Located by the Seine, there's a manor surrounded entirely by French plane trees, lending a mysterious atmosphere to the estate.
This manor, although situated near the bustling banks of the Seine, is eerily silent within. People passing by rarely see anyone enter or leave, further enhancing its spooky aura.
It is said that a beautiful bride once lived here. Heartlessly abandoned by her husband on their wedding night, she spent her days in lingering sadness until, finally succumbing to her illness, she passed away filled with resentment. Since then, the manor has remained uninhabited.
Currently, Diana sat emotionless in the living room, her gaze fixed on the newspaper before her, betraying no thoughts. The housekeeper, a woman over fifty, regarded Diana with genuine concern. Her excessive calmness was simply unnatural. No woman would remain so indifferent after reading scandalous rumors about her husband.
“Young Miss…” The older woman called, hoping to elicit a response from Diana.
“Mrs. Caldwell, I'm fine.” Diana didn't need to look at her to sense her concern. Yet she truly didn't know how to react. Should she be angry? She had been numb for so long.
From the day she got married, no, even before that Diana knew that Ethan Langley didn't love her and never wanted to marry her. If not for their parents' insistence, they would have had nothing to do with each other.
Since their marriage, only she and the housekeeper had lived here. Ethan visited occasionally, but when he did, he would only stay for a night before disappearing by morning.
“These tabloids only want to stir up gossip. Don't take them to heart.” Mrs. Caldwell gathered all the newspapers and magazines from the coffee table to prevent Diana from reading more and upsetting herself. "Miss, why don't you go upstairs and rest for a while? I'll call you when lunch is ready.”
“That won't be necessary. You can go home now. I want to be alone for a while.”
Mrs. Caldwell lived near the manor, coming in the morning and leaving at night. As a result, Diana often had the house to herself.
At first, the solitude frightened her, but three years of loneliness had hardened her heart. Emotions like fear, anger, sadness, and grief were now buried deep inside.
Mrs. Caldwell looked at Diana with worry. She wanted to say something, but when she saw Diana rise and head upstairs, she could only sigh helplessly. After tidying up the house, she left.
Diana sat on the balcony of her bedroom, gazing at the scenery and the ships on the Seine. Despite the beauty before her, all she saw was a world cast in gray. She rested her head against the back of the chair, exhausted. This marriage was draining the last of her emotional energy.
As the sky darkened, Ethan returned to the manor. He had just come from the family home, summoned to answer questions about his scandal with Joanna Moore. His mood was terrible.
When he stepped out of the car, only the garden lights were on, the rest of the house was dark, which made him frown. Upon entering, the sensor light in the foyer flickered on. He switched on the rest, flooding the previously pitch-dark manor with brightness.
The house was eerily silent, as if no one lived there. Irritated, possibly from the interrogation at the family home, Ethan felt the need to vent his frustration. His temper flared as he stomped upstairs.
He shoved open the bedroom door, only to find it empty. His first thought was that Diana was missing. Just as he was about to go downstairs to make a call, he noticed a shadow on the balcony.
Approaching, he found Diana asleep on the couch, her head resting on a pillow stained with faint traces of tears.
For a moment, Ethan hesitated. Then, without a trace of gentleness, he woke her.
"How comfortable you look, sleeping so soundly." His first words were sharp and filled with mockery. "Your parents must have done an excellent job raising you, turning you into a lifeless puppet."
Jolted awake, Diana blinked, still groggy. Her head felt heavy, probably from sleeping too long and catching a chill.
"Are you mute now?" Ethan's irritation deepened at her silence, his tone growing sharper. "Do you even know what’s happening outside? About Joanna and me? Aren’t you supposed to be the devoted wife?”
"What difference does it make if I do?" Diana sighed inwardly. He was deliberately picking a fight. No matter what she said or did, she would always be wrong. This was how their life together had been from the start.
Her indifference only infuriated Ethan more. Her calm gaze made him feel like a petulant child. "Right. Even if you knew, it wouldn’t matter. You have no right to interfere. You're nothing but a woman bought by the Langley family. Your presence disgusts me more than any of the women outside."
Even with her walls up, the cruelty of his words still cut deep.
Diana didn’t know when Ethan's disdain had turned into outright humiliation. Did he want to drive her away so he could marry Joanna?
Ethan expected her to react. To cry, scream, or argue. But instead, she only lowered her head, hiding her expression with her covering her face.
Her silence infuriated him, but he didn’t know why. Frustrated, he turned to leave.
"Ethan," Diana suddenly spoke, stopping him in his tracks. "Let's get a divorce."
