Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter 33 A Contract of Silence
Rose closed the cabinet without a flicker of emotion and turned around, her expression calm.
Standing there was Maria from Margaret’s courtyard.
Maria was one of the few people in the Knight family who treated Rose with courtesy. She curtsied respectfully.
“Madam, if you’re not busy, please go see Margaret.”
Rose, of course, wanted to say she was busy.
Busy tearing Samantha’s face to shreds.
But since this matter would bring shame upon the Knight family, Rose chose not to reveal her true intentions just yet.
“All right.”
Upon arriving at Margaret’s residence, she waved at Rose.
“Rose, come here quickly.”
Rose walked over.
Margaret took her hand and patted it gently.
“You’re such a dutiful child. It’s so thoughtful of you to come back at a time like this, join the family dinner, and keep this old woman company.”
“It’s only natural.”
Rose wasn’t one to shy away from polite small talk.
Her mind was still preoccupied with the missing marriage certificate.
She couldn’t have remembered incorrectly.
It had definitely been in the cabinet.
“I’ve seen what’s been going on online too,” Margaret sighed.
Rose’s smile faded slightly as she looked at Margaret.
“I know you’re very angry right now, Rose. This kind of matter can’t be clarified publicly. After all, Ryan and Ethan are brothers. This is a family scandal that must not be made public. For the sake of the Knight family’s reputation, Rose, you’ll have to endure this injustice just this once.”
Margaret wore a deeply concerned expression as she held Rose’s hand tightly.
Her face was filled with helplessness.
A chill crept into Rose’s heart.
Without realizing it, she knocked over the steaming cup of herbal tea on the table, scalding the back of her hand.
Her pale skin instantly turned red.
“Are you saying I should stay silent?”
She suddenly thought of the missing marriage certificate.
What else was there left to figure out?
Margaret had taken it first.
Without tangible proof that she was Mrs. Knight, relying solely on her words would make her sound delusional to outsiders.
If she publicly revealed her identity and Ryan refused to acknowledge her while the Knight family remained silent, she would only end up humiliating herself.
Margaret noticed the spilled tea and had Maria clean it up.
Only then did she continue with earnest advice.
“After all, Samantha was once engaged to Ethan. In the end, she is Ryan’s sister-in-law. No family can tolerate such a scandal. It would damage the company, the group, and the stock market. There’s nothing to gain from it. Rose, you know your grandfather values family harmony above all else. If this reaches him, it won’t end well.”
Rose’s spine stiffened instantly.
She thought of the stern and ruthless former Chairman Knight.
“What if I insist on an explanation?” she asked, staring intently at Margaret.
Margaret slowly released Rose’s hand.
“Rose, you can’t handle Ryan’s grandfather’s temper. Your maternal grandfather is getting on in years as well. You must always consider the people around you.”
Rose fell silent.
She understood the outcome of today’s meeting.
Even if she wanted to burn every bridge behind her, the Knight family would never allow her to make a public scene.
Seeing that Rose understood, Margaret sighed in relief.
“Grandmother feels for you and your grievances, and personally, I support you in making a scene. But you know your grandfather well. He cares only about the Knight family’s reputation.”
At that moment, Rose felt numb inside.
Margaret had always been kind to her.
But that kindness meant nothing when weighed against the interests of the Knight family.
“Since you’re planning to divorce anyway, why insist on saving face?” Margaret urged.
As she spoke, she beckoned to Maria, who brought over two copies of a contract.
“Grandma will compensate you for everything you’ve endured. Sign this, and even after the divorce, you’ll have enough money to support yourself comfortably.”
Rose lowered her gaze to the agreement.
Two clauses immediately stood out.
First, she could not reveal to anyone that she was Mrs. Knight, nor could she publicly disclose marital discord with Ryan or expose Samantha’s situation.
Second, once divorced, she was forbidden from ever returning to the Knight family through remarriage, reconciliation, or any circumstance similar to Samantha’s.
So this effectively cut off any possibility of reconciliation between her and Ryan.
Rose couldn’t quite understand Margaret’s intentions.
If Margaret liked her, why forbid her from reconciling with Ryan?
Rather than compensation, it felt more like a bargaining chip meant to keep her in line.
“Of course, if you decide not to divorce, this agreement will become void. Grandmother would much rather see you and Ryan living happily together. Why don’t you think it over?” Margaret said regretfully.
“I won’t reconsider.”
Rose rejected Margaret’s attempt to persuade her.
Her marriage was already in ruins.
She had endured seven years of half-hearted affection.
She could no longer force herself to swallow it, mixed with tears and shards of glass.
Margaret’s eyes flickered, and she finally sighed.
“If you insist on divorcing, then before you remarry, do not reveal the details of your divorce from Ryan to anyone in the Knight family, and do not disclose Samantha and Ethan’s past relationship to the public.”
Rose remained silent.
Margaret’s actions protected the Knight family’s reputation.
They protected Samantha’s dignity.
They preserved harmony between brothers and unity within the family.
Yet the only person being sacrificed was Rose.
As the matriarch of the Knight family, Rose could almost understand Margaret’s concerns.
Her gaze shifted to the compensation amount.
Fifty million dollars.
How generous.
Rose studied the contract for a moment before suddenly looking up.
“So what you’re saying is that no matter what happens to me in the future, it has nothing to do with the Knight family, right? The Knight family won’t interfere in my life, won’t acknowledge me, and will draw a clear line between us?”
Margaret looked troubled.
“This is for your own good. I can promise that after the divorce, I have ways of erasing any record of your marriage. Then you’ll be free to find a new husband without any baggage, won’t you?”
Rose almost laughed.
She knew perfectly well that the Knight family simply wanted to prevent her from clinging to them in the future.
They were also afraid Ryan wouldn’t back down over Samantha and would insist on marrying her into the family.
So they intended to erase all traces of Rose’s marriage to Ryan.
Then they would quietly suppress any news involving Ethan after his release from prison.
One scandal solved.
But...
Rose suppressed the turmoil in her heart.
If Ariel’s identity were ever exposed, the Knight family would already have publicly severed ties with her.
That would further distance Ryan from Ariel.
How could that not serve as another safeguard against her child being taken away?
Margaret had always wanted her and Ryan to have a child.
The Knight family valued every heir immensely.
Yet now, they were the ones creating distance.
Suddenly, Rose no longer felt so frustrated.
She could almost imagine the expressions on the Knight family’s faces when they eventually learned about Ariel’s existence.
However, if she violated the contract...
Rose glanced at the penalty clause.
Five hundred million dollars in damages, along with the family’s right to pursue additional compensation.
Even her grandfather had been dragged into it.
It was a threat disguised as a contract.
Still, Rose doubted she would ever set foot in the Knight household again.
Escaping this mess was difficult enough.
After weighing the pros and cons, she signed.
There was no reason not to.
Why would she return to the Knight family after the divorce?
No matter how she looked at it, that future seemed impossible.
By then, Ryan would probably be busy preparing to marry Samantha.
He wouldn’t spare a second thought for her.
As for keeping Samantha’s connection to the Knight family secret, Rose could do that too.
From that point onward, they would all be strangers.
As long as the Knight family didn’t regret it later.
If she could truly pull it off, she would have no regrets.
Margaret’s smile widened.
“Rose, you really are the most sensible.”
Rose said nothing.
Faced with such a subtle and calculated strategy, she had little choice but to comply.
The moment the Knight family learned about the online incident, her options had already been stripped away.
You can’t fight City Hall.
Rose understood that better than most.
“The Knight family has wronged you in this matter. If you ever need anything, Grandma will do her best to help you,” Margaret sighed.
“I’m not an unreasonable person. If you ultimately decide not to divorce, then let’s pretend today’s conversation never happened.”
Rose smiled faintly.
She unconsciously rubbed the back of her hand, which still burned from the scalding tea, but said nothing.
She understood the cold realities of the world all too well.
If it weren’t for Ariel, perhaps she would have fought for her pride regardless of the consequences.
But now she was a mother.
She had a weakness.
For the time being, she wouldn’t openly challenge the Knight family.
Avoiding trouble and securing the divorce came first.
“Sir Ryan is back,” Maria announced.
Margaret’s expression remained unchanged, but she immediately shot Maria a meaningful look.
Maria put one copy of the agreement away and handed the other to Rose, who slipped it into her bag.
Rose looked up.
Ryan strode into the room.
The moment he entered, his gaze landed on her, carrying a trace of indifference.
“Ryan, your timing is perfect. Not everyone could make it to this year’s family dinner. Why don’t you stand next to Rose? We’ll take a photo of the two of you and a family portrait to send to your grandfather.”
Margaret’s mood shifted instantly.
She rose with a cheerful smile and waved him over.
Ryan’s gaze drifted briefly over Rose before he stepped forward.
His dark eyes were as calm and cold as snow.
“We take these every year. Don’t you ever get tired of the trouble?”
Margaret clicked her tongue.
“Your grandfather and the others are stationed overseas and miss home terribly. Hurry up and stand closer to Rose. She’s your wife. Can’t you at least manage a smile?”
Rose knew Ryan had no interest in playing along.
She looked at him.
“No need for photos. I need to leave early—”
An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her toward him with effortless precision.
Caught completely off guard, Rose stumbled straight into Ryan’s embrace.
The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric at her waist.
Her expression changed slightly.
That spot was particularly sensitive.
A single touch sent a shiver through her entire body.
Ryan knew that better than anyone.
Before she could react, she was already pressed firmly against him.
From a distance, they looked exceptionally intimate.
Ryan glanced at Margaret and slowly raised his eyes.
“Aren’t you going to take the picture?”
Margaret chuckled at the sight and immediately pressed the shutter.
When Rose finally came back to her senses, a faint, almost imperceptible sweet fragrance drifted into her nose.
It was Samantha’s perfume.
Had he been with Samantha right before returning?
The realization made Rose’s stomach churn.
The thought that Samantha had leaned against the very place where she was now standing made her frown almost imperceptibly.
The entire day had been filled with humiliation.
This sudden display of intimacy only made her feel more uncomfortable.
Almost instinctively, Rose raised her hand—
And smacked Ryan hard across the arm.
