Chapter 10: Chapter 10 She Tried to Slap Samantha
Rose was nearly overwhelmed by her emotions.
Embarrassment. Disgust. Anger. Fear.
The storm of emotions left her utterly drained.
But she knew one thing for certain.
Only an extreme reaction could stop them from demanding to search her phone.
She was a woman with secrets.
She couldn’t afford to take any risks.
James and Ryan were both stunned.
Was Rose really willing to go this far over a phone?
Even Mike, who had been crying at the top of his lungs moments ago, forgot to continue his act. He peeked out from Samantha’s arms and stared at Rose in surprise.
Ryan’s expression barely changed.
Yet the darkness gathering in his eyes was as cold as a winter night, devoid of even the slightest warmth.
His gaze slowly shifted from Rose’s face to the shattered phone on the floor.
“So,” he said quietly, “I suppose I can’t look?”
Rose had never been someone who easily lost control of her emotions.
Yet her behavior today suggested there was something hidden inside that phone—something she absolutely could not allow anyone to see.
The atmosphere grew unbearably tense.
Ignoring everyone’s reactions and refusing to answer Ryan’s question, Rose bent down and picked up the broken phone.
Then she turned to Samantha.
“No one likes looking at something unpleasant, and no one likes keeping trash on their phone. You started this, and now my phone is broken. You’ll be paying for it.”
Samantha immediately frowned.
“I didn’t break it. Are you even being reasonable?”
Rose brushed the dust off the cracked screen.
“It wasn’t yours to begin with, yet you were the one fighting to take it. Funny how thieves always find a way to act righteous afterward.”
Samantha’s expression darkened instantly.
The sarcasm in Rose’s voice was impossible to miss.
Ryan knew her words were harsh.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Do I need to teach you how to speak properly?”
Recently, Rose seemed to have developed a rebellious side.
Or perhaps this was who she had always been.
Her instinct to protect what mattered to her was obvious.
Rose clenched her fists.
“Oh, right. I forgot Miss Hill is practically a public figure. A scandal involving a romantic relationship with her cousin would certainly be inconvenient. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Samantha’s face changed.
Rose was deliberately being cruel.
She couldn’t help glancing at Ryan.
Fortunately, Ryan appeared completely unmoved.
His expression remained cold and indifferent.
There was even a trace of displeasure in his eyes.
Samantha finally relaxed.
Just then, footsteps echoed down the hallway.
A server hurried over.
Although she clearly sensed the strange tension in the room, she still approached Rose as instructed.
“Miss Bennett?”
Rose turned toward her.
“Your dinner guest is waiting for you in the private dining room on the fourth floor. Whenever you’re ready, you may head down.”
The moment those words were spoken, every pair of eyes turned toward Rose.
No one had expected this.
James was the first to laugh.
Crossing his arms, he tilted his head and grinned.
“Miss Bennett, I’m impressed.”
After causing such a scene...
Now she actually had someone show up to back up her story?
A date?
Impossible.
In his mind, this was obviously another one of Rose’s schemes.
After all, she was Ryan’s wife.
What right did she have to meet another man?
Marriage was protected by law.
It wasn’t something to be treated like a game.
James glanced at Ryan’s expression and smirked.
“Looks like Ryan isn’t falling for your tricks. Maybe you should spend less time chasing after Ryan and more time building something of your own. Miss Hill could probably teach you a thing or two about how to establish yourself in society.”
The implication behind his words was obvious.
Samantha’s smile deepened slightly.
She believed Rose could never compare to her.
The marriage certificate meant nothing.
Sooner or later, Ryan would hand Rose a divorce certificate.
Ryan clearly had no interest in whatever drama Rose was trying to create.
Naturally, he gave no thought to this supposed date.
“Let her do whatever she wants,” he said indifferently.
Samantha was extremely satisfied with his response.
At least it meant Rose had failed.
Then she suddenly smiled.
“When I was video chatting with Ryan, I saw Aunt Isabella hit you. Are you feeling better now?”
The unexpected mention of that humiliation made Rose pause.
What caught her attention most, however, was the phrase “Aunt Isabella.”
Not long ago, Samantha had nearly become Isabella’s daughter-in-law.
Yet now that she was with Ryan, she had immediately changed her attitude.
Still, Rose understood exactly what Samantha was doing.
This wasn’t concern.
It was humiliation disguised as sympathy.
“I’m sorry,” Samantha said gently. “You ended up taking that slap because of me.”
James looked surprised.
“What happened?”
Samantha glanced up at Ryan.
“It’s nothing. Ryan was only trying to protect me.”
Watching the affectionate exchange between them, Rose suddenly found herself in no hurry to leave.
She nodded thoughtfully.
“Since you admit that I took that slap because of you, then you owe me.”
The room fell silent.
Before anyone could react—
Rose suddenly raised her hand.
She swung with all her strength toward Samantha’s face.
Samantha’s expression changed dramatically.
She froze.
Rose’s slap was fierce and decisive.
But just before it landed—
A hand caught her wrist.
Firm.
Warm.
Familiar.
All her momentum disappeared instantly.
The force rebounded through her arm, leaving behind a dull ache.
Rose looked up.
Her eyes met Ryan’s.
Dark.
Calm.
Unreadable.
“Rose,” he said coldly, “that’s enough.”
The sight of him protecting another woman brought her sharply back to reality.
Right.
She had almost forgotten.
Her husband—the man she was about to divorce—was still standing there.
How could he possibly allow any harm to come to his precious Samantha?
When Rose was humiliated, Ryan had watched like a stranger.
But whenever Samantha was involved, every protective instinct he possessed surfaced immediately.
Rose’s eyes burned.
She rolled them slightly upward, trying to suppress the sting.
At this moment, even Ryan’s touch felt unbearable.
She pulled her hand free.
She didn’t want to say another word.
Turning around, she walked away.
Ryan watched her retreating figure for a brief moment.
For some reason, an image flashed through his mind.
One of the photos he had glimpsed on her phone.
It had looked like a little girl.
A very beautiful little girl.
But the thought disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared.
Rose liked children.
Perhaps it was simply a picture she had saved from the internet.
With that conclusion, he dismissed it completely.
Then he turned around and returned to the private room.
He had no intention of chasing after her.
Nor did he intend to explain himself.
Or comfort her.
A faint smile returned to Samantha’s face.
Mike followed closely behind her.
Meanwhile, Rose hurried toward the elevators.
Looking down at the broken phone in her hand, she fell into deep thought.
Footsteps sounded behind her.
Someone stopped beside her.
She looked over.
It was James.
He stood there casually.
Whether he had come to mock her or had simply happened to pass by, she couldn’t tell.
Nor did she care.
Her expression remained icy.
James, however, seemed completely unconcerned.
After everything that had happened, he assumed Rose was simply embarrassed.
“It’s just a phone,” he said lazily. “You’ve been a housewife for years, but surely you’re not that narrow-minded. If you had opportunities like Samantha’s and actually experienced the world, maybe you wouldn’t be so obsessed with romance. Is Ryan not giving you enough money? If that’s the problem, I can help.”
James had dated plenty of women.
He considered himself an expert at reading them.
In his mind, Rose must have been devastated.
Although he didn’t think highly of her, she was still a woman.
Why make things harder for herself?
The elevator arrived.
The doors slid open.
Rose finally looked directly at him.
Then she smiled.
“Ryan doesn’t seem worried. Why are you?”
James’s smile froze instantly.
Without another glance, Rose stepped into the elevator.
The doors closed.
The elevator slowly descended.
Leaving James standing there alone—
Half amused.
Half furious.
And completely speechless.
Comments