When Diana returned to the lobby, Alexander Stone actually hadn't left yet.
She had been upstairs for nearly forty minutes, and Alexander had spent every second of that time waiting. The moment the elevator chimed, his head snapped around like a coiled spring.
Alexander wasn't a local of the East City; his time abroad had been on a public scholarship. Coming from a third-tier city, he had no real grasp of the inner workings of the city's elite social circles. During the years he had been building his career back home, Diana had been away. He had no clue that Aurora's little protege actually had a formidable background—not only was she the daughter of Director Bell of the State Department, but she was also the foster sister of the young master of the Knight family.
Summer rushed forward in a single stride. "How did it go? Did President Sterling cave?"
Diana gave a soft shake of her head. Summer's tense shoulders slumped instantly, her face a mask of defeat.
The anxiety that had been gnawing at Alexander's heart settled back into his chest. He let out a scoffing laugh. He had thought this girl, with a face beautiful enough to ruin kingdoms, might actually have some skill. As it turned out, she was nothing special in front of Jasper Sterling.
He leisurely straightened his tie and strutted over to Diana, blocking their path like a wall.
"I told you it was a dead end, but you just had to go up there and humiliate yourself. Did you think Jasper Sterling is the kind of man who loses his head over a pretty face? Someone of your level can only trick a fool like Aurora. In this city, I don't care how powerful your father is; when he sees a Sterling, he still has to bow his head and offer a cigarette. Who exactly do you think you are?"
If there was one thing Diana couldn't stand, it was this brand of self-important lecturing—especially from a man with a heart full of malice.
She stopped in her tracks, her calm gaze sweeping over the slightly puffy bags under Alexander's eyes. "Mr. Stone, a man with such a loose tongue is usually exhibiting the external symptoms of kidney trouble. In Chinese medicine, we say the kidneys govern the 'Qi.' When they are weak, the Qi floats upward. Seeing how desperate you are to catch your breath by talking so much, it's clear you're hollowed out on the inside. I know a few good doctors; would you like me to help you book an appointment for a check-up?"
She spoke slowly, her expression as matter-of-fact as if she were discussing the weather. Alexander was stunned into silence, instinctively reaching back to touch the small of his back. By the time he realized she was calling him "impotent," his face had turned the deep, angry purple of a pig's liver.
"I won't lower myself to argue with a sharp-tongued brat like you!" Alexander spat through gritted teeth. "Go back and tell your mentor to give it up. Since she's got cancer, she should go pray to the gods instead of trying to crush me in business. Does she really think she can beat me? She can't even cross the Sterlings' threshold. She's destined to go bankrupt and wait for the end!"
Diana had originally intended to wait until her emotions settled before telling Aurora the result, hoping to spare the patient's feelings while she looked for another way.
But she had underestimated Summer's "talent" for narration.
Back in the hospital room, Summer gave a vivid, theatrical performance of Alexander's petty triumph. Aurora, lying in bed, was so enraged that a sharp snap echoed through the room—she had broken a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks clean in half.
"The day I get out of here, if I don't skin him alive and slice him into sashimi, I'll go die!"
Aurora had always been dignified in her past relationships; breakups were clean, and she never looked back. Alexander Stone was the first exception—the only one she wanted to send straight to the incinerator.
Standing beside her, an equally indignant Summer handed her a fresh chopstick. "Skin him! You have to! And dip the pieces in the hottest wasabi!"
A long-lost fighting spirit flared up in Aurora's pale face. She threw back the covers. "Summer, go ask the Chief of Medicine if we can double the chemo. As long as it doesn't kill me, hit me with everything they've got. I need to get out of here and tear that animal apart!"
Summer stood up abruptly, looking like she'd been injected with adrenaline. "I'm going right now to apply for the 'Express Treatment' package!"
Diana felt a headache coming on. She grabbed Summer's arm. "Sit down. That's chemotherapy, not a detox spa. If you did that every day, even the Grim Reaper would be impressed by your suicide mission."
Summer sat back down, looking like a kicked puppy. "Oh."
Aurora took a few deep breaths to calm down. Suddenly, she stared at Summer and then turned to Diana. "Diana, do you finally see why Alexander didn't take this idiot with him when he jumped ship?"
Diana couldn't hold it in; she burst out laughing.
Summer puffed out her chest. "That's because I am fiercely loyal to President Brooks! I cannot be bought or intimidated!"
Aurora rolled her eyes. "If only you were that loyal to him. You could go ruin his life instead, and I'd probably recover fifty percent faster."
As the two bickered, Diana glanced at her watch and stood up, grabbing her bag. "I have to go. It's William's birthday today. I can't be late to the Knight family's house."
"You mean that 'Brother William' you're always talking about?" Summer's eyes lit up with fangirl excitement. "I've secretly looked up his photos. That bone structure... he is drop-dead gorgeous!"
"That's him." When Diana mentioned William, the ice in her eyes finally melted, softening into a warm glow. Before leaving, she cautioned Summer: "I'm leaving President Brooks in your hands. Just don't let her kill herself with a 'revenge' plan, and let her fuss as much as she wants."
William's birthday banquet was held at his private villa.
As night fell, the estate was bathed in a radiant glow. When Diana stepped out of the car carrying a handmade blueberry mousse cake, the Knight family's veteran driver was already waiting. Seeing the box, he smiled warmly. "Another surprise for the young master?"
"Yes, the usual tradition."
As a child, Diana had been wild and lacked patience; she rarely stuck with anything for more than three minutes. William, however, had endless patience. He was the one who corrected her form in swimming, horse riding, and even archery. The only skill William—whose hands were more accustomed to signing multi-million dollar contracts—was clumsy at was baking. So, he had hired a Michelin-starred chef specifically to teach her.
Though Diana eventually gave up on professional baking, her one lasting habit was making a birthday cake for the members of the Knight family, especially William.
The East City was both large and small. Diana had been abroad for five years, but the scandalous rumors about her identity had resurfaced with her return, like old secrets dragged out of a cellar to rot in the sun. From the day she landed, the whispers hadn't stopped, but she had long ago built an armor of steel.
The three-story white French-style villa shone like a massive pearl against the night sky. Champagne towers refracted the complex light of crystal chandeliers, and the air was filled with the scent of perfume and the sound of both fake and sincere laughter.
Upon entering, she passed a pair of twin socialites standing by the door, dressed in striking red and blue. When they saw Diana, their conversation stopped abruptly, replaced by a sharp, judgmental scrutiny.
Diana didn't spare them a glance. She handed her coat to a servant and scanned the hall. William wasn't in sight.
However, there was a stir over by the bar. Julian Harrison, wearing an incredibly flashy pink shirt, was holding a Martini and chatting loudly. When he caught a glimpse of the elegant figure at the door, his glass froze at his lips.
Most of the heiresses tonight were dressed in heavy, vibrant colors, seemingly intent on wearing every piece of jewelry in the city. Only Diana stood out, dressed in a simple, off-the-shoulder black cocktail dress with makeup so minimal it bordered on cold. Yet, she possessed a perfectly shaped face; her bright, striking features were balanced by the clarity of her eyes, making her look like a red plum blossom blooming in the first snow.
"Well, well! If it isn't our little Diana!"
Julian set down his glass and strode over, giving her a firm hug without waiting for an invitation. "It's been years! This little girl has really grown up—you're stunning beyond belief."
Diana was always relaxed around these "brothers." Holding her cake with one hand, she laughed and let him hug her. "Julian, watch your image. That shirt color is blinding me."
"Impudent brat!" Julian let go, feigning annoyance. "You run off for five years and don't even think to come back sooner. Tell me, while you were out having the time of your life abroad, did you ever think of your brothers?"
Diana blinked mischievously and gave a blunt, two-word answer: "I didn't."
"Heartless girl," Julian joked, then lowered his voice meaningfully. "If you didn't miss us, you must have at least missed William? He's been living like a monk these last few years."
Diana smiled but said nothing, neatly dodging the topic.
A few other young men crowded around, joking as they opened their arms. "Come on, little Diana, let us give you a hug too. Let's see if you've grown any taller."
Julian slapped one of them on the back. "Get lost! You think you can just touch her? When William comes out, he'll have your hands for that."
The group laughed. Everyone knew William doted on this non-biological sister without limits. The man wasn't offended and stepped back with a chuckle.
Diana placed her cake on the long table, only to find it already crowded with extravagant fondant creations, each looking like a work of art. Her blueberry mousse, squeezed in the middle, looked as plain as Cinderella crashing a debutante ball.
She turned to head to the terrace for some air, but a few whispered comments, intentionally loud enough for her to hear, pierced the air.
"Look at that. It's the 'extra' from the Bell family. She's got some nerve."
"How does she have the face to show up here? After what she did, the Bells were being merciful just by not disowning her."
"She looks pure enough, but those eyes are the best at deceiving people. Did you know? Since she couldn't stay with the Bells, she clung to the Knight family like a leech. William must be bewitched to actually treat her like royalty."
Diana's footsteps faltered. The woman in the red dress grew even more vicious, her voice dripping with a foul insinuation: "Living under the same roof all the time... who knows what kind of filth goes on behind closed doors? Maybe William just happens to like her 'brand' of—"
Diana had intended to endure the peace for the sake of William's birthday. But hearing them use such disgusting words to insult the man who had protected her like a guardian deity, her patience evaporated.
She turned slowly and walked toward the twins, her heels clicking against the floor. Though they were of similar height, her aura completely overwhelmed them.
Diana stared coldly at the stunned woman in red, her voice like ice. "Like what brand?"