Chapter 8
Chapter 8
In that cold York family, if there was ever a hint of false warmth, it came from her nominal second brother, Dash York.
He would smile and call her "Diana," occasionally intervene when Leila bullied her, and sometimes bring her small gifts.
For a time, she believed that at least Dash genuinely treated her as a sister in this family.
Yet that belief shattered when they forced her to take Leila's place in marriage and drugged the water. She finally understood—all his kindness was merely to manipulate her more easily.
Diana suddenly remembered her junior year of high school, when Dash, a talented artist who later became a lawyer, had lost over a hundred thousand dollars to an online investment scam.
That money was meant for buying brushes and paints for his graduation project.
Afraid of being berated by the family, he approached Diana, who had just won fifty thousand in a programming competition.
He tearfully swore it was just a temporary loan he would repay the following month.
Diana believed him then, transferring all her living expenses along with the fifty thousand prize money to him.
Naturally, nothing came after that.
Diana's fingertips tapped on the screen, replying: [Okay.]
When a debtor comes calling, it's only natural to collect the debt.
Though the money wasn't much, she intended to reclaim every cent of what was hers—with interest, of course.
---
Half an hour later, Starlight Cafe.
The cafe was not far from their former school. When Diana was still a student, Dash always chose this place whenever he wanted to bond with her.
Dash liked the name and found it convenient for playing the role of a caring older brother. He arrived half an hour early with an elegant gift box and ordered a latte.
Diana pushed open the door, making the wind chimes tinkle.
She immediately spotted Dash by the window.
He wore a beige casual suit that was well-tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders and slim waist. Gold-rimmed glasses perched on his straight nose, giving him a gentle yet elegant appearance.
Seeing Diana, Dash immediately stood up, his face wearing that perfectly calibrated smile of indulgent affection.
"Diana, you're here. Please, sit down."
Diana took a seat across from him. A server promptly approached with menus, but she waved them away.
"What do you want?" she asked directly, not bothering with pleasantries.
Dash's smile froze for a second. He clearly wasn't yet accustomed to this Diana who met his gaze with such scrutiny—so different from the girl who used to lower her head and speak timidly in his presence.
"Still angry with the family?" He sighed, leaning forward slightly in a posture of earnest concern.
"Our parents had no choice. You know our York family's situation. Besides, the Russell family is wealthy and powerful—marrying into it is certainly better than struggling with a career on your own. We were only thinking of your best interests."
"Get to the point," Diana said quietly, watching his performance as if viewing some outdated melodrama.
The muscles in Dash's cheeks twitched as he abandoned reminiscing and returned to his purpose.
He pulled out a document from his briefcase and pushed it toward Diana, then nudged the gift box forward as well.
"This is the York Group's latest biomedical project. It has tremendous potential, but we're facing a small funding gap for the initial phase."
He cleared his throat, no longer able to hide the greed in his eyes.
"Diana, the money from the Russell family—a young woman like you couldn't possibly need all of it. Why not transfer half to the company account as your investment? Once the project takes off, you'll get your share of the year-end profits."
Seeing no reaction from Diana, he decided more persuasion was needed. "I know your contribution might seem small for the project, but your position has changed. You're the wife of the Russell family heir. If you just mention our project to Mason, or bring it up with the Russell Group executives, even the scraps from the Russell family's table would be enough to sustain our project."
Diana smiled coldly. Dash's calculations were indeed clever—wanting both her bride price and her influence to secure investments.
Did he really think he could get something for nothing?
Not in this lifetime.
Diana stared at him expressionlessly, making Dash uneasy enough to press further. "Diana, this isn't just for the York family—it's for your own benefit too."
"Think about it—if your maternal family grows stronger, you'll have more leverage in your husband's household, right? Besides, if Rupert really does die someday, you'll still have a home to return to."
"In the gift box is that limited-edition Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet you wanted for your 18th birthday. I bought it for you. Sign this contract, and I'll put it on your wrist."
Diana finally moved.
She didn't even glance at the gift box or touch the project proposal with its empty promises. Instead, she took something from her small handbag and placed it gently on the coffee table.
It was a Lucky Tarot card, very old but with pristine imagery, clearly preserved with great care by Diana.
Dash's pupils contracted sharply. He recognized it.
The year Diana came of age, he had impulsively done a tarot reading for her.
He remembered how Diana had treasured it, her joy almost spilling from her eyes when she received it.
"This was the lucky charm you brought me before my 18th birthday. You said then it was in place of that bracelet." Diana gave a faint smile.
"Now, I'm returning it to its original owner."
Diana's voice was soft, each word penetrating Dash's ears.
This tarot card was the last memento of their false sibling relationship. Now, she severed it with her own hands and tossed it before him.
Dash's expression immediately collapsed. "Diana, what do you mean by this?"
Diana raised her gaze to look directly at him, those clear eyes terrifyingly cold.
"Go back and tell everyone in the York family that the bride price was payment for selling half my life in Leila's place. They won't get a single cent of it."
Her lips curved into a mocking smile.
"And stop sending pathetic specimens like Marcus to disgust me. Otherwise, I can't guarantee the York Group's stock won't suddenly experience some 'technical adjustment' and be delisted."
Diana had worked at the York Group since her graduation internship. Idris not only never paid her salary but also dumped all the dirty, exhausting, and legally gray work on her.
She had enough evidence to cause the York Group's stock to plummet off the market, completely disrupting their cash flow—she just hadn't had time to organize it yet.
"You... you dare threaten me?"
Dash was well aware of what Idris had made Diana do. He couldn't believe these words were coming from the Diana who once obeyed his every command.
Diana leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice to crystal clarity. "Besides, that money you borrowed from me in senior year when you got scammed trying to ride the cryptocurrency wave—when exactly do you plan to pay it back?"