Brian successfully pulled Mia outside, despite her constantly glancing back.
"Brian, what are you doing? Why are you dragging me out? I need to stay and take care of Dad..."
Hearing her words, Brian finally let go of her hand and stopped walking. He turned to face her, exhaling heavily.
"Dad asked me to take you out."
Mia looked at him with disbelief. Her lips twitched; she had come to take care of her father in her mother's place, so why would he ask her to leave? She stared at Brian, clearly skeptical.
Brian could see the doubt in her expression. Feeling helpless, he sighed again.
"I'm serious. Dad said you haven't eaten anything all morning. He told me to take you to eat because he's worried you'll get too hungry."
After hearing his explanation, Mia rubbed her temples. Indeed, she hadn’t eaten anything since morning, and Brian wouldn't have known unless her father told him. She decided to believe him, at least for now.
Seeing her relent, Brian smiled faintly, his voice warm and gentle.
"Alright, let's go get breakfast. You really shouldn’t let yourself get exhausted..."
With that, he grabbed her wrist again and started pulling her along. Mia followed without much resistance, though her expression remained conflicted.
"But... what if Dad..."
"Dad has a phone; he'll call if he needs anything..."
Hearing this, Mia finally stopped worrying and allowed herself to follow Brian for breakfast.
It was almost 10 a.m. now, and she needed to pick up Cara from daycare soon. Mia's daily routine involved caring for her father in the morning, while her mother would take over in the evening. She would then spend the afternoon looking after Cara. That was her life for now.
As she was about to go pick up Cara, Brian quickly stopped her.
"You go back to the hospital to take care of Dad. I'll pick up Cara and take her to my parents' house."
At this, Mia's face darkened slightly. She still felt uneasy about the situation, even though she knew Brian was Cara's father, and his parents were her grandparents.
Mia hesitated, lowering her gaze and clenching her fists.
Seeing her worried expression, Brian furrowed his brows.
"What's wrong? Are you not okay with it?"
She forced a smile, exhaling softly.
"No, it's just... I'm not sure if your parents will be bothered... and..."
"They won't mind. Come on, don't think we're strangers or anything. You’re still part of the Leonard family, always have been. So, don't worry about it..."
Hearing this, Mia's heart skipped a beat, a warm feeling spreading through her. She smiled softly, her expression as gentle as the morning sun.
Finally, she nodded in agreement, letting go of her worries. Brian smiled warmly back at her.
He then took her back to the hospital, and once she was settled in, he quickly drove to the daycare to pick up their children.
Brian brought Cyrus and Cara back to the Leonard household, intending to spend some time with them. However, he had another pressing matter to address.
The divorce papers were still in his car, and Brian knew he had to resolve this issue quickly. He had endured too much over the past five years, and he had reached his limit.
A strange coldness emanated from him as he returned home. With the divorce papers in hand, his steps were swift and determined.
Upon entering, his demeanor was cold and unfeeling, much more so than usual.
At that moment, Aunt Lia came out of the kitchen carrying a pot of hydrangeas. Seeing Brian, she quickly nodded in greeting.
Brian's sharp brows furrowed as he stopped and asked her a few questions.
"Where's Diana? Is she in her room?"
Aunt Lia paused, lowering her head slightly as she replied.
"I think... Miss Edward is upstairs..."
The title "Miss Edward" made Brian’s hand twitch. The title "Mrs. Leonard" only belonged to Mia; only she deserved it.
Brian's voice dropped, his gaze cold and sharp.
"Call her Miss Edward, not Mrs. Leonard."
Aunt Lia was startled but quickly nodded in agreement, responding with a soft "Yes."
Brian coldly lifted his chin and continued up the stairs, his steps quick and determined.
He reached Diana's room and, without a word, pushed the door open. As always, whenever he entered, he found her sitting at her vanity, putting on makeup. Her face was thick with powder and lipstick, so heavy it was overwhelming.
Diana set down her lipstick and slowly turned her gaze toward the imposing figure of Brian standing in the doorway. Her lips moved slightly as she spoke in a cold, indifferent tone.
"What do you want?"
Brian said nothing. He simply tossed the divorce papers onto the bed.
"Sign these. I don't have time to waste."
Diana's face was filled with confusion as she quickly stood up. She glanced at the papers on the bed, then back at Brian, who stared at her coldly.
She picked up the papers with trembling hands. One glance at the title "Divorce Papers" was enough to shock her.
Her hands shook as she held the papers, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"What... what do you mean? Divorce?"
Brian exhaled sharply, one hand in his pocket, his gaze filled with disdain.
"Yes. Divorce. We're getting divorced. Five years of this is more than enough."
Diana clenched her teeth, throwing the papers back onto the bed. She glared at Brian, her face flushed with anger.
"Divorce? You think you can just divorce me like that? I won't sign..."
Brian bit his lip, his eyes radiating a chilling aura. He grabbed her chin firmly, his voice low and menacing as he spoke each word with weight.
"Whether you want to or not, you'll sign... You think you still hold some power over me? You think you're still so important?"
With that, his hand moved to grip her throat tightly, his anger seething as he added,
"Either you sign... or I'll expose your family's secrets to the media... I can throw you in jail and file for divorce myself..."
Diana tried to push Brian away, but his grip on her throat was too strong. Her airway felt constricted, and she struggled to breathe.
Her face turned red, her limbs flailing helplessly.
Brian gritted his teeth, his gaze toward her was still filled with madness and disgust, completely different from how he looked at Mia.
He finally let go, causing Diana to stumble and fall onto the cold floor.
His other hand casually slipped back into his pocket.
"If you don't sign by the end of today, don't blame me for not showing any mercy. I've been too kind to a wicked woman like you... Diana... Your time is almost up. When I say something, I mean it..."