Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Cracks in the Illusion (1)
Samantha stood motionless in the hotel corridor, her phone still pressed against her ear long after the call had ended.
The screen had already gone dark.
Only her own reflection stared back at her.
For several seconds, she couldn’t move.
Ryan had hung up.
Not because he was angry.
Not because they had argued.
Simply because he no longer wished to continue the conversation.
A strange heaviness settled over her chest.
She replayed every word of the call in her mind.
"I’m busy."
"You should head back first."
"I’ve already booked my own flight."
Each sentence had been delivered in Ryan’s usual calm tone.
Yet somehow...
They felt colder than an outright argument.
Ryan had never been particularly affectionate.
He wasn’t the type of man to whisper sweet promises or shower someone with attention.
His feelings had always been expressed through actions rather than words.
That was precisely why Samantha had never questioned her place in his life.
He had helped the Hill family again and again.
Whenever she encountered trouble, he quietly solved it before she even had to ask.
If she wanted something, Ryan would remember.
If she mentioned a problem, he’d take care of it.
He rarely explained himself.
He simply acted.
That unwavering reliability had gradually convinced Samantha that she occupied a place in his heart unlike anyone else’s.
Including...
Rose.
So why...
Why did today’s conversation leave her feeling like a stranger?
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"No..."
She whispered to herself.
"I’m overthinking this."
Ryan was probably overwhelmed with work.
The Kingswell Group had been expanding aggressively over the past few months.
Between board meetings, overseas investments, and the recent problems surrounding Rose’s kidnapping, it wasn’t surprising that his schedule had become chaotic.
There had to be a reasonable explanation.
There had to be.
Clinging to that thought, Samantha straightened her shoulders.
Her father had already called twice.
The Hill family’s company was facing one crisis after another.
Accounting discrepancies.
A failed acquisition.
Two major partners threatening to withdraw their investments.
The board was already in turmoil.
Her father had only one request.
Bring Ryan back.
As long as Ryan stepped in, every problem would disappear.
That was how much faith the Hill family had placed in him.
Samantha slipped her phone into her handbag and started walking back toward the private dining room.
The restaurant hallway was unusually quiet.
Crystal chandeliers reflected against polished marble floors.
Soft piano music drifted from somewhere in the distance.
Everything looked elegant.
Everything felt suffocating.
She had barely rounded the corner when someone stepped directly into her path.
She stopped abruptly.
The familiar smile on the man’s face instantly darkened her expression.
Ethan Knight.
He stood with one hand tucked casually into his pocket, as though he’d been waiting for her.
His expensive charcoal suit fit perfectly.
His posture appeared relaxed.
Only his eyes betrayed something colder.
Something calculating.
Samantha’s patience vanished immediately.
She had neither the mood nor the energy to deal with him.
"Move."
Her voice carried no courtesy whatsoever.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"It seems becoming Ryan’s favorite has given you quite a temper."
Samantha’s eyes hardened.
"I don’t have time for your childish games."
She turned once more.
Again...
Ethan blocked her.
This time, the amusement disappeared from his face.
"I’ve been looking for you."
His voice dropped noticeably.
"There are a few things we need to discuss."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"You will."
Before Samantha could react, Ethan caught her wrist.
His grip wasn’t painfully tight.
But it was firm enough that she couldn’t immediately pull free.
"What are you doing?"
She instinctively glanced down the hallway.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—the corridor was almost empty.
Ethan leaned closer.
"Relax."
"I’m not planning to make a scene."
Without waiting for her response, he guided her toward a small executive lounge adjacent to the restaurant.
The room was vacant.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline.
Ethan quietly closed the door behind them.
The soft click echoed far louder than it should have.
Samantha immediately took two steps backward, putting distance between them.
Her expression was ice cold.
"If you have something to say, say it."
Ethan studied her for several moments before speaking.
"You’ve been calling Ryan a lot today."
Her eyes narrowed.
"That’s none of your business."
"No?"
He chuckled.
"I think it has everything to do with me."
Samantha frowned.
"I don’t know what game you’re playing."
"I’m not playing one."
Ethan folded his arms.
"I’m simply wondering..."
"Have you figured out what happened that night?"
The question hit her without warning.
Every muscle in Samantha’s body tensed.
She stared at him.
"What night?"
Ethan smiled.
The expression sent an inexplicable chill down her spine.
"The hotel."
His voice remained almost conversational.
"The night you believed you finally became Ryan’s woman."
Silence.
Samantha’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
She forced herself to remain composed.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about."
"Really?"
Ethan slowly walked toward the windows.
"You were always clever."
"I expected you’d figure it out sooner."
He turned around.
His gaze settled directly on hers.
"But apparently..."
"You’ve been congratulating yourself all this time."
Her fingernails dug into her palms.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he laughed softly.
Not because something was funny.
Because he enjoyed watching the confidence disappear from her face.
"You’ve spent years believing that one night tied you to Ryan forever."
He paused deliberately.
"What if I told you..."
"...you’ve remembered the wrong man all along?"
Samantha’s face drained of color.
"That’s impossible."
"Is it?"
Ethan reached into his jacket pocket and slowly removed his phone.
He didn’t unlock it.
He simply held it in his hand.
"Memory can be unreliable."
"But evidence..."
His smile widened ever so slightly.
"Rarely is."
Samantha stared at the phone.
A suffocating sense of dread settled over her.
For the first time in years...
She wondered whether the memory she had trusted so completely...
Had never belonged to Ryan at all.
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