Free Web NovelChapter 54: Chapter 54 The Man Who Called Her “Baby”
Ryan sat on the leather sofa and glanced at the suitcase she had placed on the carpet.
“What are you doing here?”
“To inspect the herbal medicine base,” Rose replied, her lips tightening.
He lifted his gaze, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“If it’s work, then what exactly did I trick you into?”
“...”
Rose was at a loss for words.
Although she rarely argued with Ryan, she had always known that his sharp tongue was one of his most difficult qualities to deal with. When he wanted to, his words could cut like a knife.
She still couldn’t understand why he was so determined to have her spend the New Year with the Knight family.
Were they really so inseparable as a couple?
It felt like putting on a pointless performance.
“So where are you going to sleep tonight?”
Rose was on her period, and the cramps had left her too exhausted to argue. Asking was all she could manage.
Ryan lowered his gaze and replied to a text message. As he looked at the screen, a faint smile touched his lips.
When he looked back at her, his expression was relaxed.
“Where do you think I should sleep?”
His tone was light and casual.
There was even a hint of mockery in it.
Rose naturally noticed how cheerful he seemed while chatting with whoever was on the other end of the phone.
She felt her composure beginning to crack, unable to maintain even the pretense of politeness.
But what could she do?
The other people of the Knight family had probably arrived as well.
And she had promised Margaret that the divorce would remain a secret.
It was a no-win situation.
“Whatever you want.”
Rose was too tired to argue.
It was obvious Ryan had sponsored this business trip as a last-ditch effort.
With the enormous holiday overtime bonus being offered, everyone had been more than willing to work through the New Year.
Naturally, she had gone along with it.
Once she stepped into the Knight family’s sphere, she could no longer act on impulse.
She dragged her suitcase into one of the bedrooms.
After taking out her pajamas, she went to shower.
It was already late, and she had a team meeting the next morning.
By the time she finished, her hair was only half dry.
Sleepiness weighed heavily on her eyelids.
She flopped onto the bed, wrapped herself in the blankets, curled up around her aching lower abdomen, and quickly drifted off to sleep.
In her haze, she vaguely felt the mattress sink.
Thinking it was part of a dream, she rolled over and continued sleeping.
****
The next morning.
Rose was awakened by the ringing of her phone.
Squinting, she reached for the nightstand and answered without opening her eyes.
“Hello...”
“Dr. Rose, the meeting starts at ten. When are you coming downstairs?”
It was Sofia, the youngest member of G.S.’s R&D team.
Only then did Rose glance at the time.
9:30 a.m.
She had never slept this late before.
Where was her alarm?
Why hadn’t it gone off?
“I’ll be there in a minute,” she said hurriedly.
Just as she was about to roll over and get up, the arm around her waist suddenly tightened.
The arm hooked around her and pulled her backward, drawing her instantly into a warm embrace.
A chin brushed lightly against the hollow of her neck.
The ticklish sensation made her freeze.
The man’s morning voice was low and husky.
“Baby, let me hold you a little longer.”
Rose froze completely.
From her back to her waist and hips, she could clearly feel the firm contours of the man’s body pressed against hers.
Slowly, she turned her head.
Ryan’s handsome face was only inches away.
Then Sofia’s shriek exploded through the phone.
“Dr. Rose! There’s a man next to you?! Who did you sleep with last night?!”
Her voice echoed through the quiet, dimly lit bedroom.
Ryan, who had still been half asleep, slowly opened his eyes.
Rose instantly snapped awake.
Her expression darkened as she hurriedly ended the call.
Just as she was about to kick him away, Ryan stared at her.
His pupils slowly focused as he seemed to realize what was happening.
A frown immediately appeared between his brows.
He quickly withdrew his arm from her waist, ran a hand through his black hair, and sat upright.
“I’m going to wash up.”
Without another word, he got up and headed straight for the bathroom.
It took Rose only two seconds to piece everything together.
Ryan...
Had mistaken her for someone else.
During all their years of marriage, he had never once called her "baby" in such an intimate way.
How many nights of passionate intimacy must he have spent with Samantha?
How many times had they whispered sweet words to each other before he could say something like that so naturally, so tenderly, in a half-awake state?
Rose didn’t even have time to question why Ryan had continued their old marital habit of sleeping in the same bed.
The images flooding her mind made her physically ill.
She rolled over and retched into the trash can twice.
The thought alone made her sick.
Whenever she imagined Ryan and Samantha together, she lost all control over her emotions.
When Ryan emerged from the bathroom, he happened to witness the scene.
His dark gaze slowly lowered to her abdomen.
“Are you pregnant?”
Rose sat up immediately, her cheeks still flushed.
“No.”
She certainly couldn’t tell him that thoughts of his affair were what had triggered her nausea.
Ryan’s expression remained indifferent.
He lowered his gaze and adjusted the emerald-green cufflinks on his sleeves.
“I’ll schedule an appointment for you to get checked.”
“...”
For a moment, Rose didn’t know how to respond.
Despite all the recent divorce drama, they had been intimate before their relationship completely fell apart.
It wasn’t unreasonable for Ryan to suspect the possibility.
“Am I the doctor here, or are you?” she asked.
Then she looked at him and forced a reassuring smile, dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth.
“Don’t worry. We won’t be having children.”
So there was no need for him to make such a fuss.
Of course, she wasn’t deluding herself into believing he actually wanted a child with her.
She simply knew he was worried it might complicate his relationship with Samantha.
Rose headed into the bathroom.
Ryan remained where he was, staring silently at the closed door for several seconds.
Then he grabbed his coat and left.
*****
Rose wasn’t sure whether she had been drugged or simply exhausted, but she had slept more than ten hours without a single dream.
After rushing downstairs, she headed toward the private conference room the hotel had prepared for them.
The moment she pushed open the door, dozens of people turned to look at her.
Every gaze was filled with curiosity.
Even Caleb was giving her a knowing look.
Rose immediately turned toward Sofia.
Sofia stared back with unconcealed curiosity.
“Dr. Rose, the meeting doesn’t start for another ten minutes. Why don’t you explain something for us first?”
Rose suddenly had a bad feeling.
Sofia leaned forward.
“Who was the guy on the phone this morning? The one with the amazing voice who called you ‘baby’?”
The entire room instantly perked up.
Everyone’s curiosity was practically burning.
After all, they had all arrived together the previous day.
No one had seen Rose with a boyfriend, husband, or family member.
How had she suddenly spent the night with a man after just one evening?
The members of the Columbia University team seated across the conference table exchanged strange looks.
Earlier, Samantha had casually mentioned that Rose and G.S. CEO Caleb Byrne had a close relationship.
Most people had naturally assumed it was romantic.
But Caleb had already been present in the conference room when Sofia made the call.
Which meant the man in Rose’s room had been someone else.
The Columbia team had never been particularly fond of Rose.
Now they were even more eager to watch the drama unfold.
“Ms. Bennett, you’re certainly lucky with men. You’ve barely arrived in the city of romance, and you’ve already had a passionate night?”
“Why not bring him over and introduce him to everyone?”
“But aren’t you involved with President Byrne? What about President Byrne’s feelings?”
Caleb could hear the malicious curiosity beneath their questions.
Before Rose could respond, he slammed the documents onto the table.
The loud sound instantly silenced the room.
“Rose and I have been close friends for years. Who told you we were dating?”
His voice turned cold.
“Does having a man around automatically mean she’s having an affair?”
He looked around the room.
“Rose has a husband. She’s been married for a long time.”
The moment those words left his mouth, the expressions of the Columbia team froze.
Married?
What was going on?
One young woman still refused to give up.
“Dr. Rose, then who is your husband?”
She glanced at Rose’s bare hand.
“I’ve never seen you wear a wedding ring. Since your husband is here too, why not introduce him to everyone?”
She didn’t believe for a second that Rose hadn’t used Caleb’s connections to secure her position on the project.
Rose could sense the hostility beneath the question.
These people clearly had an issue with her.
Just as she was about to speak, the conference room door swung open once again.
“Sorry, we’re a little late.”
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Rose looked up as well.
At the doorway, Samantha entered arm-in-arm with Ryan.
The room instantly fell silent.
