Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 159

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: I need to go
Back inside the hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, but for Dianna, it was the scent of victory that filled her lungs. Reclining against the stiff white pillows, she let her head rest back, her eyes glistening with quiet satisfaction. The case had been pulled back, the threat swept under the rug — all thanks to her mother’s well-timed intervention.

Once again, her mother had played her cards like a seasoned puppeteer, pulling the strings from behind the curtain, and Dianna had watched the world bend to her will. She should’ve felt triumphant, but Rita’s silence was a sharp reminder that not everyone shared her sense of security.

Rita stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed tightly, her expression unreadable but her eyes restless — calculating. Something about the way she stared out the window for a beat too long before turning back to Dianna made her younger sister shift uncomfortably.

“You look a little too happy for someone sitting on a ticking time bomb,” Rita finally said, her voice calm but laced with warning.

Dianna’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, but she caught herself, adjusting the thin hospital blanket over her lap. “You worry too much, Rita. The case is dead. It’s over.”

Rita let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head. “You really think Kalix will let this go? Do you even know the man you’re playing games with?” Her voice sharpened. “He’s not the type to let things slide — especially when he’s been made a fool of.”

The mention of Kalix made something tighten in Dianna’s chest, but her pride wouldn’t let her show it. She flicked her wrist dismissively, feigning indifference.

“You underestimate me,” Dianna replied coolly. “Kalix isn’t as invincible as people think.”

But Rita wasn’t convinced. She stepped closer, lowering her voice as if the walls might have ears. “No, Dianna. I think you underestimate him. And worse, you overestimate yourself.” She paused, her gaze narrowing. “You staged a fake suicide — and Mom jumped right in like it was another family dinner scheme. You really believe people like Dorothy Greyson are loyal? What happens when her loyalty runs dry and you’re the one left exposed?”

The words struck harder than Dianna expected, and for a moment the room felt heavier, suffocating. She looked away, staring at the IV drip like it held the answers, but Rita wasn’t done.

“Mom’s not going to be able to clean up every mess,” Rita continued, her voice softening but her warning unmistakable. “And when Dorothy decides you’re no longer worth the risk, she won’t blink before throwing you under the bus.”

Dianna’s fingers curled into fists beneath the thin sheets, her jaw tightening as the smile fully vanished from her face.

“Why is it,” she said slowly, her voice low but steady, “that you and Mom always act like I’m some helpless child? I’ve been playing this game just as long as both of you. You think I’m new to this? Guess again.” Her eyes lifted, meeting Rita’s squarely. “I’ve pulled off every scheme I’ve ever planned, and not once have I been caught. Not by Kalix. Not by anyone.”

Rita studied her, searching for a crack in the confidence, but there was none — at least none Dianna would allow to show.

“You sound so sure of yourself,” Rita murmured. “But luck has an expiration date, Dianna. And when it runs out, I hope you’re ready for the price.”

The silence that followed was tense, thick enough to drown in. Outside the window, the sky was beginning to darken, and for the first time, Dianna felt the cold bite of reality settle into her bones. She had won today. But at what cost?

“You… why would you say that?” Dianna’s voice cracked slightly, her shock genuine, though her pride tried to mask it.

Rita scoffed, folding her arms with a bitter edge. “Because I know you. And the whole damn world knows exactly who Dorothy Greyson is.”

Dianna clenched her teeth, biting back a sharp retort, her mind already scrambling for the perfect argument. But before the words could leave her mouth, the sound of heels clicking against the polished floor interrupted her. Beatrix, their mother, had been listening — long enough to catch every word.

“She’s right,” Beatrix said coldly, stepping into the room with that air of unshakable authority. “Your sister’s right, Dianna. We can’t trust Dorothy — not with anything.”

Dianna blinked, stunned by the rare moment of unity between her mother and sister, especially against her. Beatrix’s voice was calm, but her gaze was sharp, leaving no room for protest.

“You do realize,” Beatrix continued, her tone growing more pointed, “that woman schemed her way into the Greyson family long before you ever crossed paths with her. Dorothy Greyson didn’t get where she is by playing fair. She can’t be trusted — not now, not ever.”

The accusation stung, not because Dianna hadn’t considered it, but because deep down, some part of her knew it was true. Still, the ease with which her mother dismissed Dorothy —and, by extension, her own choices — left her feeling cornered.

She opened her mouth, ready to defend herself, but the sharp, expectant glare from Beatrix silenced her before a single word slipped out. For once, Dianna bit her tongue, swallowing the argument like poison.

“Anyways, I don’t have time to waste here anymore now that everything’s settled,” Rita said, her voice clipped, pulling both her mother’s and Dianna’s attention. “I need to save my marriage.”

Beatrix’s eyes sharpened, her calm demeanor faltering for a moment. “Did he bring up the topic of divorce again?” she asked, her voice low, almost cautious.

Rita’s expression darkened. She shook her head, but the weight of her words carried an unmistakable heaviness. “No. He hasn’t. But he’s damn hell-bent on getting rid of this relationship. And I’m not going to let it happen.” She spoke with a quiet but fierce determination, the kind of resolve that could move mountains if anyone dared stand in her way.

Dianna watched the exchange with a mixture of curiosity and indifference, her lips pressed into a tight line. But Rita didn’t seem to notice. She was too caught up in her own turmoil, her mind racing with the unresolved issue she’d been avoiding for too long.

“Look, I still haven’t heard from Lily,” Rita continued, her voice softening. “I went to visit her earlier today, hoping we could fix things… mend our friendship. But right now, all I can do is wait. I can’t afford to focus on that while Roger’s trying to push me out of his life.”

The frustration was clear in her tone, but there was also a flicker of vulnerability. Rita wasn’t one to show weakness, but the strain of holding her marriage together was starting to show through the cracks.

Without another word, Rita turned and strode toward the door, leaving Dianna and Beatrix alone in the sterile hospital room. But their brief moment of silence was shattered when Beatrix’s phone rang, the sound slicing through the tension in the air.

Beatrix glanced at the caller ID, her face momentarily shifting into one of quiet shock. She answered the phone, her voice faltering as she spoke.

“What is it?” Beatrix demanded, her tone more clipped now. As she listened, the color drained from her face. Dianna, sensing a shift, stood a little straighter, her curiosity piqued.

Beatrix’s grip on the phone tightened, her knuckles going white. She muttered something inaudible, her eyes narrowing as she took in whatever the person on the other end had said. Finally, she hung up, her face now a mask of calm control, but Dianna could see the flicker of panic beneath it.

“What happened?” Dianna asked, her voice laced with a hint of concern, though she tried to mask it.

Beatrix took a slow breath, collecting herself before meeting Dianna’s gaze. “Look, something happened at the house,” she said, her words crisp, clipped. “I need to go.”

Without another word, Beatrix turned on her heel and started for the door. But Dianna stood frozen, the weight of uncertainty settling over her like a heavy blanket. Her mother’s sudden urgency only deepened the mystery, and she couldn’t help but feel that something much bigger was unfolding — something she wasn’t ready for.