Chapter 327 The Pregnancy Announcement
Isabella was the first to notice Rose.
Her eyes lit up with exaggerated surprise.
"Well, look who’s here."
She smiled broadly.
"It’s been forever."
Beside her, Selena turned to look as well.
Her expression was much cooler.
She slowly looked Rose up and down, her gaze carrying open scrutiny.
Truthfully...
She hadn’t expected Rose’s career to take off the way it had.
Over the past several months, Rose had become one of NYU’s youngest and most sought-after associate professors. Her research was making headlines, invitations from major medical conferences kept pouring in, and her name came up constantly among New York’s social and business circles.
People couldn’t stop talking about her.
Many had even congratulated the Knight family.
"You’re so lucky to have a daughter-in-law like Dr. Bennett."
Every compliment only irritated Selena more.
Rose wasn’t surprised to see either of them.
Eleanor’s annual garden party always attracted New York’s old-money families, philanthropists, and business elites.
Of course the Knight family had received invitations.
Her phone vibrated.
Eleanor had texted again.
[I’m inside. Come find me whenever you get here.]
Rose replied with a quick thumbs-up and continued walking.
She didn’t even glance at Selena or Isabella.
That deliberate indifference immediately soured Selena’s mood.
Isabella was even more offended.
She hurried several steps forward and blocked Rose’s path.
"My, you’ve certainly changed."
Her smile disappeared.
"You walk right past your mother-in-law and your aunt-in-law without even saying hello?"
She folded her arms.
"I wonder if NYU knows how disrespectful one of its professors is."
Rose looked at her calmly.
"Your should worry more about your own family."
She smiled faintly.
"Last I checked, keeping your son out of federal prison would’ve been a better use of your time than policing my manners."
Isabella’s face instantly flushed red.
"You—"
"Rose."
Selena stepped forward.
Her voice turned icy.
"Is this how your parents raised you?"
"Do you have any respect for your elders?"
Rose slipped her phone into her purse.
Her smile never changed.
"If you’re looking for someone to wait on you..."
She tilted her head slightly.
"I’m sure your future daughter-in-law would be happy to."
"Maybe she’ll even draw you a warm bath every night."
"After all..."
She smiled sweetly.
"As Ryan’s aunt, you’ve certainly earned that privilege."
The words landed like a slap.
Everyone present understood exactly what she meant.
Selena had married into the Knight family after becoming involved with Ryan’s father.
The remark wasn’t subtle.
It was humiliating.
Selena’s face darkened instantly.
"Who taught you to speak like this?"
"You’ve completely lost your mind."
She glared at Rose.
"Do you really think you’ll still have a place in the Knight family after talking to me this way?"
Before Rose could answer, Isabella suddenly laughed.
"Oh, come now."
She looked at Selena with obvious amusement.
"She’s just being honest."
She shrugged dramatically.
"I mean..."
"You’re not Ryan’s biological mother."
"I can see why she doesn’t feel obligated to treat you like one."
Selena’s expression stiffened.
She immediately understood what Isabella was doing.
Within a family as powerful as the Knights, alliances shifted constantly.
Everyone smiled in public while quietly undermining one another.
No one missed an opportunity to gain leverage.
Selena’s expression became even colder.
Rose, meanwhile, had already lost interest.
She walked past them without another word.
"Rose!"
Eleanor hurried toward her from across the courtyard.
"Did those two bother you?"
Rose laughed.
"They tried."
"But I don’t think they enjoyed the conversation very much."
Eleanor couldn’t help smiling.
"You’ve always had a quick tongue."
She linked arms with Rose and led her toward the garden.
Crystal chandeliers glowed beneath a glass pavilion.
Live jazz drifted through the evening air.
Servers moved between tables carrying champagne, sparkling water, and elegant hors d’oeuvres.
Everywhere she looked were familiar faces from New York’s business and philanthropic circles.
Rose chose an empty table and sat down.
She had barely picked up a teacup before two chairs scraped against the floor.
Selena.
And Isabella.
Again.
Rose watched them sit with mild disbelief.
She almost regretted holding back earlier.
Maybe she should’ve been even harsher.
Some people simply didn’t understand boundaries.
As several guests approached to greet members of the Knight family, Selena casually looked toward Rose.
"I invited someone."
She smiled politely.
"I hope you don’t mind."
Rose raised an eyebrow.
"I’m curious why you think I’d care."
She picked up her tea.
"Even if you showed up with someone on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, it wouldn’t be my problem."
Selena inhaled slowly.
She refused to lose her composure in front of so many guests.
Instead, she simply nodded toward the entrance.
"Come over."
Rose paid no attention.
She assumed it had nothing to do with her.
Then...
Out of the corner of her eye—
She saw Samantha.
Rose immediately understood.
So that was Selena’s plan.
Samantha approached with a modest smile.
"Mrs. Knight."
"Thank you for agreeing to meet me."
Selena acknowledged her with little more than a glance.
"Sit."
Earlier that afternoon, Samantha had asked to meet several senior members of the Knight family.
Ordinarily, Selena wouldn’t have bothered.
But after Rose’s sharp remarks outside...
She’d changed her mind.
If Samantha’s appearance upset Rose, all the better.
Across the table, Isabella’s face darkened the moment she saw Samantha.
She forced herself to remain silent.
This wasn’t the place to start another public argument.
Samantha also noticed Rose.
A brief flicker crossed her eyes before disappearing.
She quietly took the seat beside Selena.
She had come today for one reason.
The fallout from the Taylor family scandal hadn’t reached the Knight family yet.
Before anyone uncovered the truth about her fake identity...
She needed to secure her position.
"What is it you wanted?"
Selena asked coolly.
"If you have something to say, say it here."
Despite Ryan’s obvious affection for Samantha, Selena had never thought particularly highly of her.
Still...
If Ryan’s judgment caused the former chairman to lose confidence in him...
Her own son might finally have a chance to move closer to the center of the family’s business empire.
Rose had no interest in any of it.
Life was too short to waste time listening to people she disliked.
Ignoring the conversation entirely, she reached for a miniature honey-lavender scone.
She hadn’t eaten since leaving the lab.
She was starving.
She’d barely taken one bite—
When Samantha finally spoke.
Her voice was soft.
Almost shy.
"I actually came to share some wonderful news."
She glanced around the table.
"I wasn’t expecting to announce it in front of everyone..."
"Are you sure this is appropriate?"
Selena waved a hand dismissively.
"If it’s good news, let’s hear it."
Samantha smiled.
She slowly removed a folded medical report from her designer handbag.
Then she looked directly toward Rose before turning back to Selena.
"I wanted you to know..."
She smiled brightly.
"You’re going to be a grandmother."
Silence.
The entire table froze.
Isabella stared at Samantha in disbelief.
Selena’s hand stopped halfway to her teacup.
All eyes shifted toward the document.
It was an official prenatal laboratory report from New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
Selena blinked.
"You’re pregnant?"
Samantha nodded.
A proud smile spread across her face.
"Ryan came with me for the appointment."
"We’re having a baby."
"I thought the family deserved to hear the news."
As she spoke, her gaze deliberately drifted toward Rose.
There was unmistakable satisfaction in her smile.
"Dr. Bennett..."
Her tone turned almost playful.
"You’re such an excellent physician."
"Why don’t you check my pulse?"
She gently rested a hand over her abdomen.
"And while you’re at it..."
"Maybe you could recommend something safe that will help me have a healthy pregnancy."
She smiled sweetly.
"For Ryan’s baby."
Every word was carefully chosen.
The announcement wasn’t really for Selena.
It wasn’t for Isabella.
It was aimed squarely at Rose.