Free Web NovelChapter 254: Chapter 254 James’s Sister?
Rose clearly had a rebellious streak.
From beginning to end, she showed no guilt or remorse for hiding the fact that she had given birth, nor did she offer a proper explanation.
It was as though she was determined to let the fire burn even brighter.
That attitude of tacit acceptance was especially unsettling.
Even her apology sounded insincere.
Ryan kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, never looking at Rose again. He stared into the dark, rain-soaked night. His profile was half-hidden in the shadows, the sharp lines of his nose and Adam’s apple devoid of any warmth, making him seem utterly detached.
He did not respond to her words.
Silence once again filled the car.
What brought Rose a small sense of relief was the phone Ryan had placed on the center console. It began to ring.
The bright screen stood out clearly in the dim interior.
She could easily see that it was a voice call from Samantha.
There was that affectionate nickname again.
Ryan reached out and picked up the phone the moment he noticed her gaze. Then he took out his earbuds and put them in.
He had no intention of refusing his beloved’s call simply because Rose was in the car.
His voice sounded softly. “Yeah, I’m not in the city.”
Rose lowered her eyes and looked out the window.
Fragments of their conversation drifted into her ears.
It was something she didn’t want to notice, yet couldn’t ignore.
Ryan was indeed far more patient with Samantha, answering even the most trivial questions.
She kept hearing:
“Mm-hmm.”
“Sure.”
“See you later.”
And so on.
He made no effort to end the conversation quickly.
It was very different from the way he had treated her.
For no apparent reason, Rose smiled faintly.
The depth of a relationship truly could not be measured by the amount of time spent together.
When a man loves a woman, the time, energy, and money he invests are usually impossible to miss.
She wanted to block out the endless conversation between the two of them.
Her thoughts drifted back to Oliver.
He had been genuinely furious.
How would things turn out between him and Samantha?
Their relationship was probably on the verge of collapse.
After all, Samantha’s deception had caused Oliver to suffer a major setback.
He would not swallow that humiliation so easily.
So what about Ryan?
Did he know that Samantha had falsely claimed credit for saving his life?
If Oliver confronted Samantha, would Ryan protect her, or would he finally see through her?
Rose pinched the bridge of her nose, unwilling to think about it any longer.
Yet the sound of Ryan talking to Samantha continued to echo in her ears.
She was truly tired of hearing it.
For an ex-wife to sit in the same car and listen to her ex-husband being affectionate with the woman who had destroyed their marriage was unbearable enough.
Rose lowered the car window slightly.
Samantha seemed to sense something and asked, “Is someone with you?”
Ryan’s dark eyes briefly glanced at Rose.
“No one.”
A chill ran down Rose’s spine.
Hearing those words, she curled her lips into a bitter smile.
At that moment, she felt like some secret, shameful mistress hiding in the shadows.
The drive back to the city was already long, and although the phone call didn’t last very long, Rose noticed that Ryan was driving unusually slowly.
Even with the rain, a two-hour drive was turning into more than three.
Suppressing her frustration, she said, “Can you drive a little faster?”
Ryan’s tone remained calm. “Choose between safety and speed.”
He glanced at her. “Aren’t you worried your daughter might lose her mother in an accident at such a young age?”
Rose knew how sharp his tongue could be, so she chose not to argue.
Gritting her teeth, she endured the three-hour drive.
It was, after all, a rare occasion for the two of them to spend such a long time alone together.
By the time they reached the neighborhood, the rain had stopped, and it was nearly midnight.
As soon as the car came to a halt, Rose immediately unbuckled her seat belt and got out.
She intended to thank him, but just as she turned around, Ryan had already made a U-turn and disappeared into the night.
Rose understood.
He probably hadn’t wanted to endure those three-plus hours any more than she had.
But none of that mattered anymore.
She turned and headed upstairs.
*****
The next day, Rose went to NYU.
NYU’s historic neuropharmaceutical project, a nationwide S-class initiative, was extraordinary.
The most outstanding mentors and top students from the country’s leading medical schools had all gathered in New York.
The NYU faculty had to coordinate the visiting research teams.
The first stage was the submission of project reports.
That would be followed by a patent competition.
Only then would participants have a chance to secure a place at the National Center for Biomedical Innovation.
Although everyone was working toward the same goal, they were also competing for the limited positions available at the Center.
There was an enormous amount of work to be done, and as a professor, Rose could not remain on the sidelines.
When she arrived at the small conference room, the research teams from various schools had just submitted their reports.
From a distance, Rose heard someone exclaim: “Miss Hill, your report is so professional! You ranked among the top few, and even our professor praised it. You’re definitely going to stand out.”
Rose paused.
Across the room, Samantha smiled warmly. “I just put in a little extra effort.”
She had already spotted Rose.
Raising an eyebrow, she walked over and asked pointedly, “Are you satisfied with this report?”
Rose knew very well that Ryan’s influence was behind this.
Only someone with Ryan’s connections could ask a renowned figure like Professor Robert from Harvard to personally guide someone of Samantha’s level.
She could clearly see the smugness and pride in Samantha’s eyes.
This was simply retaliation for Rose rejecting her report in front of everyone.
Rose glanced at the report in Samantha’s hands and smiled slowly.
“With Professor Robert mentoring you, this could practically be considered a workplace injury.”
Samantha’s expression darkened.
Rose had already walked past her.
Samantha pressed her lips together in frustration.
Rose’s tongue was truly sharp.
She believed Rose was simply jealous—jealous of her abilities and the favor she received.
Whether it was publicly rejecting her report before or making remarks like this now, Samantha saw it as nothing more than an attempt to suppress her out of fear that her talent would overshadow Rose’s own.
To Samantha, it was a disgraceful abuse of authority.
And abusing one’s position for personal reasons would never lead very far.
*****
Rose could tell that Samantha was still completely unaware that Oliver already knew the truth.
As for what happened next, she had no interest in getting involved.
During lunch break, Rose noticed Alicia peeking through the doorway.
The moment Alicia saw her, her eyes lit up.
She hurried inside carrying a small box and placed it beside Rose.
“I baked these cookies. The schedule is going to get really intense, so you can have some if you get hungry.”
Rose could practically see the admiration and excitement in Alicia’s eyes.
After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “You seem to treat me a little differently.”
Alicia nodded. “I’m a member of the Taylor family. I know you saved my grandmother, Professor. I admire you, and I’m very grateful to you.”
That was why she had wanted to become Rose’s student.
Rose had never realized the world was so small.
Then again, the surname Taylor was hardly uncommon.
Afraid that Rose might refuse the gift, Alicia quickly backed toward the door.
“They’re not very sweet, so they won’t be bad for your health.”
Before Rose could say anything, Alicia had already run off.
“...”
Rose quietly put the box of cookies away.
Alicia stepped outside, smiling with her youthful, baby-faced features, only to run into Samantha, who had apparently been standing outside for quite some time.
Out of politeness, Alicia greeted her, but had no intention of stopping to chat.
Samantha, however, followed her.
She had not expected Alicia to actually be a member of the Taylor family.
Looking at Alicia’s innocent, trusting face, Samantha asked, “Are you James’s younger sister?”
