Perhaps it was the jet lag, but despite lying in her familiar and comfortable bed, Diana couldn't find any sleep.
Since rest was elusive, she pulled out her old gaming console and some vintage cartridges. Even though it had been years since she last played, her muscle memory kicked in after a few rounds. To avoid disturbing William, she kept the sound muted. It wasn't until she heard the sound of a car downstairs and saw the first streaks of dawn peeking through the curtains that she realized she had pulled an all-night session.
She walked to the window and nudged the curtain aside, watching William's car pull out of the courtyard. Closing her game, she prepared to catch some sleep, but just as her eyes drifted shut, her phone chimed with a WeChat message.
Brother: [Come downstairs for some breakfast before you sleep.]
When Diana reached the ground floor, Maya Wilde and Kai Knight were talking in the living room; they stopped the moment she appeared.
"Why aren't you sleeping more?" Maya asked with a poised, elegant smile. "You woke up just in time. Look how much your godfather dotes on you—he sent someone to wait in line at the Xu family shop early this morning for morning tea. Har gow, molten custard buns, and shredded chicken—all your favorites."
Diana glanced at Kai Knight, who was slowly sipping his tea without even lifting an eyelid.
He wouldn't do something like this. This kind of meticulous attention to her specific cravings and timing was something only William would do.
However, Diana pretended not to notice. She curved her eyes into a sweet, obedient smile and took her seat. "Thank you, Godfather."
After breakfast, she didn't return to her room to sleep. Using the excuse of visiting Aurora Brooks at the hospital, she hurriedly left the Knight residence.
When she arrived at the hospital, Aurora was staring at her phone screen, teeth gritted in fury.
Whatever was being said on the other end made her face turn from pale to ashen. Her chest heaved violently, and she raised her hand, looking ready to smash the latest model smartphone against the wall.
Standing at the door, Diana remarked nonchalantly, "That's ten thousand dollars."
Aurora froze, her hand hovering in mid-air before she forced it back down, her nails digging deep into her palms with resentment.
"What has you this worked up?" Diana walked over and set up the bedside table. She had brought a nutritious meal—something the hospital didn't provide—and a glass of fresh-squeezed juice.
The juice contained carrots, which Aurora despised, but currently, Aurora was in such a state of "sensory deprivation" that she gulped down half the glass before speaking with a voice dripping with hatred.
"Alexander Stone, that scumbag... he didn't just steal the core code; he sold our entire supplier list to Start. Now he's suddenly their technical consultant and is doing everything he can to poach clients from the Cloud Shield Group."
"Cloud Shield clearly passed the preliminary review for our liquid hydrogen project before the New Year, but now they've suddenly cut off contact. I wondered why I was hitting a brick wall everywhere—turns out he's been stabbing me in the back."
Diana had a vague impression of Alexander Stone. Back in school, he always played the part of the refined gentleman, hovering around Aurora with constant concern. Who would have thought that beneath that skin lay such a treacherous, parasitic heart?
Diana frowned slightly and pressed a hand on Aurora's shoulder as the latter tried to get up. "Don't panic yet. A company the size of Cloud Shield won't make decisions based solely on one person's word. Organize your materials and try to contact them again."
Aurora threw back the covers, reaching for her shoes. "I can't wait. Cloud Shield's project managers are notoriously snobbish. If I don't go there personally, Snow is truly finished!"
Diana quickly pushed her back onto the bed. "You start chemotherapy tomorrow. With your current vitals, you shouldn't even be leaving the hallway, let alone going to Cloud Shield."
"Diana, that project is my life!" Aurora's eyes instantly reddened.
She had been a warrior regarding the potential loss of her fertility, but at the mention of the liquid hydrogen drone project—the culmination of all her hard work—she looked as if her only child was being snatched away.
"The team at the office has been scared witless by Alexander, and our lead tech genius is a mute who can't string two sentences together. Aside from me, no one can handle those old foxes at Cloud Shield."
Looking at her gaunt face, Diana sighed, her gaze turning resolute. "Stay in the hospital and rest. Give me the materials. I'll go for you."
The assistant Aurora arranged for Diana was a newcomer named Summer, a whirlwind of energy who was waiting downstairs with a thick stack of files.
"Miss Bell, the data isn't actually complete," Summer said, shrinking back as they approached the imposing building. "The core sections were locked by Director Stone... I mean, that traitor Alexander. I only managed to bring out the technical outline."
Diana took it and flipped through a few pages. She and Aurora shared the same mentor; although she had been abroad for the last two years, her foundation was still solid. She understood the logic perfectly, and by the time the car pulled up to the Cloud Shield Group headquarters, she had a clear plan in mind.
Summer spent the whole ride looking like a startled sparrow, staring at the heavily guarded building.
"Cloud Shield is eerie. I heard the forbidden zone behind the mountain has a total signal blackout. If you wander in by mistake, you'll definitely be arrested as a spy."
"I also heard Cloud Shield's background is unfathomable. Half of the precision military components in the East City are connected to them. That President Sterling, who is rarely ever seen, has a terrifyingly powerful background."
Military background? Surname: Sterling?
Diana's fingers paused as she stroked the documents.
After the car stopped, they faced a towering, solemn skyscraper. It was exactly as the rumors suggested—guarded with extreme security. There were almost no loiterers in the lobby; a guard stood every five paces, and every face seemed to scream "Keep Out."
Diana walked to the front desk with Summer. "Hello, we are from Snow Innovations. We're here to speak with President Sterling regarding the liquid hydrogen project."
"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist's smile was polite but mechanical.
"No, but I only need fifteen minutes."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Sterling's schedule today is full from 6:00 AM until midnight."
"What about tomorrow or the day after?"
"I apologize. Please call the secretary's office first to submit your materials for review. Once they pass, we will schedule a slot for you."
Diana understood the jargon perfectly: it meant "get lost."
Summer tugged at her sleeve, looking defeated. "Miss Bell, maybe we should just forget it. President Brooks pulled so many strings before and never got a meeting. Now that Alexander is in there stirring up trouble, we're just walking into a trap..."
Before she could finish, the sound of leather shoes clicking against the floor echoed from the elevator bank.
Alexander Stone, dressed in a sharp suit, walked out laughing and chatting with several people. He spotted Diana immediately.
"Well, if it isn't my junior, Diana," Alexander said, stopping in his tracks. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by heavy mockery. "Is Aurora really so short-staffed that she's sent a 'great deity' like you, fresh from abroad, to run errands?"
Summer was shaking with rage. "Alexander Stone! How dare you mention President Brooks? We haven't even settled the score for you stealing the company's data!"
"Stealing? I call that 'resource optimization.'" Alexander didn't even bother to look at Summer. He stared only at Diana, adopting the tone of a patronizing elder. "Diana, take some advice from me. The ship that is Snow is about to sink. You're so beautiful, why suffer with Aurora? If you're willing to come to Start, you can take your pick of positions."
Diana looked at him coldly, as if looking at a pile of non-recyclable trash. "Working with someone who has no bottom line like you... I'm afraid it would shorten my lifespan."
Alexander's expression darkened, and he let out a cold laugh. "Fine, stay stubborn then. You're here for President Sterling, right? Don't waste your breath. I've already practically finalized the contract with Cloud Shield. In the East City, technology isn't enough—you need connections."
He smugly patted his briefcase.
Diana hadn't originally wanted to use that particular connection, but seeing Alexander's petty, triumphant face, the dormant rebellious streak in her heart fully awakened.
She turned back to the front desk. Under Alexander's mocking gaze, she spoke calmly:
"Please call the top floor. Tell Mr. Sterling that Diana Bell is waiting for him downstairs."
Summer was stunned and pulled at her arm. "Miss Bell, do you really know this President Sterling?"
Diana thought to herself: More than just "know."
He was the jerk who, when they were kids, had expressionlessly thrown her pet silkworms into the trash, claiming that "insects at the bottom of the food chain aren't worth the waste of energy or sympathy."
The good news was, she did know him. The bad news was, they weren't close at all, and they had a history of friction.
But in this moment, she faced Alexander and arched an eyebrow. "We've known each other for years. We're old acquaintances."
Alexander acted as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world, laughing until he nearly doubled over. "Diana Bell, there's a limit to how much you should brag. Everyone in the East City knows Jasper Sterling, but do you think someone of his status is someone a person like you can 'climb' up to? Don't think that staying abroad for a few years means you actually rank in this circle."
"Do you even know the Sterling family's status in this city?"
"Do you know who his father is?"
Diana's expression remained cool as she retorted, "And do you know who I am?"
Alexander snorted, about to hurl another insult, when he noticed the receptionist—who had been strictly professional just moments ago—turn deathly pale after picking up a phone call.
The woman actually stepped out from behind the counter, handing the wireless handset to Diana with both hands. Her voice trembled slightly:
"Miss Bell... Mr. Sterling would like to speak with you."
The smile froze on Alexander's face, his features twisting in an instant.
Diana smiled faintly. She took the phone in a leisurely manner and spoke to the man on the other end—a man whose aura was so cold it felt as though it could kill through the signal. She parted her lips and said softly:
"Jasper."