A sudden wave of stiffness rooted Diana to the spot.
She pinched her fingertip, regaining her voice only after several seconds. "No. Don't misunderstand. Don't take what Charlotte said seriously; we don't get along, and she was just spreading rumors to spite me."
Eleanor Hayes rested her chin on one hand, her bright eyes scanning Diana's face with a scrutinizing gaze, as if weighing the truth of her words.
Since they weren't biological siblings, Diana put herself in Eleanor's shoes and felt that she, too, would find it unsettling. That existence—hovering on the blurred line between kinship and a certain ambiguity—was a sin in itself.
After a moment of silence, Diana spoke again. "You don't have to believe me, but you should trust William's character. I hope my presence doesn't negatively affect your opinion of him."
By the time Diana returned to the private booth, the conversation had moved on.
The central seat, once the rowdiest spot in the room, was now empty. Jasper Sterling had vanished, along with the beauty in the cheongsam who had been flirting so charmingly moments ago.
As for where they went, Diana didn't care.
She picked up her bag. Julian Harrison, who was busy playing dice, looked up in confusion. "You just got here. Leaving already? Not waiting for your brother?"
"I'm a bit tired; you guys enjoy yourselves," Diana said, her voice slightly cold. "William, I'm heading back."
Leaving the warm, alcohol-scented air of the booth, she stepped into the courtyard. A cool breeze rustled through the branches of the Podocarpus trees, clearing her clouded mind.
It wasn't until she saw the arrogant black supercar that Diana noticed people under the trees.
The woman in the cheongsam was leaning down toward the car window, her fingers grazing the sleek paint. "Jasper, the party's over already? That doesn't seem like your style."
"Boring," Jasper said, leaning back against his seat. His silhouette, submerged in the shadows, looked exceptionally sharp and indifferent.
The beauty curved her lips, her voice laced with a seductive hook. "Then how about I take you somewhere fun?"
Jasper's hand, resting on the window frame, flicked his cigarette. The greyish-white smoke dissipated into the wind. He suddenly smirked with a lazy, roguish air. "Something fun? Let's hear it."
Diana had no intention of interrupting their flirtatious "entertainment," but the man drove the same way he lived—his car was parked horizontally across the only exit, leaving no path for anyone else.
She didn't want to stand there like a voyeur watching a live broadcast. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward composedly.
A person walking by was hard to miss.
The woman straightened up, her gaze landing on Diana. Her voice remained soft and fluid, but it lacked the sultry edge she used with Jasper. "Leaving so soon, Miss Bell?"
"Yes."
Jasper lowered the window. His sharp, dark eyes swept over her with a nonchalance that suggested he was looking at a weed by the side of the road.
"Need a lift?"
Diana wasn't so oblivious as to miss the fact that they were mid-flirtation. With such a stunning woman by his side, who would have the time to drive her home? She even suspected that if she nodded, Jasper might just toss her over the roof of the car.
Besides, Jasper had never been kind to her; he was likely just being polite. After all, once the Knight and Hayes families were united by marriage, he would be William's cousin-in-law—a relative by name.
A hollow courtesy. She understood.
"I won't trouble you, Jasper," she maintained a distant politeness. "Go ahead with what you were doing."
Jasper arched an eyebrow, a smile appearing that didn't reach his eyes. "Which eye exactly sees me being 'busy'?"
Both eyes.
While others were drinking, he had been resting his eyes; now, with a beauty by his side, he wanted to "hear" about something fun. Wasn't he just conserving his energy for the after-party?
Diana didn't dare call him out. She explained quietly, "The driver brought me..."
Before she could finish, Jasper's smile vanished. He retracted his gaze, and with a heavy stomp on the accelerator, the arrogant roar of the engine vibrated through the air like an invisible whip across her nerves. The supercar streaked away like a black shadow.
Diana stood stunned.
She was surprised he had so cold-heartedly abandoned the beauty, but even more surprised by his mercurial temper.
The woman, however, seemed used to it. She elegantly adjusted an earring that had been ruffled by the wind. Even to Diana, the lingering look in the woman's eyes was mesmerizing. "That man... he's cold to his very core. He doesn't have a drop of chivalry in him."
Upon returning home, Diana showered and buried herself in her blankets. she felt exhausted, yet her mind remained sharply awake, fluttering with thoughts she couldn't quite grasp.
That feeling of suffocation lingered. Even though she hadn't stayed long at the club, it had been mentally taxing, like fighting a difficult battle.
Her phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message. She reached for it.
Eleanor Hayes: Are you home safe?
There had always been many women who liked William; they popped up like mushrooms after the rain. Some tried to take a roundabout route through Diana, while others viewed her as a rival. Regardless of their angle, once they confirmed her status, most chose a form of hostile flattery.
When Diana was younger, she had innocently delivered love letters for them. William never read them, but Diana, fueled by curiosity, would often hide under her covers to read the mushy prose.
She had seen similar acts of kindness many times, but Eleanor was different. As the daughter of the Hayes family, she really had no need to suck up to anyone.
Diana replied politely: I'm home, thank you for asking.
Eleanor: Are you free tomorrow? Want to go shopping?
Diana declined: Sorry, I have plans tomorrow.
After that, Eleanor sent her various WhatsApp messages. She invited her to art exhibitions, to a private stable, or to a newly opened rooftop restaurant.
Diana couldn't tell if she was being friendly or keeping tabs on her, so she offered a mountain of excuses. Her polite distancing was clear to any discerning eye. In the adult world, things were supposed to be understood without being said. She assumed Eleanor would get the hint.
After all, beneath Eleanor's refined socialite upbringing lay a high degree of sensitivity.
After a few attempts, Eleanor went silent.
A few days later, Diana received a call from Maya Wilde. Her foster mother sounded uncontainably happy, saying a distinguished guest had arrived and asking Diana to come home early.
Before she even stepped into the Knight family living room, she heard a bell-like laugh.
Eleanor was helping Maya prune flowers for an arrangement. She looked up and waved naturally. "Diana, we meet again."
Diana felt a chill run down her spine. The feeling of her private domain being invaded was deeply uncomfortable, but in front of Maya, she had to suppress her emotions. "Is there something you need, Miss Hayes?"
Eleanor acted as if she couldn't sense the tension at all. "My mother's birthday is coming up. Since I just moved back, I'm really not sure about the local elders' tastes. I was hoping you could give me some advice."
"I'm not good at picking gifts either," Diana demurred coldly. "For something like this, it's more useful to ask William."
Eleanor blinked piteously and tugged at Maya's sleeve. "But William is so busy. And I really don't have any close friends in the city yet. I spent my childhood with my father in the south; now that I'm back, I feel like everyone is quite distant."
This version of her was completely different from the sharp woman outside the private booth that night.
Sure enough, Maya was a sucker for this kind of soft approach. She turned to persuade Diana. "Diana, you always pick the most wonderful things for me. Eleanor is a young girl on her own in the city; it isn't easy for her. Just go with her once, as a favor to me, alright?"
Diana took a deep breath. No matter how unwilling she was, she could only nod.
Maya sent the family driver to drop them off. As the car windows rolled up, the air inside the vehicle instantly chilled. Diana leaned her head against the window, staring at the passing greenery in silence.
"Don't be angry," Eleanor tilted her head, lightly poking Diana's arm. "I had no choice. You were always avoiding me."
"I'm not angry," Diana's voice was flat. "I'm just surprised that you're clever enough to exploit a senior's kindness."
"If I didn't, you probably would never have given me the time of day."
Diana turned and saw the smile on Eleanor's face. It was the standard, elegant, and sophisticated curve cultivated by elite families—and it carried a sense of overwhelming confidence.
"What exactly do you want?"
"I want to be your friend."
Diana didn't want to hear any more meaningless social platitudes. "Since my brother and foster mother aren't here, you don't need to act. Why don't you just be direct?"
Eleanor glanced at the driver's seat. The driver was a longtime employee of the Knight family.
Diana understood. She asked the driver to stop the car. She led Eleanor into a street-side cafe and chose a soundproof private room. The sound of the door locking was crisp and loud as the two sat across from each other.
Diana got straight to the point. "You're different from the women who came before. You are the chosen bride for the Knight family. With the merger of our families imminent, you hold far more cards than I do. I don't hate you; in fact, I hope you and my brother work out. So, there's no need to waste your time on me."
"But I'm curious about you."
Eleanor used tongs to drop two sugar cubes into her coffee. The spoon clinked against the porcelain. "I don't mind telling you—I really like William. The first time I saw him at a banquet, I knew I wanted that man. Have you ever felt your heart race out of control like that?"
"That day, I only asked him where the restroom was. He reacted indifferently; he didn't even look at me properly. But that coldness, that way he keeps people at a distance, made me remember him for three whole years. Though, I was too young then—even younger than you are now."
Diana's fingertips trembled. She didn't want to hear this confession. "You should save these words for your wedding."
Eleanor continued as if she hadn't spoken, her eyes growing deep. "I've looked into every woman who has ever appeared around William. I don't care about the casual flings; to me, those are just decorations in his life. Only you are different."
"A god sister with no blood relation, holding his exclusive favor, and being this beautiful..."
She leaned in slightly, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Don't you think you're a ticking time bomb?"