Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid

Samantha’s voice remained soft and courteous.

Anyone listening from a distance would have thought she was simply making a heartfelt request.

Only Rose saw what lay beneath the smile.

Mockery.

Triumph.

A challenge.

Samantha’s eyes never left her.

She had no intention of letting Rose stay out of the conversation.

If she was going to announce her pregnancy, then Rose would become part of the announcement.

Selena quietly sipped her tea, hiding the satisfied smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

She knew exactly how painful this would be for Rose.

And she was perfectly content to watch.

"So..." Rose said calmly, setting down her half-eaten scone.

"Ryan sent you to ask me for prenatal care?"

The direct question caught Samantha off guard for only a heartbeat.

Then she smiled again.

"I wasn’t expecting to see you here."

She lowered her eyes modestly.

"You’re Dr. Hale’s most accomplished student."

"Ryan and I treasure this baby."

"It would give us both peace of mind if someone with your expertise looked after the pregnancy."

She never actually said Ryan had asked.

She didn’t need to.

Every carefully chosen word suggested it had been a decision they’d made together.

Rose let out a quiet laugh.

There wasn’t a trace of warmth in it.

"So your child..."

She looked Samantha straight in the eye.

"...is somehow my responsibility now?"

Samantha’s smile faltered.

Rose continued.

"Aren’t you worried?"

"What if someone forced into caring for a patient she doesn’t want slips something into the treatment?"

Her tone remained almost conversational.

"What if I accidentally prescribed the wrong medication?"

The implication was unmistakable.

Samantha immediately looked stricken.

Her eyes reddened almost instantly.

Without asking permission, she pulled out the chair beside Rose and sat down.

"I know this is painful for you."

Her voice trembled.

"For all those years..."

"You and Ryan never had children."

"But sometimes..."

She sighed softly.

"We have to accept reality."

"You should let him go."

"Don’t keep holding on to him."

"Don’t make him..."

Her gaze lowered lovingly to her own abdomen.

"...or our baby..."

"...waste any more time."

The surrounding conversations had already begun to quiet.

Several guests discreetly glanced toward their table.

Rose watched Samantha perform for the audience.

On the surface, she sounded sympathetic.

In reality...

Every sentence was meant to establish herself as the winner.

She wasn’t asking for compassion.

She was declaring victory.

And she’d chosen Eleanor’s garden party—where gossip spread faster than wildfire—to do it.

With Selena sitting beside her, the picture looked almost complete.

A future mother-in-law.

A future daughter-in-law.

United against the woman Ryan had supposedly left behind.

Just then Eleanor noticed the growing crowd and walked over.

She arrived just in time to hear Samantha say, "A baby deserves to be born into a proper family."

Eleanor’s expression hardened immediately.

She looked around.

"When did we start letting uninvited guests wander into private events?"

Before Samantha could answer, Selena set down her teacup.

"I’m afraid that’s my responsibility."

Her smile remained graceful.

"I invited her."

"You know how complicated family situations can be."

"I’d rather not interfere with matters between young people."

She had no desire to offend Eleanor.

The Byrne family was one of New York’s oldest banking dynasties.

Maintaining that relationship mattered.

Rose knew Eleanor was angry on her behalf.

She also knew how much effort had gone into hosting today’s gathering.

She had no intention of letting Samantha ruin it.

Her fingers slowly traced the rim of her teacup.

Across from her, Samantha watched confidently.

She believed she’d already won.

Then—

Rose stood.

Without the slightest hesitation—

She lifted her teacup.

And calmly poured its contents over Samantha’s head.

Warm Earl Grey cascaded through Samantha’s carefully styled hair.

Down her designer dress.

Across her shoulders.

Gasps erupted around the table.

Samantha shot to her feet.

"What are you doing?"

Her voice trembled with outrage.

"I was only telling the truth."

"Did you really have to humiliate me?"

Rose calmly placed the empty cup back onto its saucer.

"Yes."

"I did."

She folded her hands in front of her.

"You insisted on humiliating me in front of everyone."

"I simply returned the favor."

She looked directly at Samantha.

"You begged me publicly."

"If I hadn’t responded, people might’ve thought I was ignoring you."

She smiled faintly.

"Since you’re so willing to stand here pretending to be morally superior..."

"You must already know how shameful your own behavior is."

"In comparison..."

She glanced at the tea dripping from Samantha’s hair.

"...this seems pretty mild."

Laughter quietly rippled through several nearby tables.

Rose wasn’t interested in avoiding a scene anymore.

If everyone wanted entertainment...

She was happy to provide it.

After all...

If today’s events became tomorrow’s headlines, the embarrassment wouldn’t belong to her.

It would belong to the Knight family.

Samantha’s face flushed crimson.

Instinctively, she covered her stomach.

"I’m carrying Ryan’s child."

"If anything happens to this baby because of you..."

"How will you explain yourself?"

Rose’s smile turned colder.

"Then call him."

Her answer came without hesitation.

"Bring Ryan here."

"I’ll pour another cup right in front of him."

She tilted her head.

"If the two of you are so eager to become one happy little family..."

"Why don’t you both kneel right here on this lawn and apologize to me first?"

"I’ll think about forgiving you."

"You—"

Samantha was speechless.

Every prepared line she’d rehearsed had been rendered useless.

Ryan?

Kneel?

Apologize?

Rose had to be out of her mind.

Nearby, Isabella had gone from furious to thoroughly entertained.

Unable to resist, she looked toward Selena.

"My goodness."

She shook her head dramatically.

"As Ryan’s stepmother, aren’t you going to say something?"

She sighed theatrically.

"Then again..."

"I suppose it’s easier not to care when he isn’t really your son."

The knife slid neatly between Selena’s ribs.

Selena’s expression instantly cooled.

She shot Samantha a displeased glance.

The pregnancy announcement had certainly caused a stir.

But instead of humiliating Rose...

It had become a public spectacle.

If she continued sitting quietly, people would eventually blame her as well.

Before Selena could speak—

Eleanor finally lost her patience.

"My garden party isn’t a reality show."

Her normally gentle voice rang across the courtyard.

"Security."

She reached over and took Rose’s hand.

"Please escort Ms. Hill out."

Samantha pressed her lips together.

She had already accomplished what she’d come to do.

The Knight family would hear about her pregnancy before sunset.

There was no need to stay.

"I’ll leave on my own."

She picked up her handbag.

Eleanor’s expression didn’t soften.

She turned politely toward Selena.

"Mrs. Knight."

"I’m afraid your family has quite a bit to discuss."

"I won’t keep you any longer."

It was an unmistakably polite dismissal.

Selena understood immediately.

She rose with practiced elegance.

"Thank you for having us."

"We’ll see each other another time."

The three women left together.

Only after they disappeared through the garden gate did Rose quietly exhale.

She would have been lying if she said none of it affected her.

She had walked away from Ryan.

She no longer loved him.

But that didn’t erase the years of hurt.

Or the humiliation.

Or the countless disappointments she’d endured during their marriage.

Those memories didn’t simply disappear because the relationship had ended.

Eleanor gently squeezed the back of her hand.

"If you ask me..."

She smiled reassuringly.

"The Knight family is about to have a very interesting few weeks."

"That girl’s clearly trying to pressure Ryan into marriage."

"That’s their problem."

"Don’t let it become yours."

Rose smiled.

"I won’t."

As for Ryan...

And Samantha...

She sincerely wished them well.

If they were finally getting the family they’d always wanted...

Then Ariel would no longer be the only grandchild who mattered.

Maybe Ryan would finally stop trying to involve himself in her daughter’s life.

******

Outside the Byrne estate, Isabella ripped off her silk scarf and threw it onto the pavement.

"I absolutely refuse to let that Hill woman marry into this family!"

She rounded on Selena.

"I know exactly what you’re doing."

"If Ryan stumbles, your son benefits the most."

"You’ve been hoping Samantha would drag Ryan into another scandal so your branch of the family can move up."

Her eyes blazed.

"Forget it."

"It isn’t happening."

"I’m calling Chairman Knight tonight."

"He needs to come back to New York and clean up this mess himself."

For the first time that afternoon...

Selena’s composure cracked.

If Edward Knight returned from Europe early...

Everything would become much more complicated.

******

The garden party lasted another two hours before the last guests began filtering out.

Rose slipped away through a quieter side entrance, hoping to avoid the departing crowd.

She had barely stepped outside—

When she walked directly into someone.

She instinctively looked up.

Ryan stood before her.

His expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever.

As though nothing in the world could ever disturb him.