Chapter 356 The Fall That Changed Everything
Everything happened too quickly.
So quickly that Rose almost convinced herself it wasn’t real.
It had to be a nightmare.
A horrible hallucination caused by the drug still running through her body.
She wished that when she opened her eyes again, Ariel would be standing in front of her with that bright little smile, telling her about her day at kindergarten, complaining about her classmates, and wrapping her tiny arms around her waist.
She wished she could hear her daughter’s voice again.
But the scream that tore through the rooftop was real.
And so was the empty space where Ariel had been standing.
Rose’s mind went completely blank.
A moment earlier, Ryan and Trevor had moved at the same time.
Neither man showed panic.
Neither hesitated.
They both knew exactly who was in danger.
Rose and Ariel.
Trevor reached Rose first.
Her body had already lost most of its strength because of whatever drug Samantha had forced into her system. Her legs gave out beneath her, and Trevor barely managed to catch her before she fell over the edge.
But even as he pulled her back, Rose couldn’t look away.
She had seen everything.
She had watched Samantha do it.
She had watched her own daughter being treated like nothing more than an object standing in the way of her escape.
Samantha hadn’t pushed Ariel because she wanted to hurt her.
She had pushed her because, for one selfish second, she valued her own life more.
And that realization was more horrifying than anything else.
Meanwhile, Ryan moved.
Two steps.
That was all he had time for.
Ariel was already falling.
There was no way he could stand on the ledge and simply reach down.
So he made a decision.
A reckless one.
A desperate one.
He jumped.
His body flew over the edge as he reached forward and grabbed Ariel in midair.
The instant he caught her, he twisted his body.
He turned himself beneath her.
Protecting her.
Shielding her.
When they fell, Ariel landed on top of him.
Ryan wrapped both arms around her small body, covering her head with his hands and using himself as a shield.
Then they disappeared from view.
“No...”
Rose’s voice broke.
Something inside her snapped.
A burst of strength she didn’t know she had surged through her body.
She shoved Trevor away.
“Rose!”
But she didn’t hear him.
She stumbled toward the edge.
Her only thought was Ariel.
Her daughter.
Her baby.
She reached the railing and looked down.
And then she froze.
Below them, on the open balcony of the second floor, a huge emergency rescue air cushion had been placed there.
Rose didn’t know when it had arrived.
She didn’t care.
All she saw was movement.
People rushing forward.
A crowd gathering.
And in the center of it—
Ryan.
And Ariel.
Alive.
Oliver was the first person to reach them.
Rose’s vision blurred instantly.
Tears filled her eyes.
She couldn’t tell if they were tears of fear or relief.
She couldn’t even see clearly enough to know how badly they were hurt.
Before she could move again, James grabbed her.
“Rose!”
He pulled her away from the edge.
For one terrifying second, he had thought she was going to jump.
Trevor’s expression turned frighteningly cold.
He immediately turned to his security team.
“Take Samantha into custody.”
His voice was sharp.
“Do not let her leave. She can explain everything to the police.”
“No...”
Samantha’s face had gone pale.
She looked completely frozen.
She had seen it.
She had watched Ryan jump.
He had jumped without hesitation.
Not for her.
For Ariel.
A child who wasn’t even his by blood.
A child who had nothing to do with him.
“Ryan...”
Her voice trembled.
“How is Ryan?”
She struggled against the security guards.
“I need to know. Is Ryan okay?”
But Trevor didn’t even look at her.
His anger had reached its limit.
Ariel had been thrown from a rooftop.
Rose had nearly been pushed over the edge.
Two lives.
Two people he cared about.
Both almost lost because of Samantha.
“You don’t get to ask about him.”
Trevor stepped closer.
His eyes were filled with disgust.
“You nearly killed my daughter.”
Samantha froze.
Trevor’s voice dropped lower.
“You’re finished.”
He turned away from her.
“Your life is over.”
*****
Trevor had expected the worst when he reached the edge.
He had prepared himself to see something he would never forget.
But when he saw the rescue cushion below, he finally released the breath he had been holding.
At that height, with Ryan taking most of the impact, there was still hope.
He immediately turned back to Rose.
“Rose.”
He crouched in front of her.
“Look at me.”
But Rose couldn’t focus.
Her heart was still racing.
Her entire body was shaking.
“There’s a medical team inside the hotel,” Trevor said gently. “They’re ready to take you to the hospital.”
He reached out.
“I’m taking you there.”
Rose barely responded.
She only nodded.
Her legs were already too weak to support her.
Trevor helped her stand.
The thought kept repeating in her mind.
Ariel.
Her daughter.
Her little girl had been thrown away right in front of her.
No mother could endure that.
Behind them, Samantha’s screams echoed across the rooftop as security dragged her away.
But Rose heard nothing.
She only cared about one thing.
Ariel.
*****
Victoria rushed over after Derick caught her.
Her face was filled with guilt.
“Rose...”
She looked shaken.
“I’m sorry.”
Rose didn’t respond.
Victoria swallowed.
“My hands were tied, and when the helicopter came down, the wind was stronger than I expected. I lost my balance.”
Her voice trembled.
“I know saying sorry doesn’t fix anything, but please...”
She looked at Derick.
“Please don’t blame him.”
She was afraid.
Afraid that Rose would hate Derick after everything that happened.
But Rose didn’t even look at them.
She was exhausted.
Broken.
Nothing mattered anymore.
Not Derick.
Not Victoria.
Not Samantha.
Only Ariel.
Trevor supported her as they walked away.
Then he glanced at James.
“Mr. Taylor.”
James looked over.
“Can you handle Samantha?”
Trevor’s voice was quiet.
“I need to stay with Rose.”
James understood immediately.
He already suspected the truth.
Rose’s connection to the Taylor family.
And if Samantha’s actions had nearly killed Rose...
Then the Taylor family had a responsibility.
“I’ll handle it,” James said.
*****
“Rose.”
Derick’s voice stopped her.
For a moment, his lips moved.
He wanted to explain.
He wanted to say something.
Anything.
But Rose didn’t turn around.
She either hadn’t heard him...
Or she simply didn’t want to.
Derick stood frozen.
A strange emptiness spread through his chest.
Victoria gently reached for his hand.
James watched the scene with a cold expression.
Then he spoke.
“Do you understand what almost happened?”
Derick looked at him.
James’s voice sharpened.
“You almost got Rose killed.”
Derick’s expression changed.
“If Samantha had panicked and pushed her over the edge, what then?”
James stepped closer.
“Would you be able to forgive yourself?”
Derick said nothing.
“You can’t fix everything by choosing someone and calling it the right thing to do.”
James glanced at Victoria.
“She nearly lost her life too.”
Victoria lowered her head.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
“It’s my fault.”
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“If I hadn’t lost my balance...”
“If I hadn’t been brought here...”
“If I had been more careful...”
She covered her face.
“I’m sorry.”
Derick’s mood darkened.
He didn’t know who he was angry with anymore.
Victoria.
Rose.
Samantha.
Or himself.
Seeing Victoria blame herself like always only made the frustration inside him worse.
“James,” Derick said coldly.
“She’s your elder.”
James laughed bitterly.
“Is she?”
He stared at him.
“Is she officially part of the Taylor family?”
Derick’s face changed.
James continued.
“Don’t forget what happened today.”
“She nearly killed your daughter.”
“And she nearly killed your granddaughter.”
His voice became colder.
“You call that being family?”
Victoria didn’t defend herself.
She only whispered:
“I’m sorry...”
Derick looked away.
“Stop.”
He couldn’t stand hearing her apologize again.
“You always take responsibility for everything.”
His voice softened slightly.
“You’re too kind for your own good.”
James didn’t answer.
He simply walked away.
*****
By the time Trevor reached the ground floor with Rose, Ryan and Ariel had already been placed inside the ambulance.
The nearest hospital was far away.
At least thirty minutes.
Rose immediately climbed inside.
“I’m going with Ariel.”
Trevor didn’t argue.
He knew there was no way he could stop her.
He watched as the ambulance doors closed.
Then he turned back toward the hotel.
There were dozens of guests.
Dozens of witnesses.
And every single one of them had seen what happened.
Trevor’s expression hardened.
Not a single detail from today could leak.
Because once the public found out that the Robinson family’s daughter had been thrown from a rooftop...
And that the Knight family heir had jumped after her...
The entire country would explode.
Neither the Robinson family nor the Knight family could afford that kind of scandal.