Chapter 455 The Final Proof
The certified copy of the divorce decree slipped from the document envelope.
Rose glanced down.
The words were printed clearly across the top.
DIVORCE DECREE.
For some reason, receiving it this way felt almost surreal.
Rose stood there for a moment, staring at the document in her hand.
She didn’t open it.
She wasn’t curious about the details. She already knew what it said.
She simply folded it back into the envelope, slipped it into her handbag, and got into her car.
That was it.
There was nothing left to say.
Having the divorce decree in her possession meant that her marriage to Ryan had officially come to an end.
And, sooner or later, she would have needed a certified copy for legal and administrative matters anyway. If Ryan hadn’t sent it to her, she would have requested one herself.
At least now, that loose end was finally tied up.
*****
Rose met Diana at a French restaurant downtown.
The city was still buzzing with the lingering New Year’s atmosphere. Decorations remained up, restaurants were crowded, and people were still taking advantage of the holiday season to meet friends and family.
Diana had already arrived and made a reservation.
The moment she spotted Rose, she waved.
"Rose! Over here."
Rose walked over and took the seat across from her. She glanced around the restaurant before looking toward the building next door.
"What’s that building?"
Diana followed her gaze.
"That? Oh, I forgot to mention it."
She lowered her voice.
"There was a major bidding process for that development site a while ago. Things got messy behind the scenes, but the city is announcing the winning bidder today. I’m guessing half the people involved will end up here for dinner afterward."
Rose raised an eyebrow.
"The property on the west side?"
"Exactly."
Rose immediately understood.
That was the development project the Robinson family had publicly withdrawn from while quietly submitting another bid through one of their subsidiaries.
Unless something unexpected had happened, the Robinsons were almost certainly going to win.
Rose picked up the menu.
"So why did you disappear over New Year’s? Weren’t your parents furious?"
Diana gave a dry laugh.
"They probably enjoyed having me gone."
Rose looked at her.
Diana shrugged.
"They’re still holding a grudge over what happened with your wedding and Trevor."
There was no regret in her voice.
Diana had made her choice.
The Robinson family’s interests might matter to her parents, but Diana had never believed they were important enough to justify sacrificing Rose’s daughter.
Besides, her parents had never exactly treated her like the favourite child. They had always been harder on her than they were on the boys in the family.
Diana didn’t believe she’d done anything wrong.
Rose’s expression softened.
"I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this."
She reached across the table and squeezed Diana’s hand.
Diana immediately pulled a face.
"Don’t start."
She gave Rose’s hand a little squeeze before letting go.
"We’re friends. Friends don’t keep score."
Rose knew better than to argue with her.
Instead, she pointed toward the menu.
"Fine. Then order whatever you want. Dinner’s on me."
Diana’s eyes lit up.
"Now that’s something I can agree to."
She picked up the menu.
"I’m still working at a TV station for a regular paycheck. I’m nothing compared with you, Miss Billionaire."
Rose gave her a look.
Diana grinned.
"And don’t even get me started on the money Ryan settled with you. You could probably live comfortably for the rest of your life without working another day."
Rose’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
She lowered her eyes to the menu.
Ryan.
Her mind went back to his trip to Europe.
He would probably be leaving within the next couple of days.
"Rose?"
Diana’s voice pulled her back.
Rose looked up.
Before she could answer, another voice came from behind her.
"What a coincidence."
Charlotte walked toward them in a pair of high heels, looking perfectly at home despite the fact that she hadn’t been invited.
She pulled out the chair beside Rose and sat down.
Diana stared at her.
"I thought you went back."
"I still have business here," Charlotte replied casually. "Liam went back ahead of me."
She crossed her arms.
"What? Are you upset because I interrupted your date?"
Diana rolled her eyes.
"We’ll survive a few days without each other."
Charlotte gave her a knowing look.
"That’s what I heard. Liam told me you’re planning to get married next week."
Rose turned toward Diana.
"Married?"
Diana’s eyes widened.
"I was going to tell you!"
She pointed accusingly at Charlotte.
"She just has no concept of letting people announce their own news."
Charlotte shrugged.
"You’re welcome."
Rose smiled despite herself.
"So you’re getting married next week?"
Diana nodded.
"We’re planning to get the marriage license next week."
"And the wedding?"
Charlotte immediately answered for her.
"There probably won’t be one."
She waved to the server and ordered another bottle of wine along with several dishes.
Diana sighed.
"It’s complicated."
Charlotte leaned back.
"Liam’s parents aren’t exactly thrilled about Diana. They have their reasons, and they’re not going to change their minds overnight."
She glanced at Diana.
"But Liam has made it clear that he’s marrying her whether they approve or not. Once they realized he wasn’t backing down, they had little choice but to accept it."
Liam had been born outside his parents’ marriage, but that had never stopped him from building a successful career.
He had proven himself at the Mercer family’s headquarters at a remarkably young age and had earned a reputation as one of the company’s most capable executives.
His future within the family business was practically guaranteed.
Diana, on the other hand, had never held an executive position within the Robinson family’s company.
She had chosen to build a career in television and entertainment instead.
Over the years, that difference in background and ambition had become increasingly difficult for Liam’s parents to ignore.
Diana frowned.
"You really don’t know how to soften anything, do you?"
Charlotte shrugged.
"I’m stating the facts."
Diana decided it wasn’t worth arguing.
She moved closer to Rose and rested her arm against hers.
"Liam and I are happy. That’s what matters."
She smiled.
"We’ve been together for six years. We don’t need a huge wedding to prove we’re serious."
Rose gave her hand a gentle pat.
"Exactly. If the two of you are happy together, everything else is just decoration."
Thankfully, Diana really was happy.
She and Liam had been together for six years, and their relationship had remained remarkably steady throughout that time.
There had been no dramatic breakups, no endless cycles of getting together and falling apart.
They had simply grown together.
Rose couldn’t help thinking that perhaps that was what lasting love was supposed to look like.
Diana smiled and nodded.
Then her gaze shifted suspiciously toward Charlotte.
"Speaking of relationships..."
She looked between Charlotte and Rose.
"Why are the two of you suddenly so close?"
Charlotte raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You and Rose were practically supposed to be rivals," Diana said. "At least, that’s how things looked from the outside."
Charlotte snorted.
"Ryan and I were never engaged. I liked him. He didn’t feel the same way. That’s the end of the story."
She reached for her glass.
"Why would I blame Rose for that?"
Diana stared at her.
Charlotte continued calmly.
"Besides, I’m allowed to make friends with whoever I want."
There was something different about Charlotte now.
She had finally accepted that chasing a man who didn’t want her wasn’t going to change anything.
Waiting around for Ryan to suddenly realize what he had lost wasn’t exactly a life plan.
And Charlotte Mercer had far too much pride to spend years doing that.
Diana finally understood.
Charlotte really did like Rose.
Her attitude was still as blunt and arrogant as ever, but she had willingly chosen to become close to Rose.
Diana forced a smile.
"You really do make friends everywhere."
"Not everywhere."
Charlotte took a sip of wine.
"Thankfully, there aren’t that many people I actually want to become close to."
Diana’s smile disappeared.
A strange sense of danger settled over her.
Perfect.
Before she could say anything else, Charlotte’s phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Robert.
Her expression immediately changed.
"Excuse me. I need to take this."
She stood and walked outside.
*****
The moment she stepped outside the restaurant, Charlotte answered.
"Happy New Year, old man."
Robert’s voice came through the phone.
"Happy New Year, sweetheart."
The Mercers and the Hale family had been close for generations, and Robert had always treated Charlotte like a daughter.
Charlotte smiled.
"You’re calling at a ridiculous hour. Different time zone, remember? Are you sure your old body can handle staying up just to call me?"
Robert scoffed.
"If I call earlier, you’re still asleep. If I call later, you’re still asleep. When exactly am I supposed to reach you?"
Charlotte touched her nose.
He wasn’t wrong.
She did have a habit of sleeping until late morning whenever she could get away with it.
"Fine. You’re still my favourite."
She smiled, her eyes narrowing with amusement.
Robert laughed.
Then his voice became more serious.
"I spoke with your parents, by the way."
Charlotte’s smile faded slightly.
"They told me you fell for Ryan almost immediately, and he turned you down without giving you a chance."
Robert sighed.
"I was worried you’d take it badly, so I thought I’d check on you."
Charlotte’s face heated with irritation.
"It wasn’t because he rejected me."
She folded her arms.
"He simply didn’t have the good sense to recognize what was in front of him."
Robert laughed under his breath.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
"Old man."
"I’m serious, Charlotte."
His voice softened.
"You need to let this go. There’s no future in chasing Ryan."
Charlotte’s expression became thoughtful.
Robert continued.
"If I’d known your parents were trying to arrange a marriage between you and Ryan from the beginning, I would have done everything I could to stop them."
Charlotte’s brows drew together.
"Why?"