Free Web NovelChapter 292: Chapter 292 A Smiling Tiger’s Verdict
Derick’s expression stiffened slightly, and he couldn’t help glancing at Samantha again.
The look made Samantha face turn even paler.
She hadn’t expected Julia to be so blunt.
Even now that she carried the title of the Taylor family’s heiress, Julia hadn’t shown her the slightest respect.
Instead, she had publicly exposed Samantha’s past.
Julia was well known in business circles as a "smiling tiger"—someone who appeared warm and friendly on the surface but was ruthless when it mattered.
She smiled faintly.
"Mr. Taylor isn’t from New York, so it’s only natural that he wouldn’t know everything that’s happened here. My family has lived here for years, so we’re much more familiar with the situation."
As she spoke, she turned toward James, who had remained silent with a slight frown on his face.
"Mr. James is a close friend of Mr. Knight’s. He knows the situation better than anyone."
Her words were both direct and carefully veiled, carrying just enough sarcasm to make people uncomfortable.
James’s expression darkened.
He instinctively glanced at Rose.
Looking back...
Had he once been an accomplice to all of this?
He remained silent.
Ryan, despite being the central figure in the discussion, showed no discomfort whatsoever.
Instead, he sat calmly, as though he were nothing more than an uninvolved spectator.
Derick, however, understood everything.
Victoria gently patted his shoulder.
"It’s all right. Now that we’re all here together, we can talk everything through."
Daisy quickly chimed in.
"Mrs. Robinson, the way you’re putting it makes it sound like Sam has no morals. Matters of the heart aren’t something young people can always control. She simply fell for the wrong person."
Her words caused several expressions around the table to change.
Julia laughed softly.
"If that’s the case, then what’s the point of marriage?"
"Back in primitive times, people could simply move from one partner to another without restraint."
"I suppose that would have been considered impressive."
"..."
The remark was painfully blunt.
Daisy’s face turned pale.
Even Samantha pressed her lips tightly together.
Was Julia implying that she was the one going from one household to another?
The others hadn’t expected Julia to be quite so direct, either.
But there was nothing they could say.
After all, Julia had delivered every word with a pleasant smile and a joking tone.
If Daisy or Samantha took offense, they would only make themselves look guilty.
They had no choice but to swallow their anger.
Trevor had always known how politically shrewd his mother was.
He calmly continued eating, staying out of the discussion and waiting for the final outcome.
Grace had also heard plenty about Julia.
She wasn’t someone to underestimate.
As the person who truly led the Robinson family, Julia was more than capable of handling a situation like this.
Daisy clenched her jaw, forcing herself to remain composed.
"Sam is a member of the Taylor family now. Isn’t that a little harsh, Mrs. Robinson?"
Julia’s smile never wavered.
"It hasn’t been confirmed yet."
"If it turns out to be true, I’ll gladly apologize."
Daisy fell silent.
Having failed to gain the upper hand, she burned with resentment.
She shot Rose a contemptuous look.
"Their marriage had problems long before this."
"Think about it."
"A wife who couldn’t give her husband a child all those years..."
"How can she blame someone else?"
Those words struck a nerve.
Trevor paused with his teacup halfway to his lips.
Rose’s eyes flickered slightly.
Even Ryan looked up.
His expression was unreadable, his gaze as cold as ice.
Until now, he had remained silent.
Grace suddenly looked at Daisy with unmistakable displeasure.
"Is this how you raise your daughter?"
Her voice had become noticeably colder.
Her gaze was intimidating.
Daisy felt a chill run down her spine.
"Children learn by watching their parents."
"If the parents’ values are flawed, what kind of values do you expect the child to develop?"
Grace was deeply disappointed.
Although Samantha hadn’t yet taken the DNA test, the possibility that she was a Taylor had already begun influencing everyone’s perception.
Watching Daisy attack Rose—the true victim—filled Grace with anger.
"I... I didn’t mean it that way..."
Daisy stammered.
Samantha immediately stepped in.
"My mother speaks without thinking sometimes."
"She didn’t mean any harm."
"You’re right, Dr. Grace."
"We’ll be more careful with our words from now on."
Although Samantha was furious, she knew she couldn’t afford to offend Grace.
Derick disliked the direction the conversation had taken as well.
He frowned but remained silent.
Victoria once again stepped in to smooth things over.
"Let’s leave the past behind."
"We should focus on what’s in front of us."
Grace frowned.
Samantha had already been involved in one scandal after another.
Academic fraud.
Framing a professor.
Destroying someone else’s marriage.
Any one of those incidents reflected poorly on her character.
Yet she was also the person most likely to be Grace’s granddaughter.
That alone put Grace in an extremely difficult position.
If Samantha truly was her granddaughter...
Grace would almost certainly separate her from Ryan.
She would never allow a relationship that began under such questionable circumstances to continue.
Rose remained silent throughout.
She simply watched as one argument after another erupted around the table.
Then Ryan finally turned toward James.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?"
He was referring to the matter everyone had gathered to discuss—the engagement between the Taylor and Robinson families.
James pressed his lips together before glancing at Samantha.
"There’s nothing to say."
"I’ll wait for the DNA test results."
For now, he didn’t want to express any opinion.
Ryan studied James thoughtfully.
He sensed a carefully concealed reluctance beneath James’s calm exterior.
But he said nothing.
He would continue waiting to see how everything unfolded.
Julia had never liked Samantha.
She had met every kind of person imaginable over the years.
One look was enough for her to see exactly what kind of people Samantha and Daisy were.
Besides...
With Grace leading the Taylor family, they were a respected family that valued integrity, honor, and strong moral principles.
Even if Samantha truly was a Taylor...
Grace would undoubtedly discipline her personally.
She would never indulge her or encourage arrogance.
Julia certainly didn’t want a daughter-in-law like that.
So she spoke plainly.
"Since we’re all here, let’s settle this once and for all."
"This matter has nothing to do with Samantha."
"We’re discussing only the relationship between our two families."
"Our business partnership will continue."
"But the engagement is officially canceled."
Derick had no objections.
The only reason everyone had gathered was to properly address the business relationship between the two families.
Otherwise, the engagement could have been called off with a single sentence.
There would have been no need for a formal meeting.
Grace nodded.
"Agreed."
Julia smiled. "Then let’s make a public announcement and put an end to all the rumors."
No one objected.
Only then did Ryan slowly lower his gaze.
He idly twirled his phone between his fingers.
Something unreadable flickered in his eyes...
Or perhaps it was only an illusion.
Victoria smiled gently.
"Let’s have lunch."
"Even if we aren’t becoming family, the friendship between our families remains."
"I hope we’ll continue working together for many years to come."
Rose couldn’t help noticing it.
Victoria had an exceptionally warm and adaptable personality.
She was gentle, considerate, and easy to get along with.
It was no wonder she had remained by Derick’s side all these years despite never being accepted by the Taylor family.
She only felt sorry for Mrs. Taylor.
Throughout the meal, everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts.
Rose barely spoke.
She quietly ate while secretly waiting for her favorite dish—
Steamed Eastern grouper.
She deliberately kept her eyes away from it, pretending not to care.
Just then...
A small bowl was placed beside her.
Inside were several pieces of steamed Eastern grouper, the tender white fish topped with finely chopped scallions.
It looked absolutely delicious.
Rose turned her head.
Ryan had just set down the serving spoon.
The timing was perfect.
Everyone else was busy talking.
No one had noticed.
She frowned at him.
Ryan casually met her gaze.
"What?"
Rose said nothing.
She simply pushed the bowl back toward him without touching a single bite.
