Shining Bright After Rebirth (Diana and Steven) novel Chapter 963

Chapter 963 Too Bad
At the time, Diana and Nolan were playing poker with a few others. She was over the moon now.

Her phone rang suddenly, which annoyed her a bit. Her brothers hadn't sent her gifts yet, and she was still waiting for one from Leopold too.

She glanced at her phone and saw it was an unfamiliar number. She didn't feel like answering.

Luna noticed her hesitation and asked, "Diana, you're not answering it?"

Diana gave the number a quick look and said, "It's a number I don't recognize. Not really in the mood."

Luna, understanding her personality, urged, "Diana, answer it. It's Christmas. Who knows? Maybe someone's sending you a gift."

Diana rolled her eyes, thinking Luna must've eaten too much fish and gotten dumber. No one sent gifts at this hour.

She'd already received gifts from Cecil and Alexander and had sent them return gifts.

Still, she decided to pick up the call, if only to stop the unknown caller from annoying her further.

"Hello?" Diana answered, her tone cheerful.

On the other end, Eric hesitated before saying, "Diana, it's me."

Diana frowned. "Who's this?"

Eric felt a sharp pang in his heart. Diana didn't recognize his voice anymore. "Diana, this is Eric."

Diana's voice turned cold. "What do you want?"

She was surprised that Queenie had let Eric off the hook.

Or maybe the time for that hadn't come yet.

Eric's heart ached as he heard her indifferent tone. "Diana, we're sorry. Can you forgive us? Mom's been miserable. She cries in her room. Could you come and see her? Diana, we were wrong before. But we're family. Blood is thicker than water.

"Please, Diana, Mom misses you. She hasn't been eating.

"She talks about you all the time. Diana, I was wrong too."

Diana narrowed her eyes. It was too late to regret it now.

She said coldly, "Mr. Eric Marsh, you must have the wrong number. When you forced me out before, I signed the severance papers. I have nothing to do with the Marsh family anymore, and that includes your mother. Let's not drag this out. Don't call me again. It's Christmas. Don't ruin my good mood.

"If you truly feel guilty, then stay out of my life. Leave me alone, and I'll consider it forgiveness."

Without waiting for his reply, Diana hung up.

Back at the table, Nolan won this round.

He looked at her triumphantly.

Diana was frustrated. "Ugh. It's all Eric's fault for distracting me."

Nolan couldn't help but laugh. Every year, Diana lost quite a bit at poker. She rarely won a hand.

Maybe it was the universe balancing out her success in other areas.

"Focus, Diana," Nolan teased her.

Diana rolled her eyes in silent protest.

Meanwhile, on the balcony, Eric stared at the fireworks lighting up the night sky. His mind wandered to last year when Diana had given him a gift.

She said, "Eric, your stomach's weak. Here's some excellent medicine for it. Take it on time, and you'll recover soon."

He had brushed her off. "Diana, you country bumpkin. People give gold and jewels as gifts, and you bring me medicine? Are you trying to kill me?"

His sneer back then was full of disdain.

They had smiled at even strangers but never at Diana.

Even now, he couldn't face the memory of driving away Althea, the woman who had loved him, leaving her and their child with nothing.

Eric smiled bitterly, "Maybe.

"By the way, Diana's driving skills are amazing. "She beat Elroy's racing team. Why didn't she ever show us what she could do before?

"If she'd been better than Queenie, would things have been different?"

Gale shook his head. "No. Among all of us, the one who hurt her the most was Mom. She never wanted to admit Diana was her daughter. And because Diana was prettier than Queenie, she forbade Diana from standing out.

"For years, Diana wore nothing but casual clothes. Mom wouldn't even let her have a decent dress. She was never allowed to outshine Queenie."

The lack of motherly love was harsh.

Gale pressed his lips together, regret etched on his face.

It was too late now. Diana had abandoned them.

Gale added, "By the way, Jeff is spending Christmas with his assistant this year."

Paula overheard part of their conversation as she came out for water.

A cold smile crossed her face. Jeff might be enjoying his Christmas now, but after the holiday, karma was coming for him.

Paula fetched the water and returned to her room.

She checked her phone and saw a video of Jeff buying luxury goods for his assistant.

She forwarded it to Amelie with a mocking message.

[Amelie, this must've been the happiness you dreamed of. Too bad, it belongs to another woman now.]