Diana returned from the hospital that night, unwilling to spend another hour there. She walked into the mansion and paused at the foyer, her brows furrowing.
There was someone seated on the only couch in the foyer. Even if she couldn't tell who it was, she could make out a silhouette.
Clicking the light switch on, the chandelier came to life and she lowered her gaze to the loveseat. Her father, Mr. Giancarlo was seated with his arms folded, radiating so much aggression, it almost looked like he was ready to explode.
She'd seen his missed calls and that was why she came, rather than returning to her house.
"Dad…?"
The man rose from his seat.
"What was the meaning of that?" he asked sharply.
"What are you talking about?" She had no clue how the words tumbled out of her mouth in an unsteady voice.
He stepped closer. "Stefanos Rassi walked in with his head a complete mess and when asked, he said you smashed a bottle over his head. Is that true?"
Her fingers curled into her palms.
"Yes. Yes, I did."
"And why did you do it?" he demanded. "Why did you take such an action?"
She didn't answer.
"I asked you a question, Diana!"
"You don't know what he did—"
"Answer me directly. My patience is running thin!"
A puff of breath heaved out of her constricted chest. "At my house, in my room, he was having an affair right in front of me. That wasn't enough, no, he had to humiliate me in front of whoever she was. I had enough, Dad. I couldn't take it anymore."
"That was it?" Mr. Giancarlo inquired in such a cold tone. "That was the only reason you did it?"
"What do you mea—"
Crack.
His palm smacked across her face so hard she stumbled and fell to the floor with a heavy thud.
Diana couldn't move. She was taking a moment to process what had just happened.
"Because he had an affair in front of you, an affair you've known about since the very beginning of your marriage—that's why you did what you did?" he barked. "Stupid girl! So what if he cheated over and over again? It's not a big deal to warrant such a disgraceful action from you!"
He gripped her by the hair, so painfully, that Diana quickly reached for his hand, trying to break free.
"Let go! Let go of me!"
"Do you know how the Rassi family humiliated me? How Stefanos looked me dead in the eyes and spoke to me however he liked. And I couldn't do a thing but bow like an idiot and apologize on your behalf? I felt humiliated more than I've ever felt before. I felt like a dog and it's all because of you."
He roughly let go of her hair, but not before he delivered a brutal kick to her side. Diana crawled away as fast as she could, clutching her belly and coughing harshly. The wetness that had built from the excruciating pain spilled down her face and she looked up at the man before her—suddenly feeling as though she were staring at a monster.
He had never been a good father—in his eyes she barely even existed. But he has never once gone this far.
"Get out of my house." The rumbling gruff of Mr. Giancarlo's voice dragged a shiver from her and she crawled further away until she was at the exit door of the building. "I don't want to see your face around here a second longer because I'll lose it on you."
Diana didn't doubt it. She forced herself to her feet, but his words stopped her.
"And don't even think about going to that mansion. I don't want to see you anywhere near my property."
"Your…property?" She turned to him. "That…that building, I bought it with my own money—"
"Money you earned from the company I gave you!" he snapped. "If I see you in that building, I'll make you more miserable than you already are, Diana. You are not worth much to me and you know that."
Crack.
Beneath her feet, a crack opened, extending enough she felt like she might fall into it. It was all in her head, she knew, yet she was unmoving.
"W-where will I go?" she whispered.
"That has nothing to do with me? If you'll sleep on the street, that is up to you. Oh and don't even think of using your credit card. I have your bank frozen and until I allow you, you have nothing," he responded with zero remorse. "Now, get out."
She didn't move.
"NOW!" he yelled. "Maybe by the time you've suffered enough, you'll learn to act how you are told."
He stormed towards her and shoved her out, slamming the door shut in her face and locking it.
Diana stood as still as a statue.
None of this felt real. Surely, her father wouldn't be this cruel to her even if he didn't love her…right?
But even standing outside that door for almost ten minutes, no one came out, the security men were unmoving. She was left…all alone.
All this because of a man. Stefanos Rassi.
A dry laugh burst out of her. Then another and followed by more. She was laughing so hysterically, the security closest to the building eyed her.
He held this concerned look on his face.
But her laughter soon gave way to sobs.
This went on for another ten minutes. And eventually accepting her father wasn't opening that door, she turned around and left, leaving through the gate.
Diana plucked her phone out of the pocket of her pants and dialed Hallow's number. She hadn't seen him since the hospital.
[The number you're trying to call is currently not reachable. Please try again later]
She tried again. And again, almost fifteen more times, and when not even a single one of the calls was answered, she craned her head back, releasing a tortured sigh.
How pathetic.
She was done for. Where would she even go?