Chapter 160 You Need Evidence to Back Up Your Claims
"Anne, what are you doing here?" Edward's voice echoed down the hallway, smooth as ever.
"Edward, just take care of Diana!" Anne shot back, not bothering to explain.
Edward walked into the room and saw me sitting on the bed. "Did you upset Anne again?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
I looked right at him and said, "Why do you always blame me without knowing the whole story? You really don't trust me." My voice wavered, and I felt a pang of sadness.
"Then why did she leave your room so upset? Can you honestly say it has nothing to do with you?" His tone got harsher, his eyes full of reproach.
I sighed, trying to hold back tears. "I can't say it has nothing to do with me. We were the only ones in the room. If you want to blame me, I have nothing to explain." I wiped a tear away and turned my face to the wall, ignoring him.
Edward sighed too, his tone softening. "Diana, I didn't mean to talk to you like that. I don't want to blame you; I just want you both to get along. You're my family."
He glanced around the room, his eyes landing on the gifts Anne had brought. He picked up a tiny piece of clothing and asked, "Do your friends know you're pregnant?"
I shook my head. "I don't even have a phone. How could I tell anyone? Those are from Anne. She said she's happy to be an aunt."
Edward suddenly remembered something and pulled my phone out of his pocket. "I charged it for you but kept forgetting to give it to you. See, Anne doesn't mean any harm. She actually likes you. If you stop being so stubborn, you two will get along," he said.
I frowned, grabbed the phone, and shoved it under the pillow. "You think our issues are that simple? Anne is nice to me because, compared to Aria, I'm easier for her to control. Don't think I don't know what you Howards are up to!"
Breathing heavily, I glared at Edward, my eyes full of anger.
Edward looked stunned. "What are you talking about? How can you think that about Anne?" he asked.
I scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? You don't understand our relationship at all. There's a saying, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' The only reason Anne and I are getting along now is because we have a common enemy—Aria."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Of course, if Anne is willing to get along with me, I'll treat her well. You know how I've treated her over the years."
Edward nodded impatiently. "I know you're a kind person; otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen you to be my wife."
Sensing he was about to bring up the past, I quickly interrupted, "Stop talking about the past. Focus on the future!"
I tried to steer his attention to the issue with Aria, but he didn't get it, which made me even more frustrated. As Edward looked at the baby clothes in his hand, his expression softened, his eyes filled with hope for the future. "We'll have a great life ahead. As long as the Howard Group is stable, you and Anne will enjoy wealth and prosperity. And I believe you two will become very close. Before I came in, Anne even reminded me to take good care of you. By the way, what were you two talking about?"
His tone was so relaxed, like we were just having a casual chat, which made me unconsciously soften my own tone. "I told Anne the truth about Aria, and that's why she got so upset."
"The truth about Aria?" Edward looked puzzled, clearly not getting it. But then he seemed to remember that I had warned him about Aria before, and his expression darkened as he scolded, "Don't slander Aria just because she's carrying my child. She's a kind and innocent girl."
A cold smile appeared on my lips as I turned to look him in the eye. "A kind girl?" I laughed bitterly, raising my voice. "Don't be fooled by her pitiful act. All her moves are to gain your and your father's trust."
"What do you mean by that?" Edward's brows furrowed, his eyes full of confusion and anger.
"Isn't it clear enough?" My face flushed with emotion, my fingers clenched so tightly they turned white. "She always acts weak and pitiful in front of you to lower your guard. In reality, you've all been played by her. She's part of an international fraud ring, do you get it?" My words spilled out faster and faster, my chest rising and falling with urgency.
"That's impossible!" Edward looked incredulous, shaking his head.
I nodded firmly, my gaze unwavering. "I tried to warn you before, but you wouldn't listen. She's part of an international fraud ring, and she came back to target the Howard family's wealth. There's no doubt about it." As I spoke, I jabbed my finger at the table next to the bed, each poke releasing a bit of my anger.
"Diana, you need evidence to back up your claims," Edward shouted, his face flushed with anger and the veins in his neck bulging.
I stood my ground, proudly lifting my head to meet his gaze. "Of course. You think I'd make baseless accusations like Anne? I have proof."
"How do you know?" Edward calmed down a bit, still skeptical.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "A few days ago, I was in a car accident. While dealing with it, I ran into Joshua. He's the one who told me."
"Joshua?" Edward squinted, a shadow crossing his face. "You mean the police captain?" he asked.
I nodded silently, feeling uneasy about his reaction.
"You still dare to keep in touch with him? It seems he really doesn't want to be a police captain anymore." Edward's tone was full of sarcasm and anger.
Seeing him take it out on Joshua, I panicked and quickly explained, "It's not what you think. I just ran into him by chance, and he warned me to be careful of Aria."
"What, should I throw a parade to thank him?" Edward suddenly leaned in close, his eyelashes almost brushing my cheek.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
