Chapter Seventeen: Her Angry Husband
Diane's eyelids fluttered open, her surroundings swimmed into one focus.
As she expected, a sterile white ceiling stared back at her.
'So I passed out...'
She blinked again, adjusting to the harsh light.
Her body felt too heavy, as if she had been asleep for days.
Turning her head slightly, she saw Riot seated at her bedside, watching her.
"Riot?"
He leaned forward, looking at her with his soft brown eyes.
"I'm here. How are you feeling?"
Before Diane could respond, another voice cut through the room like a knife.
"Finally awake, are we?"
Gabriel's voice dripped with impatience as he paced at the foot of the bed.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? How reckless you've been?"
Diane turned her head toward him slowly, keeping herself neutral despite his accusatory tone.
She didn't respond, her eyes shifted back to Riot.
"Riot," she said weakly, ignoring Gabriel. "My father... Did you contact him?"
Riot nodded.
"I gave him your contact information. He should be calling soon."
Diane let out a small sigh of relief, her lips twitched into a faint smile. "Good... Good."
Gabriel stopped pacing abruptly, his fists clenched at his sides.
His face turned red, and he pointed an accusing finger at Diane.
"Good? That's all you have to say? Do you even realise what's going on here? I've been handling everything while you've been lying here unconscious! And now you're asking about your father? Not about me? Not about your safety?"
His voice rose with every word, filling the room with a drowning pressure like a wave.
Diane's eyes didn't look away.
She didn't cry or cower under his harsh words.
Instead, she lifted her head slightly and stared at him as though he were a nuisance.
"Are you finished?" she asked, calmly despite her weakness.
Gabriel's mouth fell open, his anger looked to be replaced by shock.
"What did you just say to me?"
Diane ignored him, her attention returned to Riot.
"How long was I out?"
Riot looked at Gabriel briefly before returning to Diane.
"Almost a day. The doctors said you need rest."
"Rest," Gabriel interrupted with a bitter laugh, "is the last thing you need right now. What you need is a wake-up call. And here it is: fire him."
He jabbed a finger toward Riot. He was done with this man the moment Diane hired him.
"He's failed you, Diane. Look at where you are because of him! If he had done his job, none of this would have happened!"
Riot didn't flinch under the verbal assault.
He stayed silent, focusing on Diane as though Gabriel's words didn't exist.
Diane finally turned back to her husband. "I'm not firing Riot."
Gabriel's face twisted in disbelief. "You're joking."
"No," she replied calmly. "I'm not."
"You're being ridiculous!" Gabriel exploded, throwing his hands in the air.
"How can you defend him after everything? He's clearly incompetent! He—"
"Gabriel." Diane's voice cut through his rant like ice.
She locked eyes with him, commanding him. "I'm not firing Riot. End of discussion."
Gabriel let out a derisive laugh, shaking his head.
"Unbelievable. You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment, Diane. This is why you need me to make decisions for you. You're too soft, too naive—"
"That's enough," Riot finally spoke.
He stood slowly, commanding attention.
"You've made your opinion clear. Diane needs to rest, not listen to this."
Gabriel whirled on him, his hot blood was reaching its peak.
"Don't you dare tell me what my wife needs! You're lucky I haven't had you thrown out of here already."
Riot didn't respond.
Diane pushed herself up slightly in the bed, wincing at the effort. "Gabriel, leave."
His head snapped toward her, his eyes widened instantly. "What?"
"I said, leave." Her tone was final, leaving no room for argument.
"I need to rest, and you're making it impossible."
"You're siding with him?" Gabriel's voice cracked.
"After everything I've done for you? After everything I've sacrificed?"
Diane's facial muscles softened, but there was no hesitation in her voice.
"This isn't about sides. It's about what I need right now, and what I need is peace. Please, Gabriel. Just go."
For a moment, Gabriel stood as if he was paralysed, his chest kept rising and falling with labored breaths.
Then, with a sharp glare at Riot, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
The silence that followed felt suffocated enough.
Riot sat back down, his shoulders relaxed slightly.
"I'm not siding with you," she muttered.
"I know. But it feels good to watch him not get his way."
"Riot..." Diane exhaled, then looked at him. "He's my husband, and I want you to respect him. I'm your boss, so is he."
"Diane, he-"
"No. You don't understand. I didn't hire you to be my friend. I hired you to protect me from that psycho family. Do your job, and don't annoy Gabriel."
"Understood."
"There are many things I need to learn, Riot. I want to learn to be able to make the right decisions, so please, don't make it harder for me. I couldn't take it."
"Understood, boss."
"By the way, which hospital are we at?"
"Gabriel's."
Diane let out a long sigh, relaxing. "I will be safe here."
"I almost killed that motherfucker."
"Don't kill him yet, I have great plans for this man."
"What?" Riot raised an eyebrow, not being able to understand her.
"You see, he broke me. He and his father. I wanna repay the favor and ruin them little by little...to the point where their only help will be from me. Where they will beg me to stop. Where they will beg me to kill them."