By this time, Maya and the servants had already retired for the night. The lights in the Knight villa had been dimmed, leaving only the hallway lamps to guide Diana home.
Maggie emerged from her room, throwing a coat over her shoulders to greet her. "Why so late? Madam was waiting up for you, worried sick when you didn't return. It took a lot of talking to get her to go up and rest. Are you hungry? I kept some fish soup in the kitchen—shall I boil some noodles for you?"
"Don't trouble yourself, Maggie. I'm not hungry," Diana whispered. "Go back to sleep, I'm heading up now."
Maggie watched her go upstairs before returning to the servants' quarters.
Diana didn't turn on the lights. Guided by the dim amber glow of the wall sconces, she made her way back to her bedroom. She threw herself onto the soft, oversized bed. In the darkness, William's cold features from the previous night and that cryptic remark of his replayed incessantly in her mind. She pulled a pillow over her face, forcing herself toward a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, the atmosphere at the breakfast table was as oppressive as ever.
Maya held a bone china coffee cup, her gaze landing on Diana's slightly pale face. "Where were you last night? Maggie said the moon had already set by the time you got back."
"I was over at Julian's place for a few drinks. We just lost track of time talking," Diana said, tearing off a piece of toast, her voice steady and devoid of emotion.
Seeing her composed demeanor, the suspicion in Maya's eyes finally dissipated.
"Your brother is thirty-one now that his birthday has passed; it's time his marriage was settled." Maya set her cup down, her manicured nails looking polished and sharp. "I've discussed it with your Godfather. A daughter-in-law for the Knight family must be someone of equal social standing, someone who can represent us properly. Remarkably, William didn't push back this time—he said he'd follow our arrangements. I've gathered profiles for a few girls over the last two days. Why don't you help me look them over?"
"Of course," Diana looked up, her lips curving into a standard, obedient smile. "Your taste is always impeccable."
She knew perfectly well that Maya's "consultation" was merely a form of gracious notification. In the Knight household, she was like a piece of fine decor—an adopted daughter with no real say. A marriage alliance was the stitching together of two massive corporate empires; her own future felt as precarious as driftwood, so she certainly had no standing to influence William's nuptials.
In the afternoon, Julian's call arrived as expected.
"Diana, 'Begonia Moon' tonight. Coming out to hang?"
"I'll pass. I want to get to bed early," Diana leaned against the window, watching the overly manicured shrubs in the garden.
"Sleep? Since when? You used to be William's little shadow, but now that you're back in the country, you've turned into a hermit?" Julian laughed suggestively on the other end. "Are you sure? Tonight is special. Your 'future sister-in-law' is going to be here. As the younger sister, shouldn't you come by to pay your respects?"
Diana's grip on the phone tightened until her knuckles turned white.
So soon.
She hadn't even been given time to process the word "matchmaking."
Her first instinct was to refuse, but then she realized that staying away would only make her look guilty. As a daughter of the Knight family, she was expected to show curiosity and warmth toward a future sister-in-law.
"Fine. Send me the address."
"Begonia Moon" was tucked away deep within the heart of the East City. This traditional courtyard house within the Second Ring Road had a threshold so high it was intimidating; between the ancient bricks and tiles flowed not history, but raw wealth and power.
A flashy black Koenigsegg was parked in the center of the courtyard, looking like a crouching predator. There was no need to ask—Jasper Sterling was definitely here.
When she pushed open the heavy doors of the private suite, a cloud of cold fragrance and the sound of laughter hit her.
"Ah, the star of the show is here!" Julian stood up, pulling Diana toward the group. He pointed to the girl sitting next to William. "Take a look. This is our Great Master William's fiancée-to-be."
Diana looked over and froze.
The girl looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a bright yellow knit sweater with her hair in a high ponytail. Her eyes were full of a naive, spirited spark. She wasn't a stiff, formal socialite; she looked more like a college student who had just stepped off campus.
William sat in the shadows where the light met the dark, idly flicking a metal lighter. The lid clicked open and shut with a rhythmic snap. He didn't deny Julian's teasing, but his gaze was unreadable as it swept over Diana.
"Julian, you should save that mouth of yours for a radio ribbon-cutting ceremony," William remarked dryly.
"Nothing is set in stone yet, don't start labeling people," the girl said, her face flushing a shy red. Her expression was almost blindingly innocent. She stood up gracefully and walked over to Diana. "You must be Diana, right? William mentions you often."
Diana reached out politely, but a flicker of bitterness rose in her heart. William talked about her to others, yet he had never breathed a word about this girl to her.
"Hello. I'm Eleanor Hayes."
Eleanor was Jasper Sterling's cousin, and her background was staggering. Her uncle was General Sterling, and her father, Minister Bell, held a high-ranking position in the Foreign Office. Due to her father's diplomatic posts, she had grown up in Lin City and had only recently returned to the East City.
Diana's life path had perfectly missed Eleanor's. When Diana was in the East City, Eleanor was away; five years ago, when Eleanor returned, Diana had been sent abroad. Furthermore, Eleanor was best friends with Diana's half-sister, Charlotte Bell.
As it happened, the two sisters of the Bell family were more like mortal enemies.
"Hello, Miss Hayes."
"Just call me Eleanor. We're the same age." Eleanor was incredibly familiar, naturally tucking her arm into Diana's. She even leaned in playfully to sniff near Diana's neck. "Wow, you smell amazing. What perfume are you wearing?"
Diana flinched slightly, her social anxiety flaring. But this was the "future sister-in-law," so she forced herself not to pull away. "I'm not wearing perfume today. It might just be my body wash."
"Well, you'll have to recommend that body wash to me later." Eleanor turned to William with a radiant smile. "William, your sister is so cute. She's like a porcelain doll."
The atmosphere in the room was electric, the conversation revolving entirely around the "golden couple."
Eleanor leaned into Diana's ear, whispering, "Diana, tell me the truth—does the great William Knight have any unbearable secret habits? Or... is he hiding a secret lover?"
Diana lowered her eyes, staring at the tips of her shoes. Her voice was as light as a breeze. "He... has always been perfect. He has no flaws."
"You're asking the wrong person," Julian interrupted. "In Diana's eyes, William is a god. If you want secrets, you come to me. One hundred dollars per secret—I promise they're worth it."
Eleanor laughed, batting his hand away. "I don't trust a playboy like you. I only trust Diana's word."
Diana looked up, her eyes searching Eleanor's clear, bright ones.
Was it possible Eleanor truly didn't remember the last time they had met? Or was she merely putting on an act of "letting bygones be bygones" in front of William?
Eleanor pulled out her phone. "Come on, let's exchange WhatsApps."
Under William's watchful eye, Diana couldn't refuse. She scanned the code, and as the "Success" notification popped up, she felt the wall of isolation around her grow even thicker.