Shining Bright After Rebirth (Diana and Steven) novel Chapter 888

Chapter 888 The Truth

Queenie stared nervously at Steven, whose faint smirk made her even more uneasy.

She had always wondered why Steven had decided not to marry her.

She had hidden it well, but was it because she had left him back then?

In a quiet voice, she asked tactfully, "Steven, I want to know why. You clearly liked me, so why didn't you divorce Diana?"

Steven smiled faintly, his gaze calm. "Because even your childhood companionship came with an agenda. My kindness to you was simple—it was because Andrew wanted me to treat you well, so I did.

"My apparent kindness was always for his sake. Yes, there was some sincerity before because you saved my life.

"But after the car accident that left me blind and paralyzed, my grandmother asked you to marry me. You ran away because you didn't want to take care of someone broken.

"Diana, on the other hand, willingly married me during my darkest year. She stayed by my side, trying everything she could to give me hope. A person's heart is flesh and blood—I can feel who truly cares for me and who doesn't."

Steven arched a brow slightly, his sharp features laced with mockery. "Do you know why I was able to take control of the Gellar family? It was because I pretended to listen to you, making Andrew drop his guard. My kindness to you was genuine—for a time—because you saved my life.

"But more importantly, it was about securing my place as the heir. As long as I obeyed you, Andrew would stay complacent.

"When he let his guard down and left the country for a woman, that was my perfect opportunity.

"Even your childhood presence by my side was orchestrated by Andrew.

"When I was fourteen, I overheard Andrew's instructions to you—to steal my heart and make me compliant. That's when I started being extra kind to you.

"Queenie, you're a heartless person. But even someone like me can feel who truly cares and who doesn't.

"I hurt Diana because of you. My father wanted to harm her and let your family take her place. I thought she was just an orphan with no one to help her, so I ignored her on purpose.

"I believed that if I ignored her and acted indifferent, you wouldn't see her as a threat. But I was wrong—whether I helped her or not, you still wanted her dead.

"Queenie, do you know why I've never touched you?"

Queenie's eyes widened in shock as she stumbled back. "Why?"

She had always wanted to know the answer.

Steven's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Because Andrew slept with you. On your coming-of-age party, you got drunk and climbed into his bed yourself."

Queenie froze, her mind flashing back to her 18th birthday, the party Steven had hosted for her.

She remembered waking up the next morning, feeling sore all over, but not knowing what had happened.

But she had always believed her first man was George.

"No, that's impossible. You're lying—it can't be true!" Queenie refused to believe it.

Tears welled in her eyes. "Steven, why are you so cruel? You saw what happened—why didn't you save me?"

Steven's mocking gaze was as sharp as a blade, cutting through Queenie's pitiful expression. "Queenie, your only reason for approaching me was Andrew. Why would I save you?

"Without playing the long game, how else could I secure my place as the Gellar family's heir? As long as I played along with you, the position was mine.

"Spending a small portion on you to make one billion dollars? I came out ahead."

His crimson lips curled into a faint, arrogant smile, brimming with confidence as if he'd already won.

"No, that's impossible! Back then, you were living in despair. How could you have risen step by step like that..."

Queenie couldn't continue because she realized Steven had already succeeded years ago.

No wonder Paula's company had turned into an empty shell.

Had Steven orchestrated all of this without anyone realizing?

No, he had only taken a few billion dollars.

But what about the rest?

Where had the remaining money gone?

No, that wasn't it. The scariest part was that Steven had known their plans from the very beginning.

Queenie asked in confusion, "Steven, then why did you give Diana those divorce agreements, so many of them? You clearly didn't love her. You abandoned her time and time again for me."

Steven clenched his fists tightly, his smile enigmatic. "Because I wanted her to leave. She stayed by my side for two years. I didn't want her to die at Andrew's hands. The divorce was just to push her away. Ignoring her was just to make you all let your guard down."

Queenie screamed in anguish, "What about now? Aren't you afraid that by revealing all of this, I'll go after her?"