Chapter 337 Fault Lines
An uneasy silence settled over the dining room.
Conversation had resumed, but it sounded forced. One by one, members of the extended Knight family drifted back to safer topics, laughing over harmless stories as though Samantha’s spectacular outburst had never happened.
The performance was almost unsettling.
Only minutes ago, accusations had been flying across the table. Now everyone wore polished smiles, pretending nothing had happened.
Rose looked around the room.
It wasn’t just awkward.
It was surreal.
This family had perfected the art of pretending.
Every smile hid an agenda. Every polite exchange masked years of resentment, competition, or calculation. They shared the same last name, but that was where the closeness ended.
"What would you like?"
Ryan’s quiet voice pulled her back to the present.
She looked up.
He was watching her.
His expression revealed nothing.
"I’m fine," she said. "Don’t worry about me."
Without another word, Ryan reached for the seafood platter. A server had already removed the lobster meat from the shells, making it easy to serve. He placed a generous portion onto her plate before adding a side of roasted vegetables she normally liked.
He never asked again.
Rose lowered her eyes.
He remembered.
He always remembered.
Ryan had an almost frightening memory. He could meet someone once at a business conference and recall their name, title, and company months later. Remembering what she liked to eat wasn’t difficult for him.
Remembering...
Never meant caring.
"Oh, that’s nice."
Isabella let out a soft laugh.
"Nothing repairs a family’s reputation faster than a husband playing the devoted spouse."
Several people glanced toward Ryan.
"I suppose Samantha’s looking even more foolish now."
Her voice carried just enough bitterness to make everyone uncomfortable.
She still hadn’t forgiven Ryan.
Years earlier, Samantha had nearly become part of their side of the family before Ryan had stepped in and destroyed those plans. Their branch had become the subject of endless gossip because of it.
Looking back, Isabella almost considered it a blessing.
After everything that had surfaced—the affair with a university professor, the plagiarism investigation, the secret child, and now her connection to the Cooper family—Samantha had become radioactive.
Rose looked down at the food on her plate.
She couldn’t deny Isabella had said exactly what she herself had been thinking.
Ryan wasn’t taking care of her.
He was protecting appearances.
Every person sitting at this table understood that.
No one believed Ryan Knight had suddenly become an affectionate husband.
Margaret remained silent.
After everything Mrs. Cooper had caused tonight, the last thing she wanted was another public argument.
Edward finally looked toward Rose.
"You’ve been treated unfairly," he said evenly.
"Samantha has dragged your marriage through the mud for months. I trust you’re not taking anything she said seriously."
The words sounded supportive.
In reality, they placed her directly in the spotlight.
Rose almost laughed.
"I’m fine," she answered calmly.
"Nothing she said changes anything for me."
Whether Samantha loved Ryan...
Whether Ryan loved Samantha...
Whether the baby belonged to him...
None of it mattered anymore.
Ryan continued eating without looking up.
He didn’t react to a single word.
Edward nodded slowly.
"Even so, this situation affects you."
He folded his hands on the table.
"The Hill family owes the Knights an explanation. If there’s anything you’d like done, say so."
Rose understood immediately.
He wanted her blessing before making an example of Samantha.
If she agreed, she’d become the convenient villain.
If she refused, the responsibility stayed with the family.
She smiled politely.
"I don’t have any opinion."
"If the Hills have caused problems for the Knights, that’s your decision to make."
She wasn’t stepping into that trap.
Edward studied her for several seconds before giving a small nod.
The conversation moved on.
Ryan quietly slid another plate toward her.
Fresh lobster.
Perfectly arranged.
He had barely touched his own dinner.
Rose stared at it.
Ryan noticed.
"I thought this was your favorite."
"It was."
She picked up her water glass.
"Not anymore."
His eyes lifted.
"Since when?"
"Since tonight."
For the first time all evening...
Ryan had no reply.
He simply looked at her.
Then he looked away.
The rest of dinner passed with everyone distracted.
No one had much appetite anymore.
Even Ethan, usually the loudest person in the room, barely spoke.
Samantha’s collapse created a problem for him as well.
She had become the center of a scandal.
The last thing he wanted was for anyone to connect him to her—or worse, for his grandfather to discover just how involved he’d been behind the scenes.
His gaze drifted toward Ryan.
A faint smile crossed his face.
It was almost time.
As dinner came to an end, guests began saying their goodbyes.
Then everything changed.
A senior executive hurried into the room.
His face had gone completely pale.
He walked directly to Edward and lowered his voice.
"Mr. Knight..."
"We have a serious problem."
Edward frowned.
"What happened?"
"Our renewable energy expansion strategy has been leaked."
The room fell silent.
Every conversation stopped.
Edward stood so abruptly his chair scraped across the hardwood floor.
"What did you just say?"
"The confidential files were compromised."
"The entire five-year rollout."
"If competitors got the full proposal..."
He didn’t need to finish.
Everyone understood.
Knight Industries had spent years developing its expansion into the renewable energy market. The strategy involved billions of dollars in planned acquisitions, infrastructure, and government partnerships.
If competitors knew the details in advance, they could outbid them, block key contracts, or drive up acquisition costs.
The financial damage could be catastrophic.
Selena spoke first, her voice carefully measured.
"Ryan was overseeing that project."
Every eye turned toward him.
Because everyone knew the truth.
Ryan alone had controlled the initiative.
Edward had personally handed him complete authority despite objections from the rest of the family.
Now that decision suddenly looked disastrous.
Nicholas stared at his son in disbelief.
"Ryan..."
"Tell me this isn’t true."
"How does something this confidential end up in someone else’s hands?"
The disappointment in his voice was unmistakable.
Rose felt her stomach tighten.
She understood enough about corporate law to recognize how serious this was.
If Ryan couldn’t contain the damage, he could lose everything he’d spent years building inside the company.
His authority.
His position.
Even his future as Edward’s successor.
She looked at him.
Ryan remained perfectly calm.
He met Edward’s furious stare without flinching.
"I don’t have anything to add."
Edward’s face hardened.
"I don’t care what it takes."
"You fix this."
"Immediately."
The room remained frozen.
No one dared speak.
This wasn’t simply a corporate setback.
It was a direct threat to the future of Knight Industries.
For some...
It looked suspiciously like an opportunity.
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
For the first time that evening...
He looked genuinely pleased.
One by one, family members began leaving.
Phones rang constantly.
Executives rushed in and out.
The mansion had transformed into a crisis command center.
Ryan, however, didn’t move.
Instead, he turned toward Rose.
"Did you drive?"
"Yes."
"I’ll follow you home."
She blinked.
His company was on the verge of a full-scale corporate crisis.
And this was his priority?
"You have bigger problems."
"I’ll handle them."
His tone remained steady.
"Come on."
Without waiting for an answer, Ryan headed toward the front door.
As though he had already decided she was coming with him.