Chapter 332 The Truth on the Big Screen
Ryan’s expression never changed.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of anger in his voice.
Only the detached composure of a man completely in control.
That calmness cut deeper than rage ever could.
It pierced straight through Samantha.
She stared at him in disbelief.
Around them, conversations died away.
Guests who had been laughing over champagne only moments earlier now openly watched the drama unfold.
The ballroom had become silent enough to hear a fork touch a plate.
Everyone wanted to know what would happen next.
Even Rose forgot, for a moment, that Samantha had dragged her into this spectacle.
Her eyes shifted between Samantha and Ryan.
Something about this...
Didn’t add up.
Samantha’s lips trembled.
"Ryan..."
"What are you talking about?"
Ryan leaned back in his chair.
His voice remained even.
"The pregnancy is only two weeks along."
"You know better than anyone who the father is."
Clink.
A champagne flute slipped from Ethan’s hand.
It struck a serving tray with a sharp metallic sound.
His face instantly darkened.
His eyes locked onto Samantha.
Samantha’s blood ran cold.
She looked at Ryan.
His eyes were exactly the same as they had always been.
Cold.
Detached.
Impossible to read.
Only now did she realize something she’d refused to see for years.
Everything she’d believed...
Had existed only in her imagination.
Ryan had never promised her love.
Never promised marriage.
Never even implied a future.
"No..."
She shook her head frantically.
"No, that’s impossible."
She rushed toward him.
"There has to be some misunderstanding."
"We were together that night."
"You’ve always taken care of me."
"You’ve always treated me differently."
She sounded desperate.
Panicked.
Before she could reach him—
Two security officers quietly stepped in front of Ryan.
Blocking her path.
Ryan finally looked directly at her.
"If someone investing in your company makes you believe you’re in a romantic relationship..."
He paused.
"I’d suggest improving your judgment."
"So you don’t embarrass yourself like this again."
His tone remained perfectly calm.
Yet every word landed like a blade.
Rose had always known Ryan could be merciless when he wanted to be.
But seeing that cold precision directed at Samantha...
Even she felt conflicted.
Samantha looked as though she’d forgotten how to breathe.
Delusional.
That was what he thought of her.
The contrast between the fantasy she’d built and reality completely shattered her.
She couldn’t understand it.
How had Ryan figured out the truth?
How could he possibly know what had happened that night?
Tears streamed down her face.
"Ryan..."
"You only believe this because Rose poisoned you against me."
"You know I’ve only ever loved you."
Instinctively, Ryan’s eyes drifted toward Rose.
She was staring at him with obvious confusion.
For the briefest moment—
The corner of his mouth lifted.
The expression disappeared almost immediately.
"This has nothing to do with Rose."
He looked back at Samantha.
"She isn’t the type to waste time being jealous."
Rose frowned.
Something about that sentence sounded strangely pointed.
Before she could think about it further—
Ryan continued.
"You insist the baby is mine."
"Fine."
"I’m willing to arrange prenatal DNA testing."
"We can settle this scientifically."
The words crushed the last thread of hope Samantha had been clinging to.
Prenatal DNA testing.
She couldn’t possibly agree.
Her knees gave out beneath her.
She collapsed onto the marble floor.
She didn’t even realize she was crying anymore.
Her silence...
Answered every question.
No denial could undo what everyone had just witnessed.
The whispers spread immediately.
"So she lied from the beginning."
"If Mr. Knight actually wanted her, why would she need to force the issue?"
"She really thought getting pregnant would buy her way into the Knight family?"
"That’s unbelievably shameless."
"And wasn’t she supposed to be some brilliant researcher?"
"What a disgrace."
Every sentence struck Samantha harder than the last.
Her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
Rose looked at her complicatedly.
Only a short while ago...
Samantha had confidently declared that tonight would be the night she officially entered the Knight family.
Now...
Everything had collapsed.
Rose’s eyes slowly shifted toward Edward Knight.
The elderly patriarch remained seated exactly where he’d been all evening.
He calmly lifted his teacup.
Not once had he shown surprise.
Not once had he interrupted Samantha.
Only now did Rose fully understand.
Edward had never intended to welcome Samantha into the family.
He had simply allowed her to expose herself.
Piece by piece.
Until there was nowhere left to retreat.
It wasn’t a welcome banquet.
It had been a carefully prepared trap.
By letting Samantha publicly reveal her own lies—
The Knight family emerged as the victims of deception instead of the center of scandal.
Their reputation remained untouched.
A chill ran through Rose.
Edward hadn’t raised his voice once.
Yet he’d completely controlled the outcome from beginning to end.
Before anyone could react—
Samantha suddenly crawled forward again.
Still unwilling to surrender.
"Ryan..."
She sobbed openly.
"I don’t know why you’ve misunderstood me."
"But all these years..."
"You’re the only man I’ve ever loved."
Several guests exchanged uncertain looks.
Her tears were convincing enough that a few people actually hesitated.
Then Edward finally spoke.
His deep voice echoed through the ballroom.
"It appears your parents failed to teach you one important lesson."
He regarded Samantha coolly.
"How much longer do you intend to keep lying?"
He gave a slight nod.
One of his assistants immediately signaled the audiovisual staff.
The massive LED wall behind the stage flickered to life.
Samantha instinctively looked up.
Her heartbeat stopped.
The first image appeared.
Then another.
And another.
A detailed investigative report unfolded across the enormous screen.
It documented her years overseas.
Private photographs.
Records of overlapping relationships.
Luxury trips funded by wealthy boyfriends.
Messages.
Financial transfers.
The ballroom fell deathly silent.
Then came something worse.
Documents from her doctoral program.
Evidence showing she had falsely accused her faculty advisor of sexual misconduct after a dispute over patent ownership.
The investigation had destroyed his reputation.
He’d lost his university position.
Lost the lawsuit.
Lost everything.
Samantha, meanwhile, had quietly taken control of the research project and listed the breakthrough among her own accomplishments.
It became the foundation of her career.
The professor—
Unable to recover from the scandal—
Had later attempted suicide.
He survived.
But was left permanently paralyzed.
Gasps echoed throughout the ballroom.
No one expected a history this devastating.
The slideshow continued.
One revelation after another.
Until...
The final photograph appeared.
It had clearly been taken inside a hospital overseas.
In the picture—
A much younger Samantha sat in a hospital bed wearing a patient gown.
Cradled carefully in her arms...
Was a newborn baby.