Rest & Revenge

Rest & Revenge
Diane’s POV

At Lance’s Mansion, Diane’s Room

I got home later that night feeling very full and tired. Clara and I ate so much. She forced me to eat more than I planned to. She kept saying I needed strength for my new role. Meanwhile, the baby in me was acting like a tiny boss too. I felt heavy, sleepy, and annoyed all at the same time. Pregnancy was truly not for the weak.

When I entered the house, everywhere was quiet. It was 11pm and the workers had retired except for Miriam who would be at my feet at any time I called her. 

The lights in the living room were dimmed. I dropped my bag on the couch and kicked off my shoes slowly before climbing the stairs. My legs felt stiff. I reached my room and took a deep breath. Then I sat on the edge of the bed like someone who fought a war.

I checked the time. Past 11:14 PM. I didn’t know if Lance was back. It wasn’t like I heard anything from his side of the house. However, I was tempted to go check. I really almost stood up to go and check. But I stopped myself, dropping back into the bed.

Why was I curious? Why did I even want to check? It was not like I cared. I didn’t care. Even if I did care, this was unnecessary. I kept telling myself that. I would not be stupid again.

I went to shower instead. The warm water relaxed my body a little. Pregnancy tiredness was not normal tiredness. It was like my bones were being used to build a house. I stepped out, dried my body, rubbed my stomach gently, wore a loose night gown, and tied my hair up.

When I got back to the bed, I sat again and rested my back on the headboard. I exhaled. My mind kept going back to work, to everything that happened today, to Lance introducing me like that, calling me wife in public, making me a CEO in front of everyone.

It felt… nice. Too nice.

And I hated that it felt nice.

I shook the thought away. Work. Focus. Revenge. That was my focus. Nothing else.

I grabbed my second laptop from the drawer beside my bed. This was the laptop I used for my revenge plan. The one that had everything I installed connected to Mike’s house. Cameras and voice recorders everywhere. Hidden where he would never look. In his office, in his bedroom, living room, even near his bathroom door. 

I opened the software. I didn’t know the technical name for what I used. I only knew I paid an expert hacker to install everything for me and teach me how to view and save the recordings. All I needed was to click and watch or listen.

I typed in the password and opened the file where today’s recording was stored. I clicked play.

Mike’s voice came first. The stupid voice that once sounded sweet to me. I rolled my eyes.

“Babe, I said I’m sorry. I don’t know how many times you want me to apologize,” he said.

Amanda’s voice followed. “So you think saying sorry will make me forget you cheated?”

Mike sighed like he was the victim. “But we already talked about this. You messed up too. I thought we were even.”

I scoffed. Even? He said even? So she cheated too? Interesting. Two clowns.

I sat up, expecting something more useful. Something evil. Something that would give me joy. But no. It was the same boring story. The same stupid drama.

Then I heard Amanda again. “I don’t feel well. I feel dizzy.”

She so wanted to be me. Because how else would I explain the mathematics behind getting pregnant exactly when I got pregnant?

Mike panicked a bit. “Let’s go to the hospital. Come on.”

I watched the footage as he helped her up and took her to the hospital. Nothing dramatic. Nothing useful. Nothing damaging. Just two fools trying to act like a relationship mattered.

I felt anger rise in me. Real anger.

She thought she won. She really thought she won. She took a man from me thinking she got something precious. How bold. How proud. Like he was some treasure.

I shut the laptop hard and pushed it aside.

What a waste of time. No evidence. Nothing. I expected something better. Something juicy. Something I could use to destroy his stupid business and drag him into the mud like he deserved.

I leaned back and rubbed my face with my palm.

Then I laughed small. Not because anything was funny. But because life was strange.

I used to love that man. Like real love. Blind love. Stupid love. I thought I would die if I ever lost him. I thought I needed him.

Look at me now. CEO. Pregnant. Moving on. Living in a mansion with a man who at least tries not to make me cry. Mike did not cross my mind anymore unless I was planning how to ruin him.

I felt a small pinch of sadness for my old self. The girl who cried because he cheated. The girl who begged for love. The girl who stayed even when she was breaking inside. I did not even recognize her now. I was proud of myself for leaving. I was proud that I felt nothing for him.

I rubbed my stomach again and whispered, “I’m sorry, baby.”

Yes, I apologized to my unborn child. Because I was going to be the reason his father would be poor and miserable. I would ruin Mike’s name, business, everything. He would become invisible in society. Unknown. Forgotten. A nobody.

I sighed again. I felt heavy. Emotionally and physically.

“I will protect you,” I whispered again to my stomach. “I’ll give you the best life. But your father will pay.”

My eyes felt weak. Sleep was pulling me slowly. I rested my head back on the pillow. Before sleep fully came, I wondered again if Lance was home.

I shook the thought off… or tried to.

Just when I began drifting away, I felt something gentle. A soft movement. Someone placing a blanket over me.

I tried to open my eyes. They were half-open. Everything looked blurry. It was like I was awake but not really awake. Or asleep but not really asleep.

I saw a figure. A man.

He moved quietly, almost carefully. He tucked the blanket over my body like he didn’t want me feeling cold.

I wanted to turn and look properly, but my body was tired. My mind was floating between sleep and reality.

“Goodnight,” I thought I heard a soft whisper. Or maybe I imagined it.

My heart felt strange. Warm. Safe.

But I refused to let myself think too much. I closed my eyes fully and let sleep take me.

Whoever it was…

I did not stop him.

I just slept.