Ryan hadn’t been expecting Rose to shove him.
Caught completely off guard, his tall frame staggered backward.
He took two unsteady steps before catching himself.
For some reason, his body suddenly felt unusually heavy, making it difficult to keep his balance.
Lowering his gaze, he frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Rose instinctively pulled Ariel behind her.
She no longer trusted Ryan.
Especially now that he believed Ariel was the daughter she had with Trevor.
Seeing him alone with Ariel...
She couldn’t stay calm.
What frightened her even more were the faint bloodstains on Ryan’s white shirt.
For one terrifying moment, she thought he might have hurt Ariel.
Ryan raised a hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
His head felt strangely dizzy.
Only then did he look at Rose.
His vision had begun to blur, yet he could still clearly see the suspicion and hostility in her eyes.
He said nothing.
Just then, his phone rang.
Ryan answered.
Samantha’s anxious voice came through the speaker.
"Ryan... when are you coming upstairs?"
"I’m not feeling well."
"Could you come up for a minute?"
Without another word to Rose, Ryan turned away.
Steadying himself briefly against the hallway railing, he walked off with long strides.
Rose watched him disappear around the corner.
Only then did the tension in her body finally ease.
She neither cared nor wondered how Ryan and Samantha’s evening would end.
Looking down, she gently asked, "Ariel..."
"Did he say anything to you?"
"Or do anything?"
Ariel immediately noticed how tense Rose was.
She raised the hand covered with a Band-Aid.
"No."
"I accidentally cut my hand."
"Uncle Ryan cleaned it and put this on for me."
Then she looked up curiously.
"Mom..."
"What are you so afraid of?"
She had noticed long ago.
Whenever her mother was around Ryan...
Everything became different.
Friends weren’t supposed to act this way.
Rose fell silent.
Looking down at Ariel’s bandaged hand, she chose not to answer.
"It was bleeding?"
"Did you lose a lot of blood?"
Ever since Ariel was born, everyone around her had been extraordinarily careful.
Even the smallest scrape was enough to worry them.
Ariel hugged Rose.
"It’s okay, Mom."
"It was just a tiny cut."
Rose finally let out a breath.
A moment ago...
She had allowed her imagination to run wild.
She had actually suspected Ryan might take out his resentment on an innocent child simply because Ariel was Trevor’s daughter.
Then another thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Ryan hadn’t seemed quite right.
His steps had been noticeably unsteady.
She frowned.
Maybe...
He’d had too much to drink.
Whatever the reason...
It wasn’t her concern anymore.
******
Upstairs...
Samantha finished another glass of water.
It finally eased the nervousness in her chest.
After ending the call, she switched off the main lights in the suite.
She slipped off her robe...
Then climbed into bed.
Earlier...
She had deliberately told Ryan she wasn’t feeling well.
It was the perfect excuse to get him alone.
She had even dissolved a small, carefully measured dose of medication into her bathwater.
That way...
If anyone asked later...
She could truthfully claim she hadn’t realized anything unusual.
Just thinking about spending the night alone with Ryan...
Her heartbeat quickened.
Her cheeks flushed bright red.
A few moments later...
Footsteps stopped outside the suite.
Her heart pounded.
Softly, she called, "Ryan..."
******
Rose planned to take Ariel back to the room so she could properly clean and disinfect the cut.
The elevator stopped on the thirty-first floor.
Suddenly...

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid