Chapter 105: Empty Threats.

Chapter 105: Empty Threats.
Diane stormed out of the kitchen, her anger palpable as she ascended the stairs. However, the sight of Steven and Dua in their passionate embrace in the hallway only fueled her rage further. She scoffed, approaching them with a deadly gaze fixed squarely on Dua. "You're going to regret this..." she spat, contempt dripping from her words. Her gaze then flicked to Steven. "Both of you."
Steven met her glare with equal intensity. "You can, and will, do nothing."
"I know you don't know much about me," Diane said, her tone sharp as a knife. "But let me share a little secret: I don’t make empty threats."
"Well, then we have one thing in common," Dua replied defiantly, stepping closer to Steven. "None of us makes empty threats."
Diane smirked, her eyes narrowing. "Then we’ll see whose threat is deadlier." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the hallway, leaving a tense air behind her.
"Don't let it get to you," Steven murmured, wrapping his arms around Dua in a comforting embrace.
"It didn’t," Dua replied, though her voice trembled slightly.

Meanwhile, Diane climbed into her car, fuming. Her thoughts raced as she drove straight to her family’s house. Anger radiated from her entire being, driving her forward.
Upon arriving, Diane burst through the door, just as her family was sitting down for dinner. 
"Dad, I need your help. There’s someone I want to end right now," she said, urgency lacing her words.
Sandra looked up with concern. "Is that why you rushed down here at this time?"
Bob replied, "Pray that you never face a situation that drives you nearly mad. Then maybe you'll understand."
Mark poured chilled water into a glass and handed it to Diane. "Here, you look like you need this."
Diane gulped the water down in one swift motion, still boiling inside as she finally took a seat at the table. 
"So, who is the unfortunate soul that has stepped on your toes?" Bob asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Dua. I want her gone, and I need your help to make it happen," Diane declared, a mix of desperation and urgency in her voice.
"You don't want to end her any more than we do. Do you know what hell that girl put us through in your absence, when we thought she was you?" Mark said, his voice thick with resentment.
"She literally drove Dad mad and made Mom cry all the time. And me? I never had a moment's peace," he continued, shaking with anger.
"I'm going to make her pay for everything she's done to us, and I need your help to do that, Dad," Diane declared, her eyes dark with determination.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. Go home. Your request is granted," Bob assured her, his tone dismissive yet oddly reassuring.
A grateful smile broke across Diane's face as she bid them all goodbye. But as she turned to leave the room, she paused, turning back to Bob. "Whatever you do, Dad, don’t harm Steven. I'm still not on board with that, and I never will be," she said, her voice firm.
"Oh, come on, Di. That’s in the past. I’ve changed my mind. I just want the position of the Mafia Lord from him. If he hands it over peacefully, there won’t be any problems," Bob sneered, unknowingly igniting a fire in Diane’s heart.
"Very well then," she nodded, her resolve unbroken as she took her leave.
On her drive back, she made a quick stop at a store, picking up a few items before heading to Steven's house. Arriving, she made her way straight to the bedroom, only to be met with an unwelcome surprise—her luggage had been unceremoniously thrown out, just like she had done to Dua’s. 
A scoff escaped her lips, and anger coursed through her veins as she opened the door, revealing Steven and Dua nestled together in bed, their laughter grating against her frayed nerves. 
Fueled by rage, she marched into the kitchen, clutching the items she had just bought: a few cups of brightly colored smoothies and a small sachet containing a mysterious powder. With meticulous care, she opened the cups and added the powder, stirring the mixture with a satisfied grin. Arranging the cups in the fridge, a sinister satisfaction settled in her chest. 
"Cuddle him well, Dua. Cuddle him long and hard because this is the last time you’ll ever have the chance," she smirked, a sinister satisfaction simmering in her chest.
With a sense of triumph, Diane wiped her hands on her jeans and stepped back to admire her handiwork in the fridge. The smoothies sat innocently, their vibrant colors bright and inviting, but she reveled in the dark secret hidden within each one. A wicked smile crept across her lips as she strode back to the bedroom, her heart racing with the exhilaration of her impending revenge.
As she approached the door, hesitation flickered in her mind. This was her final chance to reclaim what she believed was rightfully hers. Diane knocked softly, crafting a façade of casualness that barely concealed the storm brewing inside her. The sound of Dua’s laughter drifted through the door, igniting her fury once more.
The door swung open almost immediately, revealing Steven’s brooding figure. "Oh, hi Steven," she greeted, forcing a bright smile onto her face. But he met her with a look of contempt, his expression icy.
"What do you want, Diane?" he asked, annoyance lacing his tone.
"Nothing much. Just wanted to mention how my things got thrown out..." she began, only to be cut off by his sharp response.
"It wasn’t her, it was me." His matter-of-fact statement cut through her like a knife.
Diane's smile faltered, though anger simmered within her. "Oh," she said sweetly, masking her boiling insides. "Could you show me to another room?"
"Pick one of the rooms on the second floor." He replied flatly, turning on his heel and shutting the door before she could retort.
"Keep that attitude while it lasts, honey," Diane muttered darkly, a chuckle escaping her lips as she rolled her luggage towards the second floor.
As she reached the corridor, Denise approached, clapping slowly with an unsettling grin. "Shameless woman," Denise hissed as she strutted past Diane, dripping with disdain.
To Denise’s surprise, Diane turned to her, a smile plastered on her face. "Thank you!" she replied cheerfully, stepping into the room and leaving Denise both perplexed and infuriated.