Chapter 10

"Let me correct you." Diana held up one slender finger, wagging it with deliberate slowness.

"First of all, this afternoon I went to see my second brother, Dash. He was representing the York family, demanding I surrender all assets given by the Russell family, while conveniently asking me to leverage my position as a Russell heir's wife to secure investments for the York Group's mess. I refused."

She paused, her gaze settling on Alvina's face, which had twisted slightly with rage.

"Second, regarding this 'old lover' Marcus you mentioned—yes, he did make an appearance, but only through a phone call the York family specifically arranged to upset me. Unfortunately for them, he's such scum I couldn't be bothered to speak with him."

"You're lying!" Alvina refused to believe her. "Your sister told me everything! She said you despise this marriage and even cursed Rupert!"

"Leila?" Diana let out a soft laugh laced with undisguised contempt. "You mean the sister who steals my clothes, uses my things without permission, and ultimately tried to steal my entire life?"

Her gaze suddenly turned cold. "You're a Russell elder who's lived for decades. Are you really unable to see through such obvious manipulation? Or perhaps you do see through it but prefer to believe an outsider's slander?"

Diana stood up and approached Alvina step by step. She towered over her by half a head, looking down with lowered eyelids. The invisible pressure made the air in the entire room feel thin.

"You rushed in here so eagerly to accuse me without knowing the facts. Are you truly concerned about the Russell family's reputation, or have you done something unsavory yourself, so you assume everyone else is just as dirty?"

She paused briefly, observing Alvina's increasingly uncertain expression.

Under Diana's scrutiny, Alvina felt her heart racing. She unconsciously took a small step backward, widening the distance between them.

"What... what nonsense are you talking about?"

Diana suddenly leaned forward and spoke in an intimate yet icy tone, at a volume only the two of them could hear, "You'd better get your own house in order. Compared to my supposedly meeting an 'old lover,' Mr. Mason Russell would be far more upset to learn about the filthier things you've done during all these years since marrying into the family, wouldn't you agree?"

The color drained from Alvina's face, leaving her deathly pale. She tried to find evidence of bluffing in Diana's unnervingly calm eyes, but it only made her more uncertain.

How could Diana possibly know about her affair!

The thought screamed wildly in Alvina's mind, nearly shredding her sanity.

Absolutely impossible! A daughter-in-law who had barely been part of the Russell family for a few days couldn't possibly have informants already.

Yes, she must be fishing for information!

This conclusion allowed Alvina's heart, which had nearly jumped out of her throat, to grudgingly settle back into place. She forcibly suppressed her overwhelming fear, transforming it into even sharper anger, though this time with a new target.

She whirled around and delivered a stinging slap to a trembling servant behind her. The sharp sound cracked through the spacious room.

"Useless! Are you all just standing here like wooden posts?" Alvina's voice distorted with emotional agitation.

She needed to reclaim control through intimidation. "I asked you to watch one person, and you couldn't even manage that. What good are any of you?"

Several servants clutched their faces, bowing repeatedly in terrified apology. This display of impotent rage finally allowed Alvina to regain some semblance of Russell family elder authority.

She gave Diana one last cold glance, making no attempt to hide the venom and warning in her eyes. "Diana, I don't care what you're plotting. Remember this: this is the Russell Manor, not your playground. From today forward, without my permission, you are forbidden from setting foot outside the estate!"

She expected this house arrest to cause Diana to show at least a hint of panic.

However, Diana merely leaned back lazily against her chair, her expression indifferent, not even bothering to furrow her brow.

This complete dismissal felt more infuriating to Alvina than any fierce resistance would have been. Her chest tightened with anger as she stormed out with her servants in tow, leaving the door unable to close properly from the force.

Diana's gaze fell on the misaligned door, and the corner of her lips curved upward slightly. The seeds of doubt would grow wildly in the mind of someone as guilty as Alvina. Sooner or later, they would completely break her already strained nerves.

Diana returned her attention to her laptop. Just as her fingertips were about to touch the trackpad, a playful male voice drifted in from the doorway.

"Busy schedule, huh? Just got rid of one old lover, and now your brother shows up. Diana, you've got quite the collection of admirers."

Rupert leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, his impossibly handsome face wearing an amused smile. He had clearly been watching the entire scene unfold from some corner.

Diana didn't pause her movements, merely lifting her eyelids slightly to glance at him.

Unfazed by her cold reception, Rupert strolled in and casually closed the precariously hanging door behind him with a soft click.

He approached her desk, his tall figure casting a shadow as he looked down at her. "You're far more interesting than I expected. But being quick-witted alone won't help you. Fools like Alvina are easy to handle, but if you want to secure your position in the Russell family, you'll need a powerful backer."

As he spoke, he leaned down, placing both hands on the desk, effectively trapping Diana between himself and the chair. The distance between them vanished instantly.

His clean, crisp scent mixed with something predatory, forcefully claiming the air around her. His physique was exceptional—a simple white shirt stretched perfectly across his broad chest and shoulders, the thin fabric barely concealing the power beneath.

He lowered his voice to a magnetic timbre, like a temptation to sin. "Consider my proposal—be my lover. When I take control of the Russell family, whatever you want, I'll give you double."

This was clearly a recruitment attempt and a test. He wanted to see if Diana was truly ambitious or merely a pretty face with some clever tricks and empty threats.

Diana finally stopped what she was doing. She looked up, meeting his intense, searching gaze. Rather than showing offense, she smiled seductively.

The next second, her fingers once again hooked around his tie.

Rupert's expression froze momentarily, clearly not expecting such boldness when the study door wasn't even properly closed.

Diana's fingers applied slight pressure, drawing his face—one that could drive women worldwide to madness—closer to her own.

Their noses nearly touched, warm breaths intermingling, the atmosphere instantly charged with tension.