Chapter 367 The Question He Had Been Avoiding
Samantha’s shrill, anguished cries gradually faded into the distance.
Rose had already anticipated what awaited her.
This time, Samantha had nothing left to shield her. With multiple offences hanging over her, she would likely spend the rest of her life paying for what she had done.
The contrast between what she had once possessed and the life awaiting her now would be devastating.
For Samantha, it might prove even more terrifying than death.
Rowan’s sudden appearance had protected Rose. He had immediately grabbed her shoulders, checking her from head to toe before finally letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
Ryan glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
Rose shook her head. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
“That gave me quite a scare.” Rowan exhaled in relief before casting a complicated look at Ryan. “Ryan, don’t worry. I got here in time. Rose wasn’t hurt.”
Ryan looked up at him.
“Hmm. You should always put your own safety first.”
“It was an emergency. I didn’t have time to think about it.” Rowan genuinely saw nothing wrong with what he had done. “It would have been better for me to get hurt than Rose.”
Ryan replied calmly, “That’s true. You two have been friends for so many years.”
Rose’s brows drew together slightly.
For some reason, she felt there was something hidden beneath those words.
Yet when she looked at Ryan, his expression was perfectly composed. There was no trace of jealousy or displeasure, as though he had merely made an ordinary observation.
“It’s only natural that I look out for her,” Rowan said with a smile.
His expression quickly became serious.
“Ryan, I was genuinely surprised by what happened with the Second Branch.”
The situation had changed completely in the blink of an eye.
Rowan was astonished as well.
The Second Branch had gone to such lengths, yet in the end, they had only managed to destroy themselves.
After this incident, the Second Branch’s people at headquarters would probably be removed one by one.
Their influence had been completely uprooted.
It truly was a case of reaping what they had sown.
Only time would tell what headquarters would look like after this.
And, more importantly, whose voice would carry the most weight.
“Are you surprised that I was framed,” Ryan asked casually, turning his wheelchair towards him, “or that the Second Branch is about to be dealt with?”
Rowan shook his head.
“I just think that, knowing full well what the consequences would be, Ethan went too far. We’re all family, after all.”
Ryan said nothing.
In the background, Isabella’s sobbing still hadn’t stopped.
Ethan had already been taken away for questioning.
The once-grand reception hall was now in complete disarray.
Rose had no interest in listening to the brothers’ conversation. Her mind was still reeling from everything that had happened.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Edward Knight’s personal assistant came downstairs.
He glanced at the three of them before turning to Rose.
“Mr. Knight, Mrs. Knight, the Chairman would like to see you in the main hall.”
Rose’s heart gave an uneasy thud.
Ryan looked over.
“Understood.”
“I’ll go with Ryan.” Rowan stepped forward and gave Rose a reassuring look. “It’s all right. Grandfather probably just has a few questions.”
“Mm.”
Rose nodded, though the uneasiness in her heart remained.
Ryan said nothing as he wheeled himself towards the main hall.
But he could sense the closeness between Rose and Rowan—the familiarity and genuine concern that came from years of friendship.
His gaze lowered slightly.
His expression remained cold.
When they reached the main hall, Rose noticed Margaret was there as well.
Her expression was grim.
After all, Alex Knight and Ethan were her son and grandson. With such a disaster striking the Second Branch at the same time as the upheaval within headquarters, it was obvious that she was deeply distressed.
“Chairman,” Rose said after coming to a stop.
Edward Knight placed his teacup on the table.
“Mm. Sit down.”
His gaze shifted towards Rowan, who was standing beside Rose.
Margaret immediately spoke.
“Rowan, come and sit here. Leave your elder brother in your sister-in-law’s care.”
She beckoned him over.
Rowan didn’t argue. He simply walked over to Margaret.
Only then did Margaret properly notice Ryan’s injured leg.
“Ryan, what happened? Is it serious?”
“It’s nothing.”
Ryan answered casually.
Margaret sighed.
“You’re always making me worry.”
Rose, however, noticed something else.
Margaret didn’t seem particularly concerned about Ryan’s injury. If she truly cared that much, surely the first thing she would have done was ask about his condition rather than immediately calling Rowan over.
Then Margaret looked at Rose.
“Given Ryan’s condition, you should pay closer attention to him.”
There was resentment hidden beneath her words.
Margaret had never forgotten how Rose had spoken back to her in the past, nor how she had once encouraged the Taylor family’s old lady to argue with her.
Rose looked directly at her.
“Are you asking me to do that?”
Her question was blunt.
Margaret clearly knew that she and Ryan had already divorced, yet she was still speaking to Rose as though she were obligated to care for him.
Anyone listening without context might have thought Rose was still a servant of the Knight family, expected to obey every command.
Margaret was taken aback.
“What kind of thing is that to say? You’ve been married to Ryan for seven years. Don’t you have even the slightest affection for him?”
“How I’ve spent these seven years with Ryan, and what our marriage was actually like, I thought you had all seen for yourselves.”
Rose’s voice remained calm.
“There’s really no need to ask me now.”
She had no patience left for these meaningless arguments.
Margaret’s expression changed.
“You...”
Yet she understood the truth.
From the very beginning, Ryan and Rose had been distant.
They had been separated overseas almost immediately after their wedding. Ryan had clearly resented the marriage and had deliberately kept his distance.
Meanwhile, Rose had remained involved with the Knight family for years, working tirelessly for them while pursuing her own goals.
“All right.”
Edward Knight’s stern voice interrupted them.
Margaret was displeased by Rose’s attitude.
Rose was no longer the obedient, docile woman she remembered. She answered back at every opportunity and showed no intention of humbling herself simply because someone was older than her.
But with Edward present, Margaret could only swallow her displeasure.
Edward’s gaze moved slowly between Rose and Ryan.
Then he asked a question that came completely out of the blue.
“Have you finalised your divorce?”
Ryan’s eyes lifted.
“You know about it?”
The Knight family had kept their divorce from the old patriarch for years.
Rose’s heart tightened.
She had a vague feeling that she knew why Edward had called them here.
Rowan also looked between the two of them, his expression becoming thoughtful.
Edward picked up his teacup again, his face revealing nothing.
“I personally had the divorce agreement drafted for you both.”
The words landed heavily.
“Rose never told you?”
The atmosphere suddenly became unnaturally still.
Ryan stared at him for a moment.
Then he asked quietly, “When?”
“Seven years ago.”
Edward’s gaze settled on him.
“On the very day you got married.”
Silence descended over the main hall.
Rose’s fingers curled slightly.
Ryan remained motionless.
Seven years ago.
The day they had married.
The day he had believed their marriage was nothing more than an arrangement neither of them wanted.
The day Rose had entered the Knight family believing she would have to endure an unhappy marriage.
And all this time...
There had apparently been another divorce agreement.
One personally arranged by Edward Knight.
Ryan’s expression was impossible to read.
Then Edward’s cold gaze shifted towards Rose.
His next question struck even harder.
“Tell me about your daughter.”