Brian was stunned. He wanted to explain, but he didn’t know how to even begin.
So then why did you scold me like a little naïve sometimes, but I am not a fool. You asked me to act as your girlfriend to lie to your mother, you broke into Kyle’s house… and that’s just in the last week! Sometimes it doesn’t matter what your intentions are; your actions are just wrong.”
Brian was stubborn but hearing the truth in her words, he couldn’t be angry anymore.
Diana brushed her cheek and sighed heavily.
“I know that I am not beautiful, and I’m not rich. But I am not a tool for you to use for fun. I am a person, not a toy.”
Diana was furious at first, but that had now turned to sadness. When she said all those things out loud, she realized that there were so many misunderstandings between Brian and her.
“No, it’s not like that.” Brian finally interrupted Diana.
Diana was the one to feel stunned this time. She raised her head and looked up at Brian, who was looking earnestly back at her. Diana hoped that this time, Brian could say what she needed to hear.
“I never view you as a tool or a toy. And I do respect you.”
Judging from Brian’s serious look, Diana knew he was telling the truth. But somehow, she just couldn’t bring herself to believe it.
“As for my mother, I didn’t mean to lie to you. I wanted to introduce you to her. I’m sorry about that. And about Kyle… he really is not the kind man you think. I worry about you being with him so much, that’s why I broke into his house.”
Diana was astonished. Was this the real Brian? The bossy, arrogant Brian?
Still, Diana couldn’t help asking, “So then why did you scold me like that in your message yesterday?”
Brian frowned at her. “I will always admit the things I have done. But I will never take criticism for things I haven’t done. It was you who picked a fight with me first.”
Diana felt something was wrong. She hesitated for a moment and then took out her phone.
“Look, I have the message you sent me right here. Look at it!”
Diana handed her phone to Brian. He looked at the messages sent between them and saw the nasty message Antonette had written from his phone.
Brian’s face turned black.
“It wasn’t me,” Brian said and gave the phone back to Diana.
Diana studied his expression and found she trusted what he said.
“Someone must have used my phone. But who would dare to touch my stuff?” Brian wondered aloud.
He was right, Diana thought to herself, who would want to make the two of them have an argument?
Brian thought it might be Antonette, while Diana guessed it might be Carol. But neither voiced their speculation. Both Carol and Antonette were important people in one another’s lives, and for now, there was no way of proving anything. So, they chose to keep their suspicions to themselves until it could be proved.
“So…” Diana peered at Brian, “If that is true, are we OK now?”
Brian raised his eyebrows, “You don’t have the right to say that.”
“Hey! Didn’t you say you respect me? Why do you change so fast? You are bossy again.”
Brian smiled. “Didn’t you ever hear the phrase: ‘Follow the man you will marry’?” Though I am not your husband yet, it would be wise to follow my lead,” he said with a cheeky wink.
Diana was speechless. She wanted to disagree with his ridiculous argument, but his handsome face made her forgive him so easily.
As they were about to start a new round of quarreling, Sybil came out to them.
“Hey! You two have been chatting for a long time. Are you talking dirty to each other?” Sybil was a daring girl. She always said whatever she wanted, and her words made Diana flush.
“Watch your tongue!” Brian uttered unpleasantly.
Sybil pressed her lips and said, “You are always trying to lecture me, but I don’t think you are any smarter than I am.”
Brian was about to fight back when the butler walked quickly to them from outside.
Seeing his distressed expression, Sybil went to greet him.
“Your madam is taking a nap. You can tell me what’s going on.”
The butler looked relieved that Sybil was taking charge, then he uttered hesitantly, “Lady Sybil, there is a woman outside named Miss Jefferson who claims to be Mr. William’s fiancée. She wants to visit Lady Kate. I don’t know how to refuse her.”
“Fiancée?” Sybil shouted back with her eyes wide open. “How could it be? Since when does he have a fiancée?”
Sybil was unaware that her father had arranged Brian’s engagement with Carol.
Brian frowned at the butler unpleasantly.
“Just ask her to leave. You can tell her mother isn’t free now,” he said.
“I…” the butler spluttered.
Sybil rolled her eyes and came up with an idea.
“Don’t ask him to refuse her, Brian, you can go and do it by yourself. It would be rude to have her turned away by the butler.”
The butler looked earnestly at Brian to save him from the uncomfortable situation.
Finally, Brian gave in and went reluctantly to refuse Carol’s visit himself.