Free Web NovelChapter 34: Chapter 34 The Man Who Thought She Would Stay
The sharp crack of the slap was startlingly loud.
Margaret looked at Rose in surprise.
Ryan glanced down at his arm, now red from the impact.
It was obvious just how much force Rose had used.
A faint, almost imperceptible sweet scent lingered in the air, making Rose’s stomach churn.
Her expression remained unchanged.
“I didn’t know where you’d been. You had something dirty on you, so I brushed it off.”
Samantha was dirty.
And so was he.
Ryan’s eyes were deep and unreadable, yet showed no trace of anger.
Slowly withdrawing his hand, he glanced at Margaret.
“Grandmother, do you have any ointment?”
Margaret immediately snapped to attention.
“Maria, go get some for Ryan.”
Rose turned and walked out.
Naturally, she wasn’t about to tell Ryan about tonight’s negotiations with Margaret.
Although she couldn’t publicly expose Samantha’s double-dealing, at the very least, the Knight family had already sown the seeds of their own downfall.
They shouldn’t regret the consequences later.
Stepping onto the veranda, Rose looked down at the bag in her arms.
Inside was the agreement from Margaret stipulating that she would never set foot in the Knight family again after the divorce.
She used to think Margaret was genuinely kind to her.
Now she understood.
When family interests were at stake, any emotional bond could be pushed aside.
She glanced back at the brightly lit mansion.
Rose was considering how to slip away quietly.
Footsteps sounded behind her.
Looking up, she saw Ryan approaching.
His height was imposing, especially when he looked down at others.
His deep, dark eyes resembled a thin sheet of ice that offered no warmth.
Rose almost understood what he was about to say.
Not long ago, she had sworn she would never return to the Knight family for a family dinner
“I didn’t come back today for—”
“Have you had enough time to cool off?” he interrupted.
Rose frowned.
The red fingerprints on his arm stood out starkly.
She had nearly swung with all her strength.
One could only imagine how much it hurt.
“What do you mean?” she asked coldly.
“The online commotion has died down. Your information won’t be exposed, and Knigswell Group has sent cease-and-desist letters to those spreading malicious rumors.”
Ryan didn’t beat around the bush.
He went straight to the point.
Rose stared at him, her eyes filled with sarcasm.
“So you’re the one who handled the backlash.”
Was he trying to show her how competent he was as a husband?
Ryan had known about everything from the beginning.
Yet he hadn’t helped clear her name.
He hadn’t offered an explanation.
He had simply deleted the posts and sent legal notices.
Because compared to Samantha’s reputation and public image, Rose’s innocence meant nothing.
Ryan didn’t respond.
Instead, he crouched in front of her, unscrewed the tube of ointment Maria had brought, squeezed a small amount onto his fingertip, and took hold of her slender wrist.
He gently applied the ointment to the reddened skin on the back of her hand.
A chill ran through Rose.
She had to suppress the urge to slap him across the face.
She truly hadn’t expected this sudden display of tenderness.
Not even Margaret had noticed she’d been scalded.
When had he noticed?
The impending divorce only made Rose feel more uneasy.
Instinctively, she tried to pull her hand away.
Ryan tightened his grip, holding her firmly in place.
He glanced up at her before continuing to apply the ointment patiently.
With his gaze lowered, there was even a trace of tenderness in his expression.
For a moment, Rose almost lost herself.
How many such tender moments had they once shared?
“I hope this matter doesn’t escalate any further. If you still feel wronged, you can make your demands.”
His words shattered the illusion.
Rose slowly came back to reality, finally understanding the purpose behind this sudden tenderness.
He knew the online incident hadn’t been an accident.
But he was determined to protect Samantha.
He wouldn’t allow Rose to make a scene through any avenue.
She had been slandered and vilified.
Yet he wasn’t concerned about comforting her or soothing her pain.
His only concern was keeping her quiet.
“Oh.”
Rose lowered her eyes.
A trace of self-mockery flashed across her face.
Her tone was unusually calm.
“Since Mr. Knight is willing to go this far to protect Samantha, I suppose I should know my place.”
Ryan simply wanted to prevent her from exposing Samantha as the real mistress.
Everything else was just a performance.
Ryan finally looked up at her.
His fingertips lightly traced her wrist bone.
“Rose, speaking out of anger won’t solve anything.”
Rose smiled and slowly withdrew her hand, inch by inch.
“Right. I prefer dealing with the source of the problem.”
And so—
She didn’t want him anymore.
Solve the problem at its root.
Ryan clearly had no intention of probing deeper into the meaning behind her words.
Instead, he noticed her reluctance to let him touch her.
And how she’d resisted being close to him during the photo earlier.
“How many years have we been married?” he suddenly asked.
Rose looked at him, puzzled.
Ryan stood and draped his jacket over her shoulders.
“Seven years. We’ve done everything. I’m not that obsessed with your body. You don’t need to overreact.”
Rose froze.
She hadn’t expected Ryan to say something like that.
Instinctively, she wanted to tell him the truth.
That it wasn’t because she was shy.
It was because she found his transformation into a filthy man revolting.
But before she could speak, Ryan’s phone rang.
Perfect timing.
Rose glanced at the screen.
It was that contact again.
Beloved Baby.
Ryan noticed her glance immediately.
Without hesitation, he angled the phone away from her and walked back into the living room.
Rose saw right through it.
He wouldn’t allow her even the slightest glimpse into the private world he shared with the woman he loved.
Rose glanced at the coat Ryan had left behind.
In the end, she didn’t touch it.
Leaving it where it was, she stood up and walked into the wind and snow, leaving that bone-chilling place behind.
*****
Inside the living room.
Seeing Ryan return, Margaret’s expression darkened.
“This time I’ll let it go. But if you don’t deal with Samantha, I can step in and help you.”
Ryan’s gaze swept over her indifferently.
“I’m still capable of protecting one person.”
“What about your wife? What about Rose?” Margaret snapped. “Don’t forget she’s the woman you married in a proper ceremony.”
Ryan lowered his gaze and replied to Samantha’s message.
A faint smile touched the corner of his lips.
“Rose is generous. It’s not a big deal.”
Margaret felt a lump rise in her throat.
She thought of the divorce Rose had mentioned.
Studying Ryan’s expression, she suddenly asked, “Aren’t you afraid she’ll divorce you?”
Ryan’s fingers paused briefly above the screen.
He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment before speaking calmly.
“She wouldn’t be able to go through with it.”
*****
Rose didn’t stay at the Knight residence any longer.
Since the matter had already been suppressed from all sides, she saw no point in making a fuss.
Dragging her exhausted body home, she returned to her apartment.
The next morning, as soon as she arrived at the office, Caleb tapped her shoulder.
“Dr. Hale is here. Keep a low profile.”
Rose froze.
Then she hurried toward her office.
Pushing open the door, she saw a white-haired elderly man sitting upright on the sofa in a tailored suit.
He was over eighty years old.
His features were sharp, and his presence was imposing.
A chill instantly ran down Rose’s spine.
She began to stammer.
“Old Doc... what are you doing here?”
A guilty conscience was written all over her face.
Nathan stared at her.
“What’s the story behind all that nonsense circulating online about you?”
Despite his age, he loved browsing the internet.
Thanks to targeted algorithms, he’d stumbled upon a post accusing Rose of being a mistress.
The old man had been so furious that he hadn’t slept all night.
He’d boarded a flight from Washington, D.C., first thing in the morning.
Originally, he wasn’t supposed to arrive in New York until after New Year’s to launch his pharmaceutical research initiative.
But because of Rose, he’d come early.
“Oh.”
Rose sat down with a smile.
“At your age, you should be reading medical journals instead of gossip websites.”
“Stop trying to joke your way out of this!”
Nathan glared at her.
“At your age, even Ariel causes me less trouble than you do.”
Rose immediately fell silent.
It was her own fault for having a daughter who had always been everyone’s favorite.
She had spent years competing unsuccessfully for attention.
“Please don’t be angry. We stopped the situation before it got out of control,” Caleb interjected at just the right moment. “By the way, didn’t Ariel come with you?”
The moment Ariel was mentioned, Nathan’s expression softened immediately.
His phone wallpaper was Ariel.
His ringtone was Ariel singing in her sweet little voice.
Even his fingernails were painted with tiny designs she’d insisted on decorating herself.
Every time Rose saw them, she couldn’t help but laugh.
The stern and highly respected pharmacologist had become completely smitten with his granddaughter
“She’ll be coming with my wife next week,” Nathan said. “For the past few days, she’s been pestering me nonstop. She says her mommy is unhappy and she wants to come cheer you up.”
“So soon?”
Rose was startled.
She had originally planned for Ariel to come after New Year’s, once the divorce was finalized.
Then she realized Ariel must have sensed her sadness that day.
A sharp ache pierced her heart.
But the divorce still wasn’t finalized.
Rose couldn’t help furrowing her brows.
New York was a huge city.
Surely they wouldn’t run into each other...
For now, she could only take things one step at a time.
“As for me, I’m here to see just how rotten this shiny-on-the-outside, rotten-on-the-inside marriage of yours really is.”
Nathan snorted coldly.
Rose nearly choked.
“Harsh, but accurate. Although your wording is a little too harsh...”
A knock sounded at the door.
Caleb’s assistant poked his head inside.
“Mr. Byrne, there’s a visitor asking to see Dr. Hale.”
Caleb was surprised.
Nathan had only just arrived in New York.
Someone already knew?
“Who?”
“Mr. Knight from Knigswell Group... and his girlfriend.”
The smile vanished from Rose’s face.
She hadn’t expected Ryan to so openly give Samantha the title of girlfriend.
Something Rose had never received in seven years of marriage.
Samantha had obtained it effortlessly.
Ryan’s connections reached everywhere.
It wasn’t surprising that he had received the news so quickly.
He was clearly here because of Samantha.
Nathan’s eyes narrowed immediately.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
“So she’s delivering herself right to my doorstep?”
