored branch of the family, Trevor was the true heir.
Naturally, his future wife would be carefully chosen.
Mrs. Robinson had personally selected candidates from elite and influential families.
Even so, the fact that Trevor had registered Ariel under his own household records remained a secret to this day.
Not even the Robinson family knew.
Diana really had some nerve.
Those comments were harmless when spoken privately.
If she dared say them in front of the Robinson family elders, she would undoubtedly be punished.
Rose shook her head and laughed.
She no longer held any expectations or illusions about love or marriage.
Trevor had helped her.
For that, she would always be grateful.
Fortunately, Trevor had anticipated her concerns from the beginning.
He had even proposed signing an agreement stating that once Ariel turned six, Rose could change her surname back to Bennett at any time, protecting Rose’s rights as a mother and easing her worries.
After Ariel’s birthday next year, they could begin the process.
*****
During a break from work, Rose visited the nursing home where her grandfather lived.
It was one of the finest facilities in the country, costing over seven hundred thousand dollars a year.
Her grandfather, Gabriel Bennett, had become a father late in life.
Her mother was already forty when she gave birth to Rose.
Gabriel was now eighty-nine years old.
Some days he was clear-minded.
Other days he was confused.
As Rose sat beside his bed, the old man was reading.
Hearing someone approach, he looked up kindly.
"Little one, who are you looking for?"
He didn’t recognize her again.
Rose smiled.
"You remind me of my grandfather. Can I sit with you for a while? I miss him."
Gabriel’s heart softened immediately. "What a sweet child. Have you eaten? Would you like to join us later? I have a granddaughter about your age. Her name is RoRo..."
Rose quietly tucked the blanket around him.
RoRo was her childhood nickname.
Even with his fading memory, he still remembered her name.
"Really? Then she’s terribly unfilial. Why doesn’t she come visit you more often?"
A trace of displeasure appeared on Gabriel’s gentle face. "My RoRo is a good girl—the kindest child you’ll ever meet. She’s so soft-hearted that anyone can take advantage of her. I’m afraid that when I die, she’ll have no one left to rely on."
Tears welled up in Rose’s eyes.
Gabriel’s gaze drifted. "RoRo is married now. Her husband knows how wonderful she is and will protect her. By the way, my grandson-in-law is named Ryan. That’s a good name. He’s a fine young man. When he married RoRo, he come to me personally to ask her hand and received my blessing."
Rose hadn’t known anything about the asking for hand thing.
But her grandfather’s memories were often mixed together now.
She couldn’t imagine Ryan doing such a thing.
"Do you think they’ll be happy?" she asked softly.
Gabriel nodded. "My granddaughter certainly will be."
Rose fell silent.
It was a shame.
Her grandfather had placed so many hopes on her, yet she had made such a mess of her marriage.
She ate lunch with him.
During the meal, Gabriel briefly regained his clarity.
Holding Rose’s hand, he said he missed her grandmother.
Then he asked whether the artwork he and his wife created together were still around.
In his younger years, Gabriel had been a renowned painter and illustrator.
A single piece of his work could sell for a small fortune.
Rose thought about it.
When the Bennett family had fallen on hard times—especially after her mother’s tragedy—Logan had immediately forced a divorce.
He had also seized the gallery Gabriel had gifted to Rose’s mother and sold it for a substantial sum.
The collection of paintings and sketches Gabriel and his wife had created together had been taken as well.
Those pieces were among her grandmother’s final works.
Ever since Gabriel became ill, he had asked about them repeatedly.
Rose could only promise that she would bring them to him once she found them.
That would not be easy.
She asked Diana to investigate.
Fortunately, Diana had an extensive network.
Soon, she uncovered a lead. "There’s a vintage art exhibition at Silver Pines Resort. A private collector is hosting it. Want to go take a look?"
The resort was extremely exclusive, catering only to the wealthy and influential.
She booked a room and drove there herself.
Just after arriving, she received a call from Margaret.
"Rose? Are you at Silver Pines Resort?"
"How did you know?"
"You silly girl. Silver Pines Resort belongs to the Knight family. Why did you book an ordinary suite? Go enjoy yourself. Grandma already had them upgrade you to the best suite."
Although Margaret had stepped back from daily operations, she still oversaw many of the Knight family’s businesses.
Rose didn’t refuse.
The moment she entered the suite, she understood its caliber.
A top-tier accommodation costing well over six figures per night.
The panoramic mountain and river views were breathtaking.
By the time Rose arrived, it was already close to eight o’clock.
She set down her luggage and headed for a bath.
After soaking for a while, she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out.
Just then, a beep sounded at the door.
The next second, the door opened from the outside.
Rose froze, her hand still adjusting the towel across her chest.
Slowly, she turned her head.
Her gaze collided with a pair of dark, piercing eyes.
