Chapter 8 Come Home With Me

"Absolutely not!" Diana's voice rose sharply. "We signed divorce papers years ago!"

Five years ago, Lucas had taken the signed agreement with him when they left Emerald City.

Those divorce papers were still sitting in her filing cabinet.

"Charles, we've had nothing to do with each other for five years!"

Diana pushed down the flood of memories, meeting those furious eyes.

Her hands unconsciously clenched into fists as she remembered Joseph calling Laura "Mrs. Windsor."

She let out a bitter laugh.

"Our marriage was an accident to begin with—we never loved each other. There's already another Mrs. Windsor now. If we have any relationship at all, it's as ex-husband and ex-wife."

Diana delivered these words with calculated indifference, ignoring Charles's reaction.

She glanced at the entourage behind him, picked up her phone, and tossed out a casual goodbye forever before quickly walking away.

Charles's gaze locked onto her retreating figure, his eyes dark as winter storm clouds, the slight downturn of his mouth betraying his foul mood.

"Nothing to do with each other."

He rolled the words around in his mouth like bitter medicine.

Nathan couldn't help but shrink back slightly.

The fury radiating from Charles was palpable.

In less than ten minutes, Nathan had endured two major shocks: seeing Diana again and witnessing their explosive confrontation.

As Nathan debated how to break the silence, Charles's orders cut through the air.

"Nathan, go verify Dr. Green's situation."

Without another word, Charles took off after Diana.

Diana was desperate to escape Charles, her heels clicking rapidly against the pavement despite her panic.

Running and walking at the same time, her heart was filled with panic.

She'd just reached the small wooden gate of her villa when Charles's voice materialized behind her like a persistent ghost, making her snatch her hand back.

"Diana, how long are you planning to hide?"

In that moment of hesitation, Charles had already closed the distance.

The usually composed, elegant, and coolly controlled Charles now stood before her with sweat beading at his temples, his perfectly styled hair disheveled by the wind. His uneven breathing came in hot waves.

Charles stepped closer to Diana.

"Come home with me, Diana."

Whatever needed to be discussed, they could handle it at home.

Diana backed away, her frustration boiling over.

"Charles, how many times do I have to say it? We're finished! We have no relationship whatsoever. If you keep harassing me, I'm calling the police!"

Charles pressed his lips together, offering no response.

Instead, he moved forward and reached for her directly.

Diana watched Charles's reckless determination with growing alarm.

When Charles set his mind to something, he could be terrifyingly stubborn.

"Come with me!" Charles repeated his demand.

In the next moment, he successfully caught the dodging Diana.

"Diana, you've been running for five years."

Though his words were a plain statement devoid of any emotion, Diana heard the underlying rage in them.

Diana struggled furiously, her efforts proving futile.

Red marks were already forming around her wrist from Charles's grip.

Suddenly, the villa door burst open.

Two small figures charged out.

Flanking Charles from both sides, they launched their attack.

"You big meanie, freeze! Let her go!"

The two kids had been waiting by the door for Diana, watching helplessly as Charles cornered her.

They'd been desperate to help, but Diana hadn't wanted Charles to recognize them.

The children had been forced to watch anxiously from the doorway.

Seeing Diana being dragged several steps forward, they couldn't hold back any longer and rushed out.

Jason pummeled Charles with tiny fists and feet while Daisy tried to pry his hands loose.

Their sudden appearance made both adults freeze.

"Let go of her!" Daisy's efforts were futile, tears of frustration welling in her eyes.

Jason had warned her never to call Diana "Mommy" in public, and Daisy remembered every word.

The children's innocent voices snapped Charles back to reality, and he immediately looked at Diana with confusion.

Charles remembered these children.

Diana's eyes flashed with panic—an expression Charles caught instantly.

"Diana," his voice dropped to a low, gravelly tone, "Who are they?"

A wild possibility crashed through his mind.

The image of Diana's pregnant silhouette from five years ago flooded his memory.

His gaze darkened ominously.

"It has nothing to do with you." Diana fought to stay composed.

Charles freed one hand to grasp Daisy, and immediately felt a tremor run through his palm.

"You're nervous."

Diana turned away, refusing to respond.

He laughed coldly. "Think I can't find out just because you won't tell me?"

Diana went rigid with tension.

Charles applied slight pressure, lifting Daisy off her feet. "Tell me, who is she?"

Despite her princess-like appearance, Charles held Daisy without any real hostility.

Daisy continued struggling. "You're a bad man—I won't tell you anything!"

Charles raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Fine, you won't talk. How about you?"

Facing Jason, Charles shed three degrees of gentleness and added several degrees of menace.

No matter how mature Jason acted, he was still only a five-year-old child. Charles's intimidating stare made him forget his defensive movements and instinctively retreat behind Diana.

Diana's protective instincts overrode her nervousness as she snapped, "Charles, what's wrong with you? They're just children!"

"You want to know who these kids are? Their mother is my assistant and lawyer!"

"You're lying." Charles's eyes turned menacing.

"What? Do you actually think they're our children? In that car accident five years ago, even Laura, a healthy person, nearly bled out. Do you really think a pregnant woman like me could have escaped and given birth to healthy babies?"

Charles swallowed hard. Diana was stating facts.

"Either way, I'll investigate when I get back. Diana, now that I've found you, don't think you can run again."

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? We're finished, and these children have nothing to do with you either! Forcing us to come with you is kidnapping!"

Her protests fell on deaf ears.

When Charles made up his mind about something, nothing could change it.

He moved again, though this time with slightly more consideration for the two kids.

Nathan and his team arrived just in time to witness this scene.

He'd never seen the usually composed Charles in such a state—shock painted across his features.

But in the next second, he became an accomplice in Charles's plan.

Charles had abandoned all pretense of the law.

Right now, he only wanted to bring all of them home.

"Charles, you bastard!"

Diana's eyes blazed red with fury, her words spilling out uncensored, but they had no effect.

She was still forcibly taken back to the place she'd called home five years ago.

The moment she stepped through the door, suffocating familiarity crashed over Diana.

Suppressed memories surged back like a tidal wave.

The instant Charles released his grip, Diana's palm connected sharply with his cheek.

She immediately pulled both children behind her.

Eyes burning crimson, she glared at Charles with pure hatred.

"I hate you, Charles!"