And then one day, fate brought her together with Kyle, the son of one of her father’s long-time business partners. They had often met at corporate events before, but in their youth, there could be no talk of romantic relationships. Kyle was always distant from her—a typical rich kid, passionate about expensive cars, luxury real estate, and overseas resorts. He didn’t hide his attitude toward work and directly said he wasn’t going to get his hands dirty and waste his father’s money on education just to one day occupy an office with a leather chair.
When Diana worked as a janitor in her father’s office, Kyle watched her with barely contained laughter. They hadn’t seen each other for three years, even at her parents’ funeral Kyle didn’t show up; only his father came to express condolences. So Diana was surprised when one day her secretary announced over the intercom that Kyle wanted to meet her. Without a prior appointment, he was waiting in the reception area.
Diana was even taken aback when she realized it was about that same Kyle. What could have made him suddenly appear at her office? However, there was nothing to do—she decided to accept him. When Kyle entered, his request turned out to be not just unusual, but truly shocking.
His father’s company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and he, unable to think of anything better, came to Diana with a proposal to buy the enterprise. The girl at first just silently looked at him, puzzled, but Kyle tried to be convincing, using all his eloquence.
— Better if the firm ends up in your hands,—he began, as if they had always been on first-name terms, although Diana didn’t remember when they had switched to that level of communication. — Your family has always helped us, and now you can save our business. You wouldn’t let it be sold for pennies to those who aren’t interested in its future.
Of course, his words had some logic, but Diana couldn’t understand why she should help them specifically. Why should she save an enterprise that had no direct relation to her? After all, her father would never have turned down a profitable deal, but he always acted in his own interests!
Her father was famous for his business acumen and ability to anticipate problems. He had an amazing sense for profitable deals and risky ventures. Therefore, when her work was compared to her father’s successes, Diana felt unpleasant pressure. She always feared that she hadn’t inherited this natural gift, but she desperately wanted to prove she was worthy of being his heir.
— Why are you so sure?
— It’s a profitable deal,— calmly explained Kyle. — Just calculate what you get, how much you invest, and you’ll see for yourself that you’ll come out ahead.
Diana thought about it and, to her surprise, had to agree with him. The logic was simple and convincing. She contacted Kyle’s father, Richard Alexander, and soon formalized the purchase of the company. As it turned out, it was one of her best decisions—she never regretted the deal. To celebrate the success, Kyle invited her to a restaurant. It was from that moment that their relationship began to develop rapidly.
Diana felt insecure because there were so few things in her life that she couldn’t control. But her own heart refused to obey. Kyle allowed her to love him, but he did it so beautifully that breaking this connection was beyond her strength. He was affectionate and caring with her, but always held himself somewhat aloof and confident. And although now he worked in her company, under her leadership, he showed neither by word nor gesture that it bothered him in any way.
When, after two years of their relationship, Kyle finally decided on a serious step and proposed to Diana, he immediately declared:
— If we get married, this will be a family business, and I’m not going to be henpecked.
Diana then just shrugged, not wanting to destroy the harmony between them. In principle, she was satisfied with her choice. Kyle seemed reliable, calm, and balanced, albeit demanding. But ideal people don’t exist.
Moreover, the girl was a realist—it seemed to her that at her age, it was hard to find a «prince on a white horse.» If you pick too long, you can miss all opportunities while more agile rivals snatch up all suitable men. So the proposal seemed like a gift from fate.
However, family life wasn’t all smooth. The financial situation of Kyle’s family had become shaky in recent years; his father had to move from the category of businessmen to hired workers. Diana understood that this was the result of bad decisions and that her father-in-law couldn’t come to terms with the loss of status. She had to create new positions for him and for Kyle. This caused discontent, especially from her mother-in-law, but Diana, with her diplomacy, managed to resolve the conflict.
— You don’t trust me so much that you can’t give a leadership position to me or Kyle?—her father-in-law once indignantly said. — You’re like crushing us and not letting us take a step. All this is the shadow of your father!
These words cut Diana painfully, but she tried to remain restrained. She gathered the whole family at the table and calmly but firmly stated:
— I manage the company, and that won’t change. Regardless of who my husband is and what family ties we have, the main chair in the company belongs to me. If that doesn’t suit you, perhaps it’s better for us not to work together at all.
Silence hung for a moment, and Diana saw Kyle glance at his father, suppressing his indignation. He bowed his head and softly said:
— Everything’s fine. We understand. You rightly believe you should control your own business.
Kyle’s words brought relief. Yes, he understood her, and despite all the difficulties, stability finally appeared in her life, albeit not without effort on her part.
Sometimes Diana felt like she was leading a double life. At home, she turned into a tender, caring wife, ready to surround her husband with warmth, support, and cook his favorite dish, playing the role of the ideal homemaker. But at work, she was completely different—strict and decisive business lady who managed the company with an iron grip, not allowing herself weakness. The girl knew how to hide true emotions and maintain calm in any situation, even when her soul was heavy.