Chapter 250 Here Comes Drama Savannah I kept her words tucked tightly in my mind, like a fragile warning I didn’t dare drop. River had been restless since I sat down—her gaze flicking to the doors every few seconds, her fingers smoothing imaginary creases from her dress, her posture straightening and resetting again. Whatever she was waiting for had her on edge, and I could feel it bleeding into the room like static. The dining hall itself was massive—long enough to host a banquet, yet intimate enough to feel suffocating. Everything was polished and curated. Even the silence felt rehearsed. “So…” Riley began, leaning forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table with a grin that was entirely too bright for the heaviness in the air. “Word spread that you’re pregnant with Roman’s baby.” My brows lifted a little, but there was no malice in her tone—only curiosity. “I don’t mean to be rude or intrusive,” she hurried on, clearly realizing how blunt she’d sounded, “but I was just wondering how far along you are? And what are you expecting? Boy or girl? Or—wait—is it too early to tell?” Her eyes were wide, eager, innocent. I smiled before I could stop myself. “Well,” I said softly, amusement curling through my voice, “it’s definitely too early to tell if it’s a boy or girl. You can hardly even tell I’m pregnant at this point.” I let out a small laugh. “I’m only four weeks along.” Her mouth fell open. “That’s… a month?” I nodded. Just then, Ramsey returned to his seat, practically vibrating with excitement as he slid back into place like he’d missed something monumental. “Cool,” Riley said, nodding thoughtfully. “Don’t the kicks happen around this time?” I burst out laughing before I could help myself. “What?” she protested, laughing too. “Why are you laughing?” “No,” I said, still smiling. “No, Riley. Not yet.” She groaned dramatically. “Don’t laugh at me. I’m just curious. And I’m only sixteen—I know nothing about this.”I tilted my head, softening. “Want to know something?” She nodded eagerly. “I know nothing about this either.” Her face lit up like I’d given her a secret instead of a confession. “I hope you and my brother have a healthy, beautiful baby.” Something warm tightened in my chest. I reached across the table and squeezed her hand gently. “Thank you, Riley.” “And I hope it’s a girl,” Ramsey added cheerfully. “So she looks beautiful just like you, ma’am.” Riley snorted. “That’s not how it works, Ramsey. If it’s a girl, she’s going to have Roman’s entire face. But if it’s a boy, I heard he’ll look exactly like the mother.” Ramsey’s eyes widened. “Then in that case, I hope it’s a boy.” I laughed quietly, watching them bicker with fond amusement. “I’m sorry,” I said after a moment, curiosity getting the better of me. “But are you two… siblings? From the same mom?”They stared at each other for a second. Then burst out laughing. “Do we look alike?” Riley asked, pointing between them. “I don’t think we do,” Ramsey said thoughtfully. “Maybe just a little resemblance here and there.” “Yup,” Riley agreed easily. Then she shook her head. “Ramsey has siblings. But I don’t.” She shrugged. “I’m the only illegitimate child my mom’s got.” “Oh.” The word slipped out before I could stop it. Blunt didn’t even begin to cover that statement. “Yes,” Ramsey said calmly. “She’s telling the truth. I have a sister—Rosalie.” He nodded toward the rude girl from earlier, seated a few chairs away, tapping her nails against her wineglass. “And I also have an older brother. Randall.” My attention snapped back to him. “But he’s not here yet,” Ramsey continued. “He’s watching the cameras.” Watching the cameras? The phrase lodged itself into my chest like a splinter.Randall. The name hit me harder than it should have. Roman had mentioned him once—his least pleasant sibling. The one he probably avoided. The one who might have even unsettled him. Another name surfaced in my memory. Rhys. The one Roman said had been his favorite. The one he was sure I’d get along with. I turned sharply. “What about Rhys? Which one is Rhys?” “Oh,” Riley said. “You mean Alex?” I nodded slowly, trusting her to understand what I meant even though I wasn’t sure. “He’s over there,” she said, pointing discreetly. My gaze followed her finger. The man sat hunched slightly in his chair, hood pulled up, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Reese sat beside him, speaking animatedly but Alex didn’t look like he was listening at all. “That’s… Rhys?” I swallowed. “He looks angry,” I added quietly. Ramsey and Riley laughed. “He’s not angry,” Riley said. “At least he wasn’t before you and Reese arrived. He’s just hurt.” “Hurt?” I echoed. “Reese left for Philadelphia without telling him,” she explained. “Didn’t call. Didn’t say goodbye.” Ramsey nodded. “They’re thick as thieves. Closest of the lot. He loves Reese a whole lot.” “Oh,” I said softly. “I really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.” “You really shouldn’t,” Ramsey said gravely. “That’s bad.” Before I could respond, the doors swung open. And every voice died instantly. “Oh boy,” Riley whispered, shoving her phone and headphones away from the table. “Here comes the big boss.” My gaze drifted instinctively to River. She was already fixing her hair, smoothing her dress, sitting straighter than she had all night. Then he entered. The General. Reginald Blackwood. He walked in with Cassandra at his side, followed by at least half a dozen men. Bodyguards. All of them intimidating. All dressed in black suits. All except one. He wore a fitted black shirt and black trousers. No jacket. No tie. And he looked… familiar. Uncomfortably familiar. He took his place directly behind the General, expression blank, posture rigid, holding a tablet to his chest. One of the guards behind Reginald was a young, tough looking guy with bulging biceps and the overall build of a soldier. I could bet he was definitely a man in uniform. Three guards stood by the door. One stood by the right behind Reese. The other stood behind us on the left behind Rosalie. Why does Reginald need this many guards? I wondered. For a family dinner? You don't feel safe enough to have dinner alone with your own kids? That's so weird. As if on cue, everyone stood. Everyone. Including Reese. I was the only one still seated. The room went still as every gaze turned toward me. Including the General’s. Including the man in a black shirt. Looking at him, he looked like… Roman? Reginald? I don't know. He had the same dark hair. The same sharp jawline. The same eyes. Only difference—he wore glasses.Ramsey leaned toward me and whispered urgently, “Ma’am, you might want to stand.” Heat crawled up my neck as I stood slowly. Satisfied, the General moved to his seat at the head of the table, unhurried, taking his time. Only when he sat did everyone else follow. Cassandra took the seat to his right. River beside her. The man in black sat next to Reese. My mind raced. Why does he look so familiar? The silence stretched painfully. Then Reginald cleared his throat. “Randall has an important task to handle,” he said evenly. “But he will be present for breakfast in the morning when Hudson takes over the cameras.” Who is Hudson? That doesn't ring a bell. And I'm certain it isn't one of the Blackwoods because that name doesn't start with their favourite letter R. The room remained deathly quiet. “And speaking of important tasks,” he continued, “Ryan here has been tasked with managing Roman’s companies. His businesses. Investments. Contracts. Partnerships. General affairs. In his absence.”The world tilted. Ryan. Gerald. Emily’s father. All one and the same. This was the man who lied about who he was. The man who impregnated my sister under a false name. The man who kept his wife barren while hiding the truth. Evil. I didn’t care what anyone said. To me, he was the worst of them all. My gaze snapped to him. He was already looking at me. And that look… It wasn’t friendly at all. It was challenging, in a way. “Ryan has proven himself time and time again,” Reginald went on. “In business. And to the family.” My fingers curled into fists beneath the table. I raised my hand. The room froze. “Do you have something to say, Miss Hart?” I stood. “Yes,” I said calmly. Rosalie snickered. “Here comes drama.” I didn’t look at her.“I have something to say,” I continued. “About Ryan.”