Born to Rule, Destined to Destroy Novel 16

Chapter 16
The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a tender amber glow across the world by the time Valeria pushed open the door to her home. The evening air clung to her skin, heavy with the scent of twilight, as she stepped inside, her footsteps echoing faintly against the hardwood floor. Her eyes, sharp and searching, immediately found Diego sprawled across the sofa, his lanky frame draped in casual ease, a magazine dangling from one hand. The sight of him—so unexpectedly at home in her space—stirred a ripple of surprise in her chest.
“Diego?” Her voice danced with curiosity, a thread of bemusement weaving through it. “What are you doing here?”
Diego’s face lit up with that boyish eagerness she’d come to know so well. He scrambled to his feet, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips as he thrust a plate of freshly cut fruit toward her—apples glistening like polished jade, oranges bursting with vivid color. “I couldn’t make it to your competition today,” he said, his tone earnest yet tinged with apology. “So I came over to say sorry in person.”
Valeria arched a brow, her lips curving into a reluctant smile as she accepted the offering. “You’re glib,” she teased, her voice warm despite the playful jab. She plucked a crisp slice of apple from the plate, its sweet tang blooming on her tongue as she savored it.
Unfazed, Diego’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I heard the news—you won the championship again today. Congratulations!” His words were bright, but a shadow flickered across his expression, a hesitation that lingered like a storm cloud on the horizon. “But… I also heard Javier was there. And that you left with him. Where did you two disappear to for all those hours?”
Valeria chewed slowly, letting the question hang in the air as she studied him. The room seemed to shrink with the weight of his curiosity, the soft hum of the evening settling around them. “I agreed to treat the patient he mentioned,” she replied at last, her tone light but deliberate. “He asked me to drop him off at the Five-Star Building—probably his way of flexing a little intimidation.”
Diego bolted upright, the sofa creaking beneath him as his eyes widened in disbelief, the fruit plate forgotten on the cushion beside him. “What? You agreed?” His voice cracked with urgency, a note of incredulity threading through it. “Didn’t you say at the bar you’d steer clear of cases that messy? You could’ve just told him Egret doesn’t do house calls. Why risk it for real?”
His sudden intensity coaxed a soft laugh from Valeria, the sound lilting through the room like a breeze. “One treatment could net me over a hundred and fifty million,” she said, her smile teasing yet edged with resolve. “I’d say that’s worth a little trouble.”
Diego sank back into the sofa, his expression darkening as if a veil had fallen over his usual buoyancy. The air between them grew taut, charged with his unspoken fears. “That’s because I didn’t know it was Javier pulling the strings,” he said, his voice dropping to a grave murmur. “Sure, he’s Dominic’s uncle, but they’re not tight. Dominic’s just a distant branch on the family tree—small-time compared to Javier, the true heir to the Barnett Group. And that’s not even the half of it…”
He paused, his gaze drifting to some far-off memory, his eyes glinting with a mix of awe and dread. “Javier’s a legend in his own right. Military school as a kid—always at the top, shattering records like they were glass. Two years in, and he was handpicked for elite state training. Our Starbright Group might have global reach and deep coffers, but that’s nothing against military might. Money can buy a lot, Valeria, but it can’t stop a bullet.” He turned to her, his stare piercing, laced with a quiet plea. “Dealing with him… it’s like walking the edge of a cliff in a storm. One wrong step, and you’re gone. Maybe you should rethink this—find some excuse to bow out?”
Valeria tilted her head, her eyes narrowing playfully as a spark of defiance flickered within them. “What’s this? Doubting my ability to handle Javier’s patient?” Her tone was sharp, a velvet blade cutting through his worry.
Diego froze, his mouth gaping for a heartbeat before he waved his hands in a frantic flurry. “No, no, of course not! You’re Egret—the genius doctor everyone’s in awe of. I’d never doubt you!” His words tumbled out in a rush, his cheeks flushing faintly under her scrutiny.
“Good.” Valeria’s smile softened, a quiet strength blooming in her expression as she reached out to pat his shoulder. The warmth of her touch lingered, a steady anchor against his unease. “Then there’s nothing to fret over. My focus right now is cutting ties with that slime, Dominic. He’s dodging the courthouse like it’s cursed, and I can’t figure out why he’s so stubborn. But if I cure this patient, I’ll have leverage. Javier’s influence could force Dominic’s hand—divorce papers signed, whether he likes it or not.”
“I see,” Diego murmured, nodding slowly as the logic settled over him. Yet his eyes betrayed him, flickering with a restless unease that refused to dissipate. The room seemed to hold its breath, the tension easing only slightly as the weight of her plan sank in.
Silence draped over them, soft and fragile, until the sharp buzz of Diego’s phone shattered it. The sound jolted him, and he fumbled to pull it from his pocket, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the screen. In an instant, his face drained of its warmth, replaced by a mask of worry and disbelief.
“What is it?” Valeria asked, her voice threading with concern as she watched the shift in him. “Trouble at the company?”
He hesitated, his fingers tightening around the phone before he lifted his gaze to meet hers. “No. Valeria… check the news. Today’s race—it’s everywhere. You’re trending.”
A frown creased her brow as she reached for her own phone, unlocking it with a swift flick of her thumb. The screen flared to life, and her breath caught in her throat as a bold headline blazed across it: “Racing Icon Sierra Appears at Pierith Racetrack!” Her heart thudded against her ribs, a wild rhythm that echoed the storm brewing within her. The world outside her quiet home had just tilted, and she stood poised on its trembling edge.