Chapter 421 The Bride Breaks the Rules

Chapter 421: Chapter 421 The Bride Breaks the Rules

Charlotte hadn’t imagined it.

Something about Rose was wrong.

She couldn’t put her finger on it, but every instinct she had was telling her that Rose wasn’t walking into this marriage willingly.

And if that was true, Charlotte refused to stand by and watch another woman get trapped in a situation she didn’t want.

That would be disgusting.

Ryan heard her.

His lashes lowered slightly before he turned his cool gaze toward Charlotte.

The look made her hesitate.

“What?” she asked, immediately defensive. “Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t think I’m saying this just to stir things up, do you?”

She leaned closer, lowering her voice.

“Ryan, she’s your ex-wife. You can’t seriously sit here and do nothing if she’s being forced into something she doesn’t want.”

Ryan said nothing.

Charlotte continued anyway.

“I’ve heard what’s been going on. You and Rose have a child together, and Ariel is currently with the Robinson family. So don’t tell me there’s no connection between that and Rose suddenly marrying Trevor.”

She wasn’t always tactful, but Charlotte understood wealthy families and their private alliances better than most people.

Deals were made behind closed doors. Favors were exchanged. People got married for reasons that had nothing to do with love.

And Ryan’s complete lack of reaction bothered her.

If he truly cared about Rose, why was he sitting there so calmly?

It made Charlotte suspect that the Knight and Robinson families had already reached some kind of understanding.

“You want me to help her?”

Ryan’s voice was quiet.

He lowered his eyes to the lighter in his hand, turning it absently between his fingers.

There was no urgency in his expression.

No anger.

Nothing that suggested Rose’s situation had anything to do with him.

Charlotte’s patience finally snapped.

“Of course I want you to help her. At least find out what’s actually happening.”

She crossed her arms.

“Unless you’re deliberately looking the other way because you don’t want to start a war with the Robinson family.”

Ryan didn’t answer.

He simply sat back, one ankle resting over his knee, his expression unreadable.

“Ryan.”

Charlotte stared at him.

His composure only irritated her more.

Oliver, sitting nearby, finally leaned toward her.

“Charlotte, what exactly are you getting so worked up about?”

She gave him an incredulous look before folding her arms tighter.

“Men. Honestly, I’ve finally figured you all out.”

Then she leaned back.

“If Ryan isn’t worried, why should I be?”

Ryan remained silent.

But Oliver glanced at him again.

Something about the man’s stillness didn’t sit right with him.

Ryan looked completely calm.

Almost too calm.

*****

By the time Rose came downstairs, the main reception hall was already filling up.

She paused at the bottom of the staircase and slowly looked around.

Dr. Nathan Hale and his wife had arrived.

Derick was there with Victoria and Alicia.

Grace had just texted her to say she was in the parking lot and would be upstairs in a few minutes.

The Robinson family was everywhere, moving between guests, staff, and the wedding party.

But one person was missing.

Diana.

Rose’s heart sank.

At this point, she no longer believed Diana was simply running late.

Something had happened at the Robinson estate.

Rose was almost certain the family had stopped her from leaving.

Probably because they had realized what Diana was doing.

Rose’s fingers curled slightly around the fabric of her dress.

Fine.

If Diana couldn’t bring her the evidence, she’d have to find another way.

She had come here prepared to blow up this wedding.

And she wasn’t backing down now.

A few minutes later, Julia approached her with a warm smile.

“Rose.”

She reached for Rose’s hands.

“Today, we’re officially family. Trevor loves you more than you know, and I know you’ve been through a lot.”

Her expression softened.

“I heard your mother is still in a coma. I’m so sorry you’ve had to carry that all these years.”

Julia squeezed her hands.

“But you don’t have to worry anymore. From today on, you can think of me as your mother.”

Rose looked at her quietly.

“You’re my daughter-in-law, but you’re also my daughter. I’ll always be there for you.”

Rose almost smiled.

If she hadn’t overheard the conversation between the Robinson and Knight families, she might have believed every word.

Julia was good.

Very good.

Her warmth looked genuine. Her concern sounded sincere.

But underneath it was a woman who knew exactly how to say what people needed to hear.

“Rose.”

A man’s voice interrupted them.

Rose turned.

Derick was walking toward her.

He looked every bit the proud father today, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his expression carrying a warmth she hadn’t seen in a long time.

He stopped in front of her.

“Rose, there’s something I’d like to do.”

His voice softened.

“I’d like to walk you down the aisle.”

Rose stared at him.

For a moment, Derick looked almost hopeful.

He had come here expecting to stand beside his daughter, take her arm, and hand her over to the man she was marrying.

It was what fathers did.

Julia, however, looked genuinely surprised.

She glanced between them.

“Rose... you know Mr. Taylor?”

Before Rose could answer, Derick spoke.

“I’m her father.”

Julia’s smile disappeared.

“Her father?”

The shock on her face was impossible to miss.

Trevor had handled the guest list personally. Julia hadn’t known exactly why certain people had been invited, and apparently, no one had thought to explain Rose’s connection to the Taylor family.

How could Rose possibly be Derick Taylor’s daughter?

And more importantly, what did that mean for everything the Robinson and Knight families had been planning?

Rose didn’t give her time to recover.

“The only people I want walking me down the aisle are my grandfather and Dr. Hale.”

Her voice was calm.

“But thank you.”

Derick’s expression fell.

The words hit harder than he expected.

“Rose...”

He swallowed.

“Are you still angry with me?”

Rose looked at him.

He had come here hoping that, on her wedding day, he could finally step back into the role of her father.

Instead, she had shut the door in his face.

“I’m not angry.”

She paused.

“I just don’t expect anything from you anymore.”

Derick went still.

The words were somehow worse than anger.

He looked at her with a mixture of regret and pain.

Deep down, he knew exactly why she was keeping him at a distance.

She still remembered the kidnapping.

She still remembered that, when it came down to choosing between her and Victoria, he had chosen Victoria.

Julia’s expression tightened.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

She had expected the wedding to proceed quietly.

She hadn’t expected Rose to reveal a connection to the Taylor family in front of everyone.

If the Knight family took Ariel’s custody—and the Taylor family eventually discovered the truth about what had happened—there would be no keeping the two families apart.

The Taylor and Robinson families could become enemies overnight.

Julia’s brow furrowed.

This was getting far more complicated than she’d anticipated.

Rose, however, had no interest in what either of them was thinking.

She gathered the skirt of her wedding dress and walked toward the massive double doors leading into the main ballroom.

She reached them.

And pushed them open.

The reaction was immediate.

Guests turned in their seats.

Conversations stopped.

Heads snapped toward the entrance.

The bride wasn’t supposed to make her entrance yet.

Everyone knew that.

The ceremony had a schedule. The photographers were positioned. The media had already been allowed inside, and several reporters were waiting with cameras and microphones for the official entrance.

But Rose was already standing in the doorway.

Every camera in the room turned toward her.

Julia stared in disbelief.

Then she hurried after her.

“Rose!”

She lowered her voice as she approached.

“This isn’t how this is supposed to happen. You can’t just come out before the ceremony.”

She reached for Rose’s hand.

Rose pulled away.

“Rose, what are you doing?”

Rose didn’t answer.

She simply kept walking.

Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she moved toward the centre of the room.

Then, without slowing down, she lifted one hand to the delicate white veil pinned into her hair.

She pulled it free.

The veil slipped from her fingers and drifted onto the floor behind her.

The room went silent.

A few guests exchanged startled looks.

Someone near the back whispered something under their breath.

The photographers began shooting almost instinctively.

Even Ryan’s attention sharpened.

His eyes followed Rose across the room, and for the first time that morning, a flicker of emotion crossed his otherwise unreadable face.

Charlotte stared.

“What is she doing?”

Oliver looked equally stunned.

“She just threw away her veil.”

Dr. Nathan Hale rose from his seat.

His expression immediately turned serious.

Something was wrong.

Rose wasn’t behaving like a bride getting ready to walk down the aisle.

She looked like someone who had come to make a statement.

The whispers grew louder.

Then Trevor appeared at the top of the staircase.

He stopped when he saw Rose standing in the middle of the ballroom.

His expression changed.

Whatever he’d expected to see when he came downstairs, this wasn’t it.

He slowly descended the steps.

His jaw tightened as he walked toward her.

One step.

Then another.

Rose watched him approach.

When he came within a few feet of her, she stepped backward.

Trevor stopped.

“Rose.”

Before he could say anything else, Julia spoke sharply.

“Rose, today is your wedding day. We have a schedule to keep.”

She forced a smile for the benefit of the cameras.

“Trevor, take her upstairs. Have the stylist fix her hair and veil. We can start again.”

Her voice was controlled, but the tension underneath it was unmistakable.

There were reporters everywhere.

Cameras were already rolling.

Every second Rose stood there was another second for the media to capture something they couldn’t control.

Julia had a very bad feeling about what Rose was planning.

And judging by the look in Rose’s eyes, she was right.