Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid novel Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Ryan’s Growing Suspicion

“Ryan, what were you two talking about?”

Samantha’s voice came from behind him.

She had already returned.

Ryan paused slightly and turned to glance at her.

Having retrieved the bag she’d left in the car, Samantha walked toward him with a smile.

Oliver exhaled a ring of smoke and chuckled. “Nothing much. Just chatting with Ryan.”

He deliberately made no mention of Rose.

Only then did Ryan look back toward where Rose and the little girl had been standing.

The entrance to the alley was completely empty.

It was as though that brief glance from the child had been nothing more than an illusion.

For some reason, Ryan’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

A vague feeling brushed past him and disappeared without a trace.

Samantha, however, noticed that he was staring thoughtfully in that direction.

She stepped closer. “Ryan? Is someone over there?”

Only then did Ryan feel Samantha gently tug at the sleeve of his suit.

His gaze shifted back.

Looking down at her, he replied, “No. It’s nothing.”

With that, he turned and walked back toward the restaurant courtyard.

Samantha followed with a smile.

The restaurant was filled with friends and business associates that evening.

James was seated beside Oliver, which was how he learned they had run into Rose earlier.

“We reserved the entire place for a private gathering, and she just happened to show up,” Oliver said casually. “If the manager hadn’t told her the venue was booked, she probably wouldn’t have left.”

He shrugged, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.

James paused in the middle of taking a sip of his drink. “She was here?”

“She was. She probably heard about the event and followed Ryan over.”

James fell silent.

What exactly was Rose trying to do?

Hadn’t they just finalized their divorce?

After acting so determined and resolute that day, was she already looking into Ryan’s whereabouts?

Had divorce become yet another tactic she was using to win him back?

The thought crossed his mind.

For some reason, the corners of James’s lips curved upward slightly, but a trace of unease flickered in his eyes.

“What’s wrong? You seem distracted, Mr. Taylor,” Samantha asked with concern.

Ryan leaned back in his chair and slowly sipped his brandy.

Out of the corner of his eye, he cast a casual glance at James.

James set down his glass. “Nothing.”

Then he turned toward Samantha. “How did things end up between you and Rose? I heard you withdrew from the project team.”

At the mention of the project, the smile on Samantha’s face faded slightly.

“Yes. I withdrew voluntarily.”

Her tone was calm, but there was a hint of indignation beneath it.

“A project of that caliber shouldn’t become a vehicle for certain people to pad their résumés through personal connections. If that happened, the scientific integrity of the project would be compromised. My principles won’t allow it.”

Everyone present knew exactly who she was referring to.

They were equally familiar with Rose’s background.

An emergency room physician.

To them, it was difficult to understand how someone with such limited research credentials had gained access to a project of this level.

“You and Rose started from completely different positions,” Oliver said comfortingly. “She was lucky enough to get her foot in the door. You’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future. You don’t need this project.”

Only then did Samantha smile again and shake her head helplessly.

“It’s fine. I heard that Rose has been relying on President Byrne’s support to make sweeping changes to my formula ratios in the research group. She’s replaced my entire formulation.”

She sighed softly. “She seems to be taking things a little too personally. After all, I’m her older sister. There’s no need for her to prove herself this way. If altering the ratios leads to a major failure, it’ll only be the result of her own overconfidence.”

She had heard the news from a friend at Columbia University.

The thought still irritated her.

If the project succeeded, every trace of her contribution would be erased.

Just how desperate was Rose to remove her influence from the final product?

With her mind consumed by petty rivalry and competition, how far could she really go?

“Ryan, what do you think?” Samantha turned to look at the man beside her.

Ryan lowered his eyes thoughtfully, his fingertips tracing the rim of his glass.

Then he looked up.

Instead of answering her question, he changed the subject entirely.

“Does Caleb have a child?”

The question came completely out of nowhere.

James blinked. “No. He’s the only son of the Byrne family. He’s not even married. Where would a child come from?”

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