Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid novel Chapter 266

Chapter 266: Chapter 266 A Victory Interrupted

Ryan’s answer was decisive.

Samantha’s face lit up with delight, her smile growing even sweeter. It stood in sharp contrast to the solemn atmosphere of the occasion, drawing the attention of those nearby.

After all, today was about competition.

Everyone else was tense and focused, unable to relax.

Only Samantha’s group was chatting and laughing as though they had already won.

Rose wasn’t sitting very far away.

Close enough to sense the warm, harmonious atmosphere surrounding them.

She had no idea what they were discussing.

Whatever Ryan had said must have pleased Samantha immensely.

The next second, Rose noticed Samantha looking at her.

Their eyes met.

The smile on Samantha’s lips widened even further.

She looked confident, proud—like a victorious general surveying a defeated opponent.

A trace of contempt flickered in her eyes.

Rose frowned.

She must be crazy.

Seeing that Rose offered no reaction—and seemed to be deliberately ignoring her—Samantha let out a silent, disdainful snort.

She was certain she would claim first place today.

Appearing on the television show alongside Ryan would be equivalent to publicly announcing that they were family.

The audience would naturally support them as a couple.

People admired winners.

Once her accomplishments were revealed on the show, she and Ryan would be celebrated as a match made in heaven.

The Knight family would have no choice but to accept her.

And by agreeing to appear on the program with her, Ryan had already tacitly acknowledged both their relationship and its future.

As for Rose...

Naturally, she had already been eliminated.

Not just out of the picture romantically, but today...

Samantha gave a subtle, quiet chuckle.

Just then, Caleb walked over.

From a distance, he had noticed Rose sitting quietly by herself, with hardly anyone around her, while Ryan’s table was lively with conversation.

He strode over. “Nervous?”

Rose glanced at him. “I’m fine.”

Caleb felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.

She was still so young, yet she had already endured so much heartbreak.

Meanwhile, her ex-husband sat only a short distance away, openly supporting his new love and giving her every advantage imaginable.

How lonely must Rose feel?

“My father told me Dr. Nathan said your paper is in a league of its own,” Caleb said. “You’ve practically got this in the bag.”

Rose immediately muttered in dissatisfaction, “That old geezer didn’t say a single nice thing to my face.”

Caleb clicked his tongue. “With your personality? If Dr. Nathan praised you even once, you’d probably start floating.”

Rose didn’t deny it.

She wasn’t nearly as composed as people imagined.

She had simply been pushed forward by circumstance.

Nor was she especially resilient.

She dealt with problems one at a time.

If she could solve them, she did.

If she couldn’t...

She simply accepted them.

Had it not been for her mentors, her friends, and Ariel, she would have been perfectly content drifting through life without any grand ambitions.

Caleb leaned closer and lowered his voice.

“You and Trevor...”

“It’s true.”

Rose knew exactly what he was about to ask.

Caleb inhaled sharply. “You two are actually serious? I thought Diana was just fantasizing again.”

He instinctively glanced toward Ryan. “If Mr. Knight finds out you married Trevor just to completely cut him off from his own daughter... wouldn’t that create a huge conflict with the Robinson family?”

A man like Ryan...

Someone who had always stood at the very top...

He had never been forced to swallow such humiliation.

Everything Rose had hidden from him—

Every decision she had made—

Would look like deception, manipulation, and betrayal in his eyes.

If he learned the truth...

Wouldn’t he completely lose control?

“He won’t.” Rose answered quietly.

She looked at Caleb.

“He doesn’t care that I’m marrying Trevor. He hasn’t reacted at all.”

“Maybe... I overestimated how much he cares about his biological daughter.”

Lately, she had begun questioning herself.

Perhaps she had imagined everything.

Even if Ryan learned Ariel was his daughter...

He probably wouldn’t fight her for custody.

After all, if he didn’t even love the child’s mother...

How much affection could he possibly have for the child?

A father’s sense of responsibility—

If it wasn’t rooted in love for the child’s mother—

Was often much weaker than people imagined.

Ryan could have children with anyone.

Perhaps the only child he truly wanted was one born from love with the woman he cherished.

If he discovered Ariel was his daughter...

Maybe he would even see her as an obstacle standing in the way of that future.

Caleb didn’t know what to say.

Because...

He was beginning to doubt things himself.

Ryan had always appeared so cold.

Could someone like him really lose his mind over a child?

The symposium was about to begin.

Since Caleb wasn’t part of the research team, he returned to the audience section.

Alicia also finished speaking with several classmates and sat down behind Rose.

She looked surprisingly relaxed.

Rose looked toward the front row.

Seated there were some of the country’s most influential medical experts.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify