Free Web NovelChapter 257: Chapter 257 Divorce Certificate Is Fake
It wasn’t all that surprising for Oliver to run into Rose here. He even took the rare initiative to greet her first.
“Here to discuss advertising placements for the show?”
Rose was surprised for only a moment that Oliver knew she was there.
On second thought, since Kevin was Oliver’s friend, it wasn’t surprising that Oliver and his circle had heard about it.
However...
She met Oliver’s gaze. The man still wore that same carefree expression.
Even after being reprimanded by Mathew, he had still chosen to stand by Samantha.
Rose didn’t respond.
She lifted her foot and walked away.
As she passed him, Oliver suddenly said, “Don’t blame me, either.”
He glanced at Rose, but in the end, he simply walked past her.
Rose didn’t take Oliver’s attitude to heart.
Compared to before, Oliver certainly wasn’t as sharp-tongued as he used to be, but she guessed that he genuinely considered Samantha a friend.
*****
Oliver went upstairs.
He found Ryan and Samantha still discussing the details with Kevin.
His gaze lingered on Samantha’s radiant smile for two seconds before he smiled himself.
“How’s the conversation going?”
Samantha’s lips curved into a gentle smile.
“Oliver, thank you so much for helping me make these connections.”
Oliver dropped onto the sofa and chuckled. “Don’t mention it. After all, you’re someone Ryan values highly, so it’s only natural to help build your profile. If this show does well, it’ll basically erase all those past scandals and even take your career to the next level.”
Samantha’s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure.
“We’ll have to see how the post-production turns out.”
But she knew perfectly well.
That was simply how things worked these days.
With a little maneuvering, any scandal or negative publicity could easily fade from the public’s memory.
By then, the Knight family would have no grounds to complain.
Oliver raised an eyebrow and looked at Ryan.
“Did you agree to the terms? Is Diana willing to take the job?”
Kevin smiled helplessly.
“Diana seems a little reluctant, but I’ll do my best to convince her.”
Ryan’s expression remained impassive.
As he stood up, he said calmly, “She’ll agree.”
*****
Rose had a brief conversation with Diana about her career.
Promotion opportunities were rare, and it was better than offending her boss and being sidelined at the station.
The next day, at ten o’clock in the morning, Rose planned to go to New Hope to finalize several upcoming matters.
However, on the way, she received a phone call.
Rose answered, and a voice on the other end asked, “Is this Rose Bennett?”
“Who is this?”
“This is the Records Office at the Riverside Precinct in New York. There’s an issue with the documentation you submitted for your residency transfer, and we need you to come in to resolve it.”
Rose frowned. She was certain she had prepared everything.
Without hesitation, she immediately turned the car around and headed there.
There weren’t many people at the office, so it was soon her turn.
Rose asked, “Which documents are missing?”
The clerk glanced at the screen.
“Your divorce certificate doesn’t meet the requirements.”
Rose paused.
“My divorce certificate?”
“Yes. It isn’t an official document with a valid registration number. Did you submit the wrong one? You’ll need to bring a compliant certificate to complete the process.”
Rose’s expression changed instantly.
Seeing that she seemed unaware of the situation, the clerk pointed to the computer screen.
“According to our records, you are legally divorced, but the certificate you submitted is a forgery.”
A deafening roar filled her ears.
It felt as though shards of ice had been poured into her veins.
The divorce certificate—
It was fake.
The certificate Margaret had given her was fake.
The divorce certificate she had obtained only after nearly ruining herself and suffering humiliation during her blind date with Grayson—
It was fake.
Rose’s breathing became uneven. The hand resting against the counter trembled uncontrollably.
Her beautiful, almost intimidating face remained expressionless, but her eyes had turned red.
A suffocating pain seemed to tear through her mind.
Rage, hatred, and disgust surged through her.
Even after the divorce, they were still treating her this way.
She couldn’t endure it any longer.
Forcing herself to suppress those overwhelming emotions, she said hoarsely, “All right. I’ll take care of it.”
She dragged her heavy steps toward the door.
Taking out her phone, her hands trembling violently with anger, she dialed Ryan’s number with an expressionless face.
But the call never connected.
Instead, another call came through.
Unknown number.
Rose answered anyway.
Margaret’s voice came from the other end. “Rose, the Knight family is hosting a reception tonight. Since you’re free this evening, please attend as a specially appointed professor from NYU.”
Rose listened quietly without saying a word.
She didn’t break down.
She didn’t scream hysterically and demand to know why she had never been given the real divorce certificate.
It no longer mattered.
She simply felt sick.
Margaret continued, “Since you asked the Robinson family to help arrange your celebration banquet, I won’t hold it against you. However, many influential people will attend tonight’s reception. Attending will allow you to make connections and bring honor to the Knight family. It’s a win-win situation. The reception begins at seven o’clock. Don’t be late.”
Rose felt like a doll displayed in a shop window, placed there for others to admire, use, and exploit until every last bit of value had been drained from her.
She looked up at the blinding sky.
Her hand holding the phone trembled, but her voice remained calm.
“All right.”
Margaret was pleased by her obedience.
She believed Rose had only been temporarily confused.
After ending the call, Rose returned to her car.
Her ears still rang, yet she had never felt calmer.
She no longer wanted to ask why.
Nor did she want to humbly beg them for mercy.
Continuing like this would solve nothing.
It would only encourage the Knight family to push even further.
Rose took several deep breaths.
Her expression turned cold as she started the car.
Today, she had no intention of enduring it any longer.
She might as well tear apart that fragile facade of dignity.
The Knight family’s receptions were always lavish affairs.
People traveled from far away to attend.
Rose did not change into an evening gown.
Instead, she wore the same light beige silk dress she wore to work every day, cinched at the waist and paired with nude-colored square-toed leather pumps with buckle straps.
Step by step, she entered the extravagant spectacle created by the Knight family.
As she looked at the guests laughing and chatting, deep sarcasm filled her eyes.
She had taken only a few steps when she spotted Ryan arriving.
He still stood out effortlessly among the crowd.
He turned his head and looked at her.
His gaze was neither cold nor indifferent.
Ryan probably hadn’t expected her to be there.
His deep, penetrating eyes lingered on her for a moment longer.
From a distance, she couldn’t tell what emotions truly lay within them.
Both of them were present.
Margaret noticed them from afar.
After excusing herself from the guests, she deliberately walked toward Ryan, clearly intending for him to accompany her to Rose’s side.
“You two should walk in together arm in arm later.”
Ryan apparently hadn’t been paying attention.
He lowered his gaze and looked at a message on his phone.
That silent response was, in truth, a refusal.
Coincidentally, from where she stood, Rose caught a glimpse of the message on his screen.
It was from Samantha.
She wrote that she was waiting outside for him.
Samantha had arrived as well, but she had not entered.
Seeing Ryan ignore her, Margaret immediately became displeased.
“In public today, you should be more considerate. Rose is here. Give her a little more attention.”
As she spoke, Margaret seemed to have completely forgotten the earlier incident in the dining room, when Rose had talked back to her and Grace had openly sided with Rose.
She turned to Rose with a loving smile.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t invite Samantha this time. Today’s main focus is you and Ryan.”
