C10 Let's Get a Divorce!

When Cassius entered the room, Diantha was decked out in sportswear, steadily knocking out push-ups. At the sound of the door, she gave a cursory glance to identify the newcomer, then refocused and continued, her voice steady, "...ninety-nine, one hundred."

Only after mentally ticking off her hundredth push-up did she rise, loosening her limbs with a stretch before finally fixing her gaze on Cassius. She gave him half a minute, but when it became clear he was just furrowing his brow in silence, she rolled her eyes and turned away, dismissing him. She settled onto the yoga mat, ready to tackle some sit-ups.

Her body was frail, a stark contrast to the superhuman endurance she'd brought from the Doomsday era. The strength she had honed then was constrained by her current physical limitations, compelling her to seize every moment for training.

Cassius watched as Diantha began her sit-ups, utterly ignoring his presence. He pressed his lips together before cautioning her, "You've just been discharged from the hospital. Intense exercise isn't wise."

"I'm well aware," Diantha replied without missing a beat, her breathing steady.

A hush fell between them.

Cassius had never been so blatantly disregarded, especially by Diantha, who once had eyes only for him. Yet, he wasn't visibly upset. He seldom let frustration or anger mar his composure; to most, he was the epitome of a smiling, genteel demeanor.

But perhaps Diantha's indifference did irk him. Loosening his shirt collar, he approached the yoga mat and, from his vantage point above her, said coolly, "Diantha, stop."

Diantha, however, continued her sit-ups, paying him no mind.

Cassius fell silent, giving her a long, penetrating look before crossing the room to sit on the sofa near the balcony. Stretching out his legs, he rested his hands on the armrests, quietly observing Diantha. Her waist was slender, accentuated by the thin fabric of her sports top. He glanced at her figure, his fingers idly caressing the soft leather of the armrest.

After completing a hundred sit-ups without so much as a sidelong glance, Diantha stood, took a swig of water, and wiped the sweat from her brow with a towel. She then faced Cassius, her expression unflinching, devoid of fear or affection. With a sly smile and a hint of defiance, she teased, "Director Edwards, with your countless responsibilities, you rarely come home. Are you here just to ensure I don't overexert myself post-discharge?" After a brief pause, she added with mock sentiment, "I'm truly moved."

Her words, dripping with sarcasm, might as well have been, "I'm truly disgusted."

Cassius's face remained impassive, regarding Diantha as one would a petulant child. "Don't be so headstrong," he advised.

Diantha let out a cold laugh, offering no reply.

Today, Cassius's patience seemed boundless. He sat back, his gaze soft and inviting, the picture of affability. "Impulsiveness and stubbornness only lead to unforeseen dangers. You've already felt the repercussions of impulsively exiting the vehicle in such a place, haven't you?"

Diantha arched an eyebrow. "Oh? So Sixth Young Master Sullivan has paid you a visit?"

Cassius didn't confirm or deny, instead inquiring, "What prompted you to get out of the car there today?" His voice was calm, betraying no emotion.

Swiftly, Diantha retrieved her phone, played a video, and tossed the device to Cassius. "Watch this. Then we can discuss why I got out of the car in that place."

Cassius caught the phone, his eyes scanning the screen as the light cast a bright shadow across his features. He saw and heard Eliasz's demand for Diantha to exit the car and her subsequent plea for him to take her back to the Edwards family.

The same story Eliasz had reported to him earlier that day echoed in the video: Diantha insisted on getting out of the car, enraged by seeing Anthea with him, and Eliasz was powerless to stop her.

His expression remained serene, the smile at his lips unaltered, though a chill crept into his eyes.

Diantha's lips curled slightly. Whether or not Cassius cared, deception and betrayal were his greatest aversions, and this time, Sixth Young Master Sullivan had struck a nerve.

She had given Eliasz a chance, but after today's ordeal, he persisted with the same narrative to distance himself. She wouldn't stand for it.

As she had warned, she wouldn't let anyone off the hook.

After the video ended, Cassius looked up at Diantha.

In her past life, Diantha had cherished Cassius deeply, familiarizing herself with every one of his expressions. Now, she could easily discern the confusion in his eyes regarding why she had recorded the video beforehand.

With a nonchalant shrug, Diantha said, "As a woman on her own with no one to lean on, I'm well aware that Sixth Young Master Sullivan has never been fond of me due to his ties with Anthea. It's only natural that I stay cautious."

Ironically, Anthea had no actual connection to Cassius, yet under his protection, she remained untouchable.

In contrast, Diantha, Cassius' lawful wife, was vulnerable to everyone's disdain due to Cassius' apparent indifference towards her.

Perhaps Diantha's admission of having "no one to rely on" struck a chord with Cassius, prompting a twinge of discomfort. He instinctively reached for the silver ring on his thumb but then realized he was still holding his phone. Before he could act, Diantha had already stepped forward and seized the device, "Don't worry about the video tarnishing Anthea's reputation. And don't bother deleting it; I have backups."

Cassius understood then that Diantha had misinterpreted his intent, thinking he wanted to erase the video.

"I've been to the police station and was escorted home by the officers. The incident of being attacked in the woods will become public knowledge. If Young Master Sullivan decides to distance himself and stoke the flames by claiming I caused my own accident, I'll be ridiculed as a drama queen who got what she deserved. My reputation is already in tatters; I don't need anyone else piling on. Cassius, I won't release the video as long as Young Master Sullivan and your Anthea keep to themselves."

Cassius watched Diantha in silence, the amusement in his gaze slowly fading.

When did her eyes begin to fill with such loathing and wariness towards him?

Was it after Anthea joined the Edwards household?

No, that wasn't it.

Even though Diantha had been openly unhappy since Anthea's arrival, she still looked at him with eyes brimming with joy.

The shift in Diantha's demeanor began after her hospitalization.

He vividly recalled her gaze in the hospital room half a month ago—a look filled with profound hatred, something he had never expected to see directed at him.

Feeling Cassius' intense scrutiny, Diantha's skin prickled with alertness.

Once, such attention from Cassius would have thrilled her, but now, it only spurred a desire to lash out at him, especially since in her previous life, he had been the one to send her to the hospital, where her life was cut tragically short.

Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, Diantha addressed Cassius with deliberate calm, "Director Edwards, what brings you the time to engage in such an extended conversation with me today? Where's Anthea? She didn't return with you?"

Cassius's expression soured slightly at the mention of Anthea. "Anthea is still a child, merely a sister to me. Why must you always pick on her, especially when it nearly cost you dearly this time?"

"Yes, it's my fault for antagonizing Anthea, earning the disdain of Sixth Young Master Sullivan who abandoned me in a desolate place. Whatever happens to me, I deserve it," Diantha replied with a wry smile, her face betraying no particular emotion. "But I simply detest her. Is it so wrong to find her disagreeable? And while you may see her as a sister, she might not regard you as a brother."

Cassius shot her a glance, his eyes conveying a clear message of dismissal without uttering a word.

Unfazed, Diantha continued, her voice tinged with humor, "You know very well how much I despise Anthea. She was fortunate this time, suffering only a broken arm. Next time, she might not be so lucky. Under one roof, the possibilities are endless."

"You wouldn't dare," Cassius retorted.

"How can you be so sure?" Diantha chuckled. "You witnessed me push her down the stairs. Despite my frail appearance, I managed to send her tumbling down those stairs, a good three meters away. Hate can indeed be a powerful motivator."

"Diantha, what is it that you want?" Cassius finally asked.

"Please, don't get me wrong. I'm not here to claim innocence or to seek your support in clearing my name. You've already made it clear that wouldn't bode well for Anthea. I'm not insisting on anything. Frankly, I'm rather fond of the persona I've developed online; it's brutally honest and aligns with my current state of mind."

She paused, her gaze steady on Cassius. "So, for the safety of your dear Anthea and for my own well-being, I propose we divorce."