Chapter 76 Confrontation
"That's enough!" Clara snapped. She knocked on Anne's forehead, "Diana is your sister-in-law. Show some respect!"
"I'm sorry, Edward. I'm sorry, Clara. I didn't think it through." I lowered my eyes and apologized. The Howard family valued harmony, and my apology would help.
After that, no one spoke, but I knew our conflicts weren't resolved. It was like an invisible wall between me and Edward. Today, Anne just brought it to light, and in the future, we'd have to work together to tear this wall down.
Seeing Anne's hostile glare, all I wanted was to get out of there and avoid any drama. After dinner, I snuck out to the terrace. The moonlight was perfect, casting a soft glow over everything.
"Diana, you sure know how to pick a spot," Anne's mocking voice cut through my thoughts as I lounged on the chair.
Great, just my luck. I turned to see Anne's smug face. "Anne, don't push it. Just because Edward's your brother doesn't mean you can do whatever you want," I snapped, my voice shaking a bit from a mix of anger and fear of losing Edward.
Anne tossed her hair and sneered. "Diana, you should be grateful. If it weren't for the Howard-Cooper marriage, you wouldn't be with Edward. You know he prefers my company. We talk about everything—literature, opera, philosophy. We visit galleries like soulmates. We're always so happy together."
Her words hit a nerve. It was true, Edward and I didn't share much in common. He was with me mostly for physical reasons. I could see how happy he seemed with Anne, even if I knew he was faking it to please her. But that fake happiness felt like a knife to my heart.
"You're full of it," I shot back. "Edward shares his dreams and work with me. He's gentle with me. You're just fooling yourself. Remember, you're his sister, and I'm his wife." My voice grew louder. "If I snap my fingers, he'll come back to me."
Anne stepped closer, her eyes blazing. "Diana, do you really think you know him? Can't you see he's been avoiding you? I'm the one who truly understands him. His eyes light up when he sees me. Think about how cold he looks at you!"
Tears welled up in my eyes. "Anne, acting like this will only make Edward hate you. True feelings can't be forced. You're his sister, and that's a fact. I'm the one who truly suits him. With my family background, my qualities—I'm more deserving of him than you."
What we didn't realize was that Edward had just reached the terrace and overheard everything.
Just as our argument hit its peak, Edward suddenly shouted, "What are you doing?"
We both turned to see Edward standing at the terrace entrance, looking confused and surprised. His presence instantly quieted the terrace, and my heart raced with panic.
Edward felt helpless and confused. He never thought he'd cause such a mess between us. He looked at me, feeling a bit guilty. He knew I had loved him passionately and sincerely for over a decade. At the same time, he looked at Anne, whose intense pursuit sometimes overwhelmed him, but he knew her feelings were real. He sighed inwardly, not wanting to hurt either of us, but here we were.
Edward frowned and pulled Anne aside. I could see his serious expression. He looked into Anne's eyes and spoke firmly but gently. "Anne, I know you might have issues with Diana, but she's my wife. She's part of this family now, and we need to respect her."
Anne shot back immediately, her chin jutting out defiantly. "Edward, why do you always think I'm wrong? You're always taking her side. You said she's part of this family, but I'm your real sister. Ever since Diana showed up, everything's changed. You used to go shopping with me, watch movies with me, and put so much thought into my birthday gifts. But now? You've given all your love to her!"
Her voice got louder and more frantic. "You said Diana's trying to fit in, but I don't see it. Whenever something happens, she always does her own thing and never asks for my opinion."
Her eyes filled with tears as she went on. "Edward, you said I pick on her, but she's got her faults too. She always acts so helpless in front of you, like she's the victim. I've lived here for years, but since Diana arrived, I feel like an outsider. It's like she's taken you away from me. You don't care about me anymore."
Anne pouted. "Edward, I don't get why you've changed so much since Diana came."
Edward sighed and tried to explain calmly. "Anne, you're wrong. My feelings for you haven't changed. You're my sister, and that will never change. No one can take your place in my heart. But Diana is my wife now, and we need to build a family where everyone respects each other. Your jealousy towards Diana is just making things worse. Do you want our home to be filled with conflict every day?"
Anne's tears spilled over, and she whispered, "Edward, I know I was wrong. I just feel like she's taken you away from me."
Edward's face grew serious. "Anne, don't go too far. Diana is my wife, and this is her home too. I can't let her leave. You need to adjust your attitude, or our home will never be peaceful."
Anne was taken aback by Edward's stern tone. She had never seen him so serious with her. Her face turned red with a mix of hurt and anger. Suddenly, like a firecracker, she pushed Edward aside and stormed into the house.
She yanked the door open and slammed it shut with a loud bang, shaking the whole house. She stormed off without looking back, leaving Edward standing there, staring at the still-swaying door and listening to the echoing slam.
Seeing Anne leave in a huff, Edward glanced at me, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a few seconds, he hurriedly chased after her.
As the night deepened, I went back to the guest room alone, still upset from the argument with Anne. Edward walked in, gently sat beside me, and held my hand.
I awkwardly pulled my hand back. Edward didn't push it; he stood up and walked to the window, not looking at me. He said, "Diana, you need to understand Anne. She's been close to me since we were kids, and I've always spoiled her. To her, I'm a big support. Since you came into the family, she feels like I've paid less attention to her and she's jealous. You know this. And you saw I had already criticized her."
I let out a cold laugh. "Yeah, right, and then you spend the whole night comforting her, huh? You know she has different feelings for you, and she's always coming between us."
Edward seemed a bit angry, his voice dropping. "Diana, I told you I'd already criticized her, and Anne is very upset now. You need to be understanding." With that, Edward stopped paying attention to me and walked out of the room.
The phrase "You need to be understanding" made all my previous efforts seem pointless. Yes, I needed to understand so Edward could stay with me temporarily. But whether Anne was understanding or not, Edward would always care about her feelings.
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