Brian squinted his eyes, viewing Diana as nothing more than a thorn in his side. He had wanted to remove this thorn for a long time.
He clenched his teeth in frustration, spitting out his words with disdain.  
"You're nothing but trash!"
With that, he turned and walked back towards his room. Before he could enter, Diana's slurred voice suddenly echoed behind him.  
"After all these years, you still think about her?"
Brian paused, listening but remaining silent. He didn't want to start a fight. His mood had improved slightly thanks to Mia’s return. He didn't want to spoil it because of Diana. 
He took another step forward, but Diana couldn’t hold back and spoke again.  
"What does she have that I don't? I was with you for three years, and you were only with her for one... How could she be more deserving than me? I’m only trying to take back what’s rightfully mine."
Brian let out a cold laugh, sliding one hand into his pocket as he turned around, his eyes filled with an unnerving indifference as he stared at her.  
"From the beginning to the end… what was ever yours? Everything is mine—my money, my love, all of it. Diana, don’t even try to compare yourself to Mia. You don't even come close to being as good as she is."
He sneered and turned away again.
Diana, however, didn’t give up, her voice tinged with grievance.  
"You'll regret this…"
"I already regret it—regret knowing your true face, regret wasting three years loving you."
With that, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, not sparing her another glance.
Diana collapsed onto the stairs in despair. She had once thought that wealth and status were everything, but now she realized that indifference could also destroy a person. She felt an overwhelming sense of injustice and deep hatred for Mia. If it weren't for her, wouldn’t she be living a happy life with Brian? If it weren’t for her, she wouldn’t detest Cyrus as much as she did now.
She felt as if Mia had cornered her, forcing her into this miserable situation with her kindness and warmth. If there was any regret, it was that Diana regretted not ruining Mia’s reputation and dignity back then. How had she gotten so lucky?
After sitting on the staircase for a while, Diana finally returned to her room. Her face flushed, and the scent of alcohol clung to her. How much longer would she have to endure this life?
---
The Next Day.
R.D. Corporation.
Brian appeared at the entrance of the company. His assistant, Finn, quickly rushed out to meet him, holding a paper bag that seemed to contain some documents.
Finn bowed slightly, his lips moving as he reported.  
"Boss, I’ve prepared everything inside. You just need to sign it."
Brian gave a casual nod, taking the documents and tossing them into his car without even checking them. After doing so, he walked towards the driver's seat.
Was he really planning to end things this quickly?
Finn watched him and then lowered his head.  
"Boss, aren’t you going inside the company?"
Brian paused, glanced at him, and spoke with an air of authority.  
"You handle everything inside today. I’m not in the mood for work."
With that, he got into the driver’s seat, and the car slowly drove away, eventually disappearing from Finn's sight.
Finn could only sigh, knowing that his boss was likely going to see his "mistress" again. For the past five years, he had continued to call Mia the mistress, perhaps because, in his heart, she was the only one truly deserving of that title.
---
5S Hospital.
Brian walked through the halls, carrying a bag of fruit, his expression warm and full of anticipation. He made his way directly to room 30X, in section B.Y. He arrived at the door just as he was about to open it, but before his hand could reach the handle, the door suddenly opened.
Mia stepped out from inside. Upon seeing Brian, she couldn't hide her surprise and flinched slightly. She looked at him with wide eyes, her appearance a bit disheveled.
"Why are you here?" Mia asked, still not understanding.
Brian quickly gave her a gentle smile, raising the bag of fruit in his hand as he replied.  
"To visit your dad…"
It was only then that Mia seemed to remember, quickly stepping aside as she spoke softly.  
"Go ahead, my dad is still awake…"
Brian walked inside, and although Mia had opened the door for him, she didn’t follow him in. Seeing her continue walking away, he couldn’t help but ask.  
"You're not staying with me?"
Her figure was already disappearing from his sight, but her soft, clear voice echoed back.  
"I’m going to get some medicine for my dad; I'll be back soon."
Hearing her say that, Brian felt more at ease. He walked inside and approached the bed.  
"Dad… How’s your health? Mia told me you weren’t doing well, so I came to visit."
He placed the fruit on the table and then sat down in a chair beside Thời Phong’s bed. Mr. Garcia, seeing Brian, nodded and smiled faintly, his voice raspy with age.  
"I’m feeling better. Thank you for coming…"
Brian glanced around the room and didn’t see Mrs. Garcia, so he couldn’t help but ask.  
"Is Mom not here?"
"She went home to rest."
Brian obediently nodded, engaging in a brief and light-hearted conversation with his father-in-law. Mr. Garcia began recounting the story of how he had hidden Mia's whereabouts from Brian, explaining everything since they had already met each other. He held onto a strong belief that the two of them would eventually reconcile.
After hearing the story, Brian could only sigh, not knowing what else to do. Could he blame Mr. Garcia now? That would be disrespectful. But he had no intention of holding a grudge against him either. With a nod of understanding, he let the past be.
Even after five years of being divorced, Brian still called Mia's parents "Mom" and "Dad," showing just how deeply he valued his relationships.
Talking to Brian seemed to improve Mr. Garcia's spirits, and he finally said to him,  
"Mia hasn’t eaten anything since morning. You should make her eat something… I’m worried she won’t have the strength…"
Hearing that she had skipped her meals, Brian felt a twinge of discomfort. Since his father-in-law had entrusted him with the task of making sure Mia ate, he couldn’t refuse. Just then, Mia returned with a small packet of medicine and walked quickly to the bedside. She handed the medicine to her father and carefully poured him a glass of warm water.
After he took the medicine, Mia let out a sigh of relief. Mr. Garcia laid back down, pulling the blanket up. He didn't look at her again, but his voice still reached her.
"I’m tired now. I want to sleep. You and Brian should go out for a while. I’ll call if I need anything when I wake up."
Hearing this, Mia looked at him with concern.  
"Alright, Dad, you get some rest. I’ll be right outside."
Mr. Garcia knew her stubbornness well, having seen it before. He quickly exchanged a glance with Brian. Understanding the signal, Brian grabbed her hand and gently pulled her out of the room.  
"Let’s go. Dad said he wants to rest. Are you really going to keep bothering him? I’m hungry; let’s go eat…"
Despite being pulled along, Mia still hesitated, her expression uncertain.  
"But… but…"
Mr. Garcia added in a firm tone,  
"No buts! Go on, let me get some rest…”