Free Web NovelChapter 259: Chapter 259 A Public Declaration of Freedom
Rose’s words were both sharp and merciless.
Selena’s face alternated between pale and flushed red. Her elegant, dignified features were nearly twisted with anger, and her chest rose and fell violently.
Rose had gone mad.
She truly had gone mad tonight.
How could she say such outrageous things?
Even Nicholas, standing not far away, frowned and immediately turned to Ryan, who had done nothing to stop Rose’s outburst.
His face was filled with disapproval.
Margaret had never expected that inviting Rose tonight would bring such a devastating surprise to the Knight family.
She tightened her grip on the prayer beads in her hand.
“Enough! Haven’t we been humiliated enough already?”
Tonight, Rose had completely torn away the family’s mask of respectability.
The Knight family had become the laughingstock of their entire social circle.
If the former chairman overseas learned of tonight’s events and demanded accountability, no one would escape the consequences.
Rose shot Margaret a cold look.
The woman who had appeared kind and gracious on the surface had been a beast underneath all along.
“It was the Knight family that created this situation. I’m simply stating the facts. If your family can’t even keep its own scandals hidden, then that’s your problem. It isn’t caused by someone else talking.”
She paused before continuing. “And one more thing. Don’t disturb my life again. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee what I might do next time.”
The fake divorce decree had pushed her to the edge.
But the Knight family had been driving her toward that edge for years.
Did they still believe they could use her to preserve the family’s reputation?
That was no longer possible.
Margaret’s aged lips trembled slightly.
“Do you truly have no regrets about what you’ve done tonight?”
Rose smiled slowly.
Her beautiful eyes were slightly red, yet they shone with determination.
“I’ve always been serious about this. No means no.”
Ever since she first asked for a divorce, no one in the Knight family had taken her seriously.
They had assumed she was merely throwing a tantrum.
They believed she still cared about the family.
That she still loved Ryan.
No one had ever believed her.
So tonight, she intended to make it absolutely clear.
She did not want Ryan.
Margaret was stunned.
Even Ryan, who had remained indifferent throughout the evening, fixed his gaze on her.
Dark shadows seemed to gather in his eyes.
But Rose no longer cared what he was thinking.
She violently pulled her wrist free from his hand.
In front of every guest, she walked away without looking back.
By publicly severing their ties, she left herself no path back.
And she gave the Knight family no further opportunity to interfere in her life.
Ryan’s fingers moved slightly after she pulled away.
Slowly, he curled them into a fist before lowering his hand to his side.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on her retreating figure.
His expression was impossible to read.
Selena finally regained her composure. “Rose has certainly become bold lately. She thinks she’s superior now because she’s found someone powerful to rely on. She doesn’t even respect her husband’s family anymore. She’s clearly trying to cut all ties with the Knight family. Honestly, I never realized she had such a temper.”
Rose would regret this.
Margaret had been thoroughly shaken by the evening’s events.
Her face had turned pale, and she swayed slightly before Nicholas hurried over to support her.
“That child has become terribly arrogant,” Margaret said.
Her blood pressure was rising rapidly, especially after becoming the object of ridicule in front of so many guests.
Selena added coldly, “She humiliated the Knight family and showed absolutely no respect for her elders. Ryan, you really need to discipline her.”
At those words, Ryan slowly withdrew his gaze from the doorway.
His eyes were calm, yet the darkness within them seemed capable of swallowing someone whole.
The way he looked at Selena sent a chill down her spine.
His voice remained perfectly calm.
“If we’re talking about disrespect, Rose isn’t nearly as bad as I am.”
He paused. “Didn’t I nearly burn... you.... an elder alive once?”
His tone was gentle.
But the words cut like a knife.
Everyone’s expressions changed.
Especially Selena’s and Nicholas’s.
Selena’s body stiffened.
Over the years, Ryan had hidden his true nature beneath a handsome, gentlemanly exterior. He controlled his emotions so well that people had gradually forgotten what kind of person he used to be.
Even Nicholas frowned.
His son had always been cold-blooded.
Family ties meant very little to him.
Ryan had no intention of explaining himself.
He simply allowed the storm to continue.
Then he turned and walked away.
The once-grand reception had completely fallen apart.
Only shattered glass and chaos remained.
*****
When Rose stepped outside, her footsteps were unsteady.
She had never truly imagined things would end this way with the Knight family.
But the issue of the fake divorce decree had touched her deepest wound.
It involved Ariel.
She was no longer willing to be manipulated.
Nor was she willing to beg them for the real divorce documents.
Since the Knight family had shown her no mercy, she had only one path left.
Standing by the roadside, Rose opened a ride-sharing app.
The waiting list was already over one hundred people.
Without hesitation, she called Trevor.
He answered shortly afterward.
“Rose?”
She swallowed hard. “Are you free right now? I need to see you about something.”
Trevor immediately sensed something was wrong.
After a brief silence, he said, “I’m working late at Ocean Star. I’ll wait for you.”
Ocean Star was the Robinson family’s New York branch office.
He added, “I’ll have my secretary come downstairs to meet you.”
“Okay.”
Rose ended the call.
But no car arrived.
She touched her face.
It was dry.
Not a single tear had fallen.
She realized she was stronger than she had ever imagined.
At that moment, a black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up beside her.
The window lowered.
Ryan sat behind the wheel, one hand resting on the steering wheel as he looked at her.
“Where are you going? Get in.”
Rose looked at his calm, composed face.
For some reason, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She could have refused.
But a thought suddenly occurred to her.
And she changed her mind.
She opened the passenger door. “Ocean Star. Thank you.”
At the mention of that name, Ryan finally looked at her.
He knew exactly whose company Ocean Star was.
He also knew whom she intended to see.
And now, he had become the driver personally taking her to Trevor.
At the reception, she had been so decisive.
She had publicly declared an end to everything between them.
Now it seemed she had reached a final decision.
A complete ceasefire.
In the end, Ryan started the car.
“Why?”
Rose knew what he was asking.
Why had she completely lost control tonight?
It was somewhat amusing.
She had expected him to be angry.
To accuse her of humiliating the Knight family.
To blame her for dragging them into scandal.
Perhaps even for affecting the company’s stock price.
Instead, he was simply curious.
Ryan had always been the type to see through everything.
His insight was so sharp that it could make people uncomfortable.
Rose looked out the window.
“There isn’t any special reason. I just couldn’t endure it anymore.”
Ryan gave no indication whether he accepted her answer.
His voice remained indifferent. “I suppose you’ve finally grown up. You realized that if you don’t want to be wronged, you have to become strong enough before fighting back.”
Rose had no interest in deciding whether his words were praise or criticism.
Since Ryan clearly had no intention of settling scores with her, she had no reason to dwell on it.
Indifference was part of his nature.
Even when the family’s reputation and his own name were involved, he could remain detached.
As though none of it concerned him.
No wonder he had treated... her... his own wife with such indifference for so many years.
Neither of them spoke again.
Inside the car, only their familiar scents lingered.
So close.
Yet impossibly far apart.
Until they arrived at Ocean Star.
Rose did not even say thank you.
She opened the door and walked toward Trevor’s secretary waiting downstairs without looking back.
Ryan watched her quietly.
He did not know why Rose had come to see Trevor tonight.
He simply watched her disappearing figure enter the building before finally looking away.
He took out a cigarette and lit it.
*****
Rose went upstairs.
She walked directly to Trevor’s office.
When she entered, Trevor looked up from behind his desk.
He set down his pen and immediately stood.
But Rose spoke before he could say anything.
Without any hesitation, she walked up to him, looked directly into his eyes, and said clearly: “Will you marry me?”
“Right now.”
