Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid

Chapter 125: Chapter 125 The Sapphire Brooch

Just thinking about the topic gave Rose a headache.

The smile that had just appeared on her face faded slightly.

"It’s done," she said.

A flicker of emotion crossed Trevor’s eyes.

"When do you want to transfer Ariel’s custody status?"

Back when Ariel had been registered under his name, Trevor had signed an agreement to put Rose at ease. As long as Ariel’s biological mother wished it, he would fully cooperate with any necessary procedures.

Rose felt a little discouraged and could only apologize.

"I’m having some issues with the paperwork that still need to be resolved, so it may have to be delayed for a while."

She didn’t explain further.

There was no need to go into so much detail with Trevor.

Trevor kept his eyes on the road.

"Is it complicated?"

"It’s manageable," Rose replied. "It’ll just take some time."

"Is the divorce definitely finalized?"

Rose nodded. "It’s final."

Without question, she was now divorced.

Trevor didn’t pursue the matter any further.

Rose had him drop her off more than a mile away from Moon Lake Villa rather than driving her directly to the entrance.

The estate covered a vast area and was entirely private property. Going any farther would have been inappropriate.

"If you’ve made arrangements, contact me anytime," Trevor said. "I’ll cooperate with whatever you need."

His attitude put Rose at ease.

She couldn’t help smiling as she leaned down beside the car window.

"Okay. Drive safely."

Trevor’s gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds.

"Alright."

Then he reached into the back seat, pulled out a small gift bag, and handed it to her.

"Your gift."

Rose blinked in surprise.

There really was one for her?

After a brief hesitation, she accepted it. Everyone else had received gifts too; refusing now would only seem awkward.

"Thank you."

Trevor nodded. "When I get back from Hong Kong, we’ll sit down and talk."

Rose wanted to ask what exactly he meant.

But Trevor had already answered a call and started turning the car around.

She stood there and watched as his car disappeared into the distance.

Then she turned around.

Only to freeze.

Not far away stood Ryan.

Dressed in a black tracksuit, he looked as though he’d just come back from a night run. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and she had no idea how long he’d been standing there.

Beneath the willow tree, newly sprouted leaves swayed gently in the night breeze.

His gaze was dark as ink—deeper than the night itself.

Rose instinctively wanted to say something.

Then she immediately stopped herself.

Why should she explain?

The divorce was already finalized.

Other than not physically holding the divorce certificate yet, she was a free woman.

The divorce agreement clearly stated that she couldn’t remarry within a year, but it never prohibited her from socializing with or dating other men.

Besides, Ryan had never cared who she spent time with.

Even when Jordan had openly pursued her, Ryan hadn’t batted an eye.

Not that there was anything between her and Trevor in the first place.

Rose sighed inwardly.

She’d been someone’s wife for too long.

Her mindset hadn’t fully adjusted yet.

She was still acting far too proper and restrained.

That needed to change.

"Want to walk back together?" Ryan asked first.

He didn’t ask who had driven her home.

He didn’t ask who had gone out of their way to give her a gift.

The night was too dark to see the driver clearly.

Only one road led back to the villa.

Rose nodded.

The two walked side by side.

"How’s the divorce process coming along?" Rose asked without turning around.

She knew Ryan was right behind her.

Ryan lifted his eyes to her back.

"Grandma’s been keeping a close watch lately."

"We’ll have to wait a little longer."

Rose frowned.

That meant she’d have to keep returning to Moon Lake Villa for the time being.

"You’re very thoughtful," she said dryly. "If I don’t see the divorce certificate with my own eyes, I’ll start doubting whether it’s real. If necessary, I’ll have you go file for divorce with me all over again."

"Is it that urgent?" Ryan asked.

"Yes."

"For whom?"

The question made Rose stop walking.

For a moment, she wondered whether Ryan had sensed something.

Then she dismissed the thought.

Maybe...

He’d seen Trevor drop her off?

Deciding to play along, she shrugged.

"Interpret it however you want."

"Either answer works."

Silence fell once more.

Only the sound of their footsteps remained.

After a while, Ryan seemed to lose interest in the previous topic.

Whether he didn’t care or simply didn’t believe her explanation, he changed the subject.

"Congratulations."

Rose turned around.

Ryan met her gaze. "The approval for G.S Pharmaceuticals."

Understanding dawned on her, followed by a faint smile.

"Ryan, there’s no need to be sarcastic."

"Samantha didn’t get her name on the approval. She’s upset."

"Do you really mean that congratulations?"

It felt less like congratulations and more like a complaint on Samantha’s behalf.

Rose’s gaze sharpened.

Ryan narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly.

"Think about it."

"Are you really upset about that?"

"Or do you just want someone to take it out on?"

His casual tone instantly rendered all of Rose’s arguments useless.

It was like punching a pillow.

Completely ineffective.

She was stating a simple fact, yet somehow he made it sound like she was throwing a tantrum.

In the end, she said nothing.

The two continued walking side by side.

From a distance, they looked like an ordinary married couple taking an evening stroll.

Yet the atmosphere between them was stiff and cold.

The moment they got home, Ryan unzipped his jacket.

"The twenty-ninth is Mr. Brown’s birthday."

"The Knight and Brown families will be working together soon."

"You should come with me."

Rose immediately understood.

He was asking her to prioritize the bigger picture.

The Brown and Knight families had deep ties, and everyone knew Ryan was married.

If she failed to appear, it would be seen as disrespectful.

Margaret certainly wouldn’t allow her to refuse.

But...

Rose looked at Ryan in confusion.

Attending together meant publicly appearing as Mrs. Knight.

Was Ryan really willing to make their marriage public?

Ryan showed no intention of explaining, so she didn’t ask.

Without looking back, she replied, "Alright, Mr. Knight."

That title made Ryan pause halfway through removing his coat.

It sounded more like she was addressing a business partner.

For some reason, it reminded him of what he’d seen earlier.

Rose standing beside that car.

Smiling at someone.

The dimples on her cheeks seemed filled with honey.

Warm.

Gentle.

Genuine.

*****

Back in her room, Rose opened Trevor’s gift.

Inside was a sapphire brooch.

The craftsmanship was exquisite.

Vintage in style, with a butterfly whose wings looked so lifelike they seemed ready to flutter away.

Trevor had surprisingly good taste.

The brooch would pair well with countless formal outfits.

Practical, elegant, and beautifully made.

There didn’t appear to be any deeper meaning behind it.

Rose casually placed it on her vanity.

The next morning, she arrived at G.S.

Caleb rushed into the lab early.

"I’ve shortlisted a few destinations for the team celebration—Japan, Hong Kong, and Macau."

"Everyone voted for Hong Kong."

"What do you think?"

Rose had no objections. "Sounds great."

"It’s a shopper’s paradise."

"We’ll hand out gift cards when we get there."

She believed in rewarding people with something tangible.

Empty speeches meant very little.

"Have you picked a date?" she asked.

"We’ll leave on the second."

"How does that sound?"

Rose thought about it.

That would be right after Mr. Brown’s birthday celebration.

The timing was perfect.

*****

The twenty-ninth arrived.

It happened to be a Saturday.

The Brown family had reserved an entire resort hotel on the outskirts of New York.

Remembering that she was attending with Ryan, Rose slipped into a light-blue sleeveless maxi dress that fell just below her calves, revealing her slender ankles.

As she finished getting ready, her eyes landed on the sapphire brooch sitting on her vanity.

The color matched perfectly.

She picked it up and pinned it to her dress.

Just as she was about to call Ryan, her phone rang.