Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid

Chapter 424: Chapter 424 No Turning Back

Everything suddenly made sense.

Ryan had come to the wedding knowing exactly what was waiting for him.

There was no way he’d shown up expecting the Robinson family to walk away untouched.

What no one had anticipated was how he’d chosen to fight back.

He hadn’t challenged them directly.

He’d simply removed every advantage they thought they had.

Ryan glanced toward Trevor.

“When it comes to strategy, I doubt I could ever compete with the Robinson family.”

His tone was mild.

Almost conversational.

“But I am Ariel’s biological father. Looking out for my own daughter isn’t exactly unreasonable.”

His eyes hardened.

“What surprises me is how far your family was willing to go.”

The message was clear.

The Robinsons had crossed a line.

Trevor’s expression had gone completely blank.

“Mr. Knight, you’re very good at this.”

His eyes moved briefly toward the documents on the table.

“By placing Ariel with the Taylor family, you’ve made sure neither the Knight family nor the Robinson family can control the situation anymore.”

The difference was obvious.

The Taylor family had a direct blood connection to Ariel.

The Robinson family didn’t.

Whatever influence they might have had before, they couldn’t simply override the Taylor family’s legal position now.

And the Knight family was in an even worse position.

Ryan had moved first.

He’d taken advantage of the time everyone else had spent assuming they were in control.

“Rose doesn’t want Ariel going back to the Knight family.”

Ryan’s gaze remained cold.

“And I wasn’t going to leave my daughter in the Robinson family’s hands either.”

He paused.

“So this was the obvious solution.”

Trevor’s jaw tightened.

Ryan continued.

“Your mistake was assuming Rose still owed you something.”

His voice became sharper.

“You thought she cared enough about the history between you to marry you even after your family tried to use her daughter against her.”

Trevor’s eyes flashed.

Ryan’s words had hit exactly where they were meant to.

Trevor glanced toward Rose.

She was still trying to process everything herself.

She had never imagined Ryan had already been working behind the scenes with James.

She had considered the possibility that Ariel could be placed with the Taylor family before.

But without a finalized divorce and with Margaret deliberately making the process difficult, Rose hadn’t had many options.

She had believed marrying Trevor might be the only way to protect Ariel.

Ryan had been in a completely different position.

He was Ariel’s biological father.

He had the evidence to prove it.

And he had the Taylor family willing to stand behind him.

He had options Rose hadn’t had.

She still couldn’t understand when he’d put the plan into motion.

How long had he been preparing for this?

Rose took a slow breath.

Then she looked at Trevor.

“People in business make decisions based on what benefits them. I understand that.”

Her voice was calm.

“But you don’t get to make that choice and then expect me to pretend nothing happened.”

Trevor’s eyes remained fixed on her.

Rose continued.

“You once saved my life. I never forgot that.”

She paused.

“But whatever I owed you for that is settled now.”

Trevor’s expression shifted.

He understood exactly what she meant.

She wasn’t talking about a debt.

She was ending their relationship.

For good.

“Rose.”

Trevor swallowed.

“Even without all of this, I told you I’d protect Ariel.”

His voice lowered.

“I know how much she means to you.”

Rose looked at him.

The irony wasn’t lost on her.

He had promised to protect Ariel while standing beside a family that had been negotiating over her.

There was nothing left to say.

The ballroom had become painfully quiet.

The guests had witnessed everything.

The Robinson family’s carefully controlled wedding had turned into a public disaster.

Julia looked furious.

But she forced herself to remain composed.

She stepped forward.

“Ryan, if you’re going to take this position, then perhaps we should talk about the agreement between our families.”

Her voice was controlled, but the strain beneath it was obvious.

“The Knight family made certain commitments to the Robinson family. Are you now saying those commitments mean nothing?”

Ryan looked at her.

“Those commitments were made by the Knight family.”

His expression didn’t change.

“I’m not the person you need to discuss them with.”

Julia’s face tightened.

“You—”

A sharp laugh came from the VIP section.

Grace stood.

“That’s rich.”

Everyone looked at her.

She’d finally had enough.

“The Robinson family wants everyone else to honour their promises while they break every promise they’ve made to Rose.”

Grace’s voice was icy.

“And now you’re worried about business?”

She shook her head.

“What an impressive family.”

Then her expression softened slightly.

Because despite everything that had happened, one thought still filled her with overwhelming happiness.

She had a great-granddaughter.

A little girl who belonged to their family.

And Rose—her Rose—was finally back where she belonged.

Grace looked toward the crowd.

“Since we’re apparently sharing family news today, I have something I’d like everyone to know.”

The room quieted.

“Rose is my only biological granddaughter.”

A wave of shock moved through the ballroom.

Grace’s voice remained firm.

“She is a Taylor. She is family. And after what happened here today, I want everyone to understand something.”

Her gaze swept across the Robinson family.

“Anyone who mistreats her will answer to all of us.”

Silence.

The revelation hit the room harder than the wedding scandal itself.

Everyone in their social circle knew the Taylor family had once had a daughter who disappeared from their lives.

No one had expected that missing heiress to be Rose.

Rose—the woman standing in the centre of the ballroom in a wedding dress she’d never wear down the aisle.

And suddenly, the history between the Taylor and Robinson families looked very different.

Their families had been close for years.

They had once trusted each other enough to discuss a future marriage between their children.

Now that relationship had been shattered in front of the entire city.

The Robinson family had lost Rose.

They’d lost Ariel.

They’d lost their agreement with the Knights.

And now they’d lost whatever remained of their relationship with the Taylor family.

The whispers grew louder.

This wasn’t just another private scandal among wealthy families.

There were cameras everywhere.

Reporters had heard the accusations.

They had heard the recording.

They had watched Ryan step forward.

And now they knew Rose was the Taylor family’s long-lost granddaughter.

There was no quietly cleaning this up.

Julia understood that better than anyone.

Her face had gone pale.

No matter how carefully she’d planned everything, she’d never imagined Rose would turn out to be the very heiress the Taylor family had spent years searching for.

Across the room, Alicia looked as though she’d been struck.

Only biological granddaughter.

Grace’s words echoed in her head.

Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress.

Beside her, Victoria looked equally shaken.

She hadn’t expected Grace to make such a public declaration.

She glanced at Alicia and reached for her hand.

Alicia lowered her head and quietly pulled away.

Victoria froze.

She didn’t know what to say.

Dr. Nathan Hale had reached the end of his patience.

He stood, his expression hard.

“The Robinson family hasn’t raised Ariel. They haven’t carried her through a single sleepless night. Yet somehow they’ve decided they have the right to dictate where she belongs.”

He looked directly at Trevor.

“And you.”

His disappointment was unmistakable.

“I’m ashamed of myself for ever believing you were good enough for Rose.”

Trevor’s face tightened.

Nathan shook his head.

“I actually thought you would take care of her.”

He let out a bitter breath.

“I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

Grace picked up her purse.

“That’s enough.”

She looked around the ballroom.

“We’re leaving.”

Then she turned toward Ryan.

“Ryan, you’re coming with us.”

There was something in her expression that made it clear she wasn’t asking.

“I have a few things I’d like to discuss with you.”

Ryan nodded.

He didn’t object.

Grace and Nathan walked out.

The room immediately became even more uncomfortable.

No one knew what to do.

Should they stay?

Should they leave?

Either choice risked offending someone.

The wedding had been transformed from a glamorous celebration into the most humiliating public spectacle either family had ever experienced.

Ryan lowered his gaze toward Rose.

She looked exhausted.

Her emotions had been pulled in every direction since she’d walked through those ballroom doors.

She looked at him for a moment.

There was gratitude there.

Confusion, too.

And something else she wasn’t ready to name.

She took a breath and turned away.

“Rose.”

Trevor’s voice stopped her.

She paused.

“Can we talk?”

Rose stood still for a moment.

Then she looked back.

“Everything that needed to be said has already been said.”

Her eyes were calm.

“More than enough, actually.”

Trevor’s expression tightened.

Rose continued.

“If you have any regret left, then do one thing for me.”

She glanced toward Diana.

“Don’t punish her.”

Diana stood nearby, still wearing Liam’s jacket.

Rose’s gaze softened.

“She chose to help me today even though she knew exactly what it would cost her.”

Trevor looked toward his sister.

“She stood up against her own family.”

Rose looked back at him.

“I don’t want her to pay for that.”

Trevor’s eyes flickered.

He knew what Rose was asking.

And he knew he could probably do something about it.

If he wanted to.

He stepped toward her.

“Rose—”

He reached for her hand.

Rose didn’t move.

But before Trevor could touch her, someone stepped between them.

Ryan.

He stood directly in front of Rose.

Tall.

Still.

Completely unshaken.

Trevor stopped.

Ryan looked straight into his eyes.

His voice was flat.

“Mr. Robinson, do I really need to remind you?”

A beat of silence passed.

“Rose has nothing to do with you anymore.”

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