Diana Bell stared at the message from William Knight on her screen: [If you want me there, I'll be back.] Her heart skipped a violent beat.
She instinctively looked out the floor-to-ceiling window, feeling as though even the drifting clouds today were a touch more tender than usual.
While she was lost in thought, her best friend, Penelope Reed, rushed over and grabbed her arm. "My legs are absolutely trashed from all this shopping. Come on, let's go. We're hitting KFC—I need some Original Recipe chicken to heal my soul."
Diana stayed rooted to the spot, a hint of bashfulness coloring her voice. "Penelope... I can't do dinner tonight."
"What? It's not even curfew yet." Penelope leaned in suspiciously, her eyes darting toward Diana's phone screen. "Ooh, 'If you want me there, I'll be back'? My god, the stench of romance is practically wafting off the screen!"
"Spill it, Diana. Are you calling the Young Master of the East City back to do some... 'official business'?"
Diana's face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato.
Penelope burst into a fit of giggles. "Alright, alright, I get it. A night of passion is worth a thousand gold pieces. A single pringle like me shouldn't play the third wheel here."
Though she had expected a feast, Penelope was a good sport. She hailed a taxi to head home. As she leaned against the car window, she asked, "The 'Evil-hearted mother and daughter' back at your place... they're still in the dark about you marrying William, right?"
"They don't know, and I don't plan on telling them," Diana said, her tone turning cold.
"If they saw you now, their jaws would hit the floor," Penelope remarked in awe. "Losing eighty pounds in a year—going from a 'butterball' to a goddess? It's a medical miracle. I heard Aurora Stone has been trying every trick in the book to seduce William lately. If she finds out the man she's thirsty for is actually her brother-in-law... man, that's a show I'd pay to see!"
The two walked toward the mall exit together.
At that exact moment, Catherine Archer and Aurora Stone were walking in, laden with shopping bags.
Catherine paused, squinting at the departing figures. "Aurora, look. Isn't that Penelope Reed? The one who's always trailing behind Diana like a lost puppy?"
Aurora sharpened her gaze. "It is. But who's the woman in the red dress with her? That waist... she looks like a total siren."
"No idea," Catherine frowned, her voice tinged with envy. "She's got an air about her—doesn't look like she comes from an ordinary family. Did Penelope climb the social ladder? She'd rather shop with a beauty like that than hang around that clumsy, fat Diana?"
Just then, Diana reached her flashy pink sports car.
As she pulled the door open, she seemed to sense something and turned her head slightly.
It was a face of aggressive beauty—bright eyes, white teeth, and a complexion like frost and snow. She gave Catherine and her daughter a brief, indifferent glance, a trace of a mocking smirk playing on her lips. Then, she nimbly slid into the driver's seat and sped away.
"That look just now..." Aurora stood frozen, her heart racing for no reason. "Mom, don't you think that woman looked... familiar?"
Catherine snapped out of her daze, hiding her inner shock. "Probably some high-society heiress we caught a glimpse of at a gala. Forget it. Let's go find a gift for Mr. Knight."
On her way back to the Imperial Mansion, Diana stopped at a florist.
She picked out a bouquet of 'Cool Water' roses in full bloom.
Back in her bedroom, she carefully arranged the flowers in a crystal vase. The cold, masculine aesthetic of the black-and-white interior suddenly felt alive and vibrant with the infusion of their fragrance.
Heading downstairs, she pushed open her brother's door. "How are the practice exams coming along, Noah?"
Noah Bell tossed his pen aside, looking smug. "Five hours, five math papers. Sis, your time as my supervisor is officially over."
Diana took the papers and graded them one by one.
To her surprise, despite his rebellious streak, Noah was a math prodigy. The pages were covered in checkmarks; aside from the messy handwriting, his logic was flawless.
"Not bad. As a reward, we're having a beef feast for dinner."
"For real? I want poached beef, stir-fried tripe, and the secret-recipe brisket!" Noah cheered. "Put it all on Lord Knight's tab!"
Looking at his excitement, Diana couldn't help but nag. "Doing well on the problems doesn't mean you can relax. If you don't practice your penmanship, your essays are going to look like computer glitches to the graders. Did you learn nothing from that 18-point essay last semester?"
At the mention of the essay, Noah deflated. "Was that my fault? The teacher and I weren't on the same wavelength. The prompt was 'Responsibility.' I started with that, then branched into 'National Defense,' and eventually ended up researching 'Ancient Military Tactics'..."
Diana pressed a hand to her forehead. "You didn't just go off-topic; you exited the atmosphere."
To dodge the handwriting lecture, Noah quickly changed the subject. "Sis, is Mr. Knight coming home for dinner? I kind of miss him."
Diana thought of William's brief WhatsApp message. He said he'd be back "tonight," which usually meant late.
"He's busy with work. He probably won't be back for dinner."
"Why don't you send him a WhatsApp and ask? Maybe he wants a home-cooked meal."
Diana's thumb brushed against the edge of her phone, but she resisted. On the day they registered their marriage, William had made it clear: it was best they kept a proper distance.
"Don't disturb him. We'll just do our own thing."
"Fair enough," Noah didn't think much of it, grinning. "Sis, why does he even make that much money? One day, I'm going to work hard and make a fortune just for you. We won't have to rely on him."
A wave of warmth rushed through Diana's heart. She tapped his forehead affectionately. "Look at you, being all sweet."
After dinner, the villa returned to its usual silence.
Diana went back to her room and added some soothing essential oils to the bathtub.
When she emerged from the misty bathroom wrapped in a towel, her gaze landed on the exquisite box on her nightstand—something she had bought on a whim that afternoon.
Since she had chosen this marriage, she knew exactly what her role was. William was a man who demanded perfection in every aspect of his life. Now that she was Miss Bell—the wife of the Knight family—she intended to cooperate and fulfill her marital obligations.
She gently unwrapped the piece of black lace, which was as light as a cicada's wing, letting her long hair fall languidly over her shoulders.
Tonight would be their first time.
Even without a deep emotional foundation, she hoped that this night would be a perfect beginning—for herself, and for the man.