Chapter 12: Chapter 12: None of your business
Diana gets up from the bed and looks at herself in the mirror. She scoffs at the sight of her since she looked completely exhausted and beaten up.
She swiftly changes her clothes and puts some makeup on but even though she wore some, her puffy eyes couldn't be hidden. She sighs and leaves it as she grabs her phone and does her work.
Ever since she gave out a design to Jonathan, Diana has been interested in making clothes so she worked with some designs for a few hours until Eva knocks on her door.
"Lady Diana, Duke Erwin wants to have a meal with you."
"Alright, I'll be there..." Diana responded instantly.
She checks the time and was surprised that she's been designing for hours. She immediately dressed up and heads to the dining hall casually.
Since Diana wasn't in the mood to be a hypocrite towards the family, she sat down at once without greeting the others.
Duke Erwin was not pleased but knowing that Diana's condition wasn't good after observing her, he lets her go and continues eating. Instead of Duke Erwin, Eric speaks up...
"What's wrong with you? You look beat up... "
"Nothing..." Diana responded calmly.
"What happened last night? Where did you get that cut on your neck?"
"None of your business..."
"Why were you with Jonathan? You should've called us."
"None of your business..."
Eric was pissed and wanted to retaliate back at Diana's cold words but he knew nothing would come up great especially with Diana's cunning attitude so he clicked his tongue and muttered to himself.
"Tsk... You weren't like this before..."
It was faint but Diana heard him clearly and stared at him intently that made him flinch on his chair for a few seconds. But then ignored him and spoke to Duke Erwin.
"Father... I want to have a talk with you privately after we eat."
"... Sure... at my office," Duke Erwin said and guessed as to what's Diana's going to do next. He was certain Diana was up to something.
"What is it? I'm also joining." Eric suddenly interrupted as he doesn't want to be left out.
"Don't. It's none of your business."
Eric was getting more furious with Diana's repeating phrase and asked her with his furrowed brows, "Are you seriously going to be like that?"
"If it's making me you feel annoyed then yes." Diana emotionlessly said then continued eating.
Diana knew Eric was at his point and just wanted to scream out on her face but to Diana's surprise, Eric ignored her and continued eating. Though Eric's eyebrows were scrunched together and anyone could tell he was suppressing his anger.
After they filled in their stomach, Duke Erwin goes straight to the office and Diana stares at him as he walks away. She ordered the servants to bring tea and sweets after a minute she enters the office.
Upon arriving at the office, there was a tense atmosphere that's revolving around the room. Without making things longer and harder for both of them, Duke Erwin starts off first.
"Speak. What do you want to do?"
Diana chuckled with his question, "It seems you assumed that I wanted to do something."
"After your appearance yesterday, I'm certain that you've gained multiples of frightening personalities within you."
Diana chuckled, "That's true. I'm delighted that you've been thinking of me that way. Anyway, this makes things easier for us..."
"What are you planning?"
"I want to open a business with Jonathan."
Duke Erwin's brow furrowed as he heard the familiar name, "Jonathan Mills, the one who was with you last night..."
"That's right, I still haven't told him but I'm certain that he'll accept my offer. If not, that's also fine, I'll find a way to persuade him."
Duke Erwin scoffs at her answer and asked with mockery, "Do you really think that you're capable of running a business?"
"Sure... why not? If you're in doubt, then let's settle it with conditions." Diana was calm as she sips her tea.
Duke Erwin's lips curved up with Diana's suggestion and agreed, "Alright then, you can run a business within three conditions. First, It'll be 40-60, 60 for me, and 40 for you. Second, If you don't get enough customers for the month then don't even dream about opening a business anymore. Lastly, you must report everything to me in detail."
Diana frowned after hearing his first condition, "40-60? That won't be... You won't be getting any of it. All expenses will be coming from me. My allowance is enough to open up a business."
Duke Erwin coldly glared at Diana with doubt, "Don't come begging if you needed more money..."
"Don't worry... I won't, even if you beg me to," Diana was unfazed with his cold glare and reply as she chuckled softly.
"...."
"Now, let's talk about my conditions... If my business rockets then you have to do everything that I say... for a day.
"A day?" Duke Erwin was surprised. He thought that Diana would request more and something big.
"What? It's not like I'm asking for something impossible.
"..."
"And also! I want to be free and do everything I want for a week.
"Sure but it will depend on which day it's going to be."
"That's fine with me," Diana shrugs as she takes a cookie from the plate.
Seriously... this situation is just like a boss and his employee. There's no single love or concern of a family.
Suddenly, Diana noticed that Duke Erwin was reaching out his hand to grab a piece of cake that was on the table. Diana immediately took an action and slapped the back of his hand to prevent him from eating the sweets.
"This is mine. Get your own sweets Father."
Duke Erwin was completely surprised with Diana's sudden informal action then he looked back at the bunch of sweets on the table and asked, "You're saying that these sweets are just yours...?"
Diana stared first at him and nodded once with her arms crossed and domineering aura. Diana made a small and childish payback for mistreating the previous Diana and she was weirdly proud of it. Duke Erwin helplessly scoffed and coldly glared at Diana.
"What? Are you going to argue with me over sweets?" Diana said as she took a bite of her cookie.
Duke Erwin was rendered speechless with Diana's smug face, "If you have nothing else to discuss you may leave."
Diana stood up from her seat and walked out but before she closed the door she warned him, "Father... from now on, be careful.
Duke Erwin was a bit confused but didn't take her words seriously as he gets back to his paperwork.
As soon as Diana was out of the office, she got startled at someone who was leaning on the side of the wall, "Eric... Were you eavesdropping?"
"Since you didn't let me, it's all I can do... but I couldn't hear a thing..."
Diana smirked with his reply, "That's good then." She heads to her room but Eric annoyingly comes and follows her.
"It's not good! What did you talk about?!"
Diana suddenly stopped as she felt annoyed with Eric's yapping. She faced him with a cold expression and said, "It is none of your business." Then Diana walks away leaving Eric behind, who's fuming in anger with Diana's repeating phrase.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone