Reborn Heiress Is Re Chapter 88: Special Flowers

Chapter 88: Special Flowers

Chapter 88: Special Flowers

Dinner at her father’s house had been a huge blur.

Diane barely rembered picking at her food while Leon spoke about the company’s next moves.

He had insisted on a formal al like sothing about presenting a united front, but all Diane could think about was the ssage on her phone.

Adrian was alive...

The words repeated relentlessly in her mind, drowning out the clinking of silverware and her father’s attempts at small talk.

She had smiled when appropriate, nodded when necessary—but beneath everything, her nerves burned like a live wire.

By the ti dessert was served, Diane couldn’t take it anymore.

"I should get ho," she said suddenly, pushing back from the table. "Arthur needs ."

Leon’s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t object.

"Of course," he said quietly. "Just... take care of yourself, Diane."

"I will," she promised. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t herself she was worried about.

The night air was crisp by the ti Diane arrived ho.

Arthur was already asleep.

She had checked on him the mont she stepped inside, brushing a kiss against his forehead and watching the stable rise and fall of his chest.

He seed peaceful for now.

But Diane couldn’t sit still. Not with that ssage clawing at the edges of her mind.

So, she went to the one place that always cald her.

The garden.

Her backyard was a wild of carefully curated beauty and nature’s chaos like a reflection of the woman herself, she supposed.

Diane knelt by one of the raised flower beds, her fingers brushing through the cool soil as she checked on the blooms she had planted weeks before.

Most were harmless.

Roses, lavender, evening primrose.

But tucked behind them hidden in plain sight were plants that no ordinary gardener would cultivate.

And a few that would be very illegal to dig up without permits.

Belladonna. Foxglove. Aconite.

Beautiful. Deadly.

Diane hadn’t planted them out of curiosity. No, these were here for a reason...a precaution.

Just in case.

Her fingers traced the edges of a foxglove bloom, the soft purple petals concealing the poison beneath.

She had ordered these after Adrian’s first attempt on her life.

It felt distant now almost a lifeti ago...but the paranoia never fully faded.

She let out a slow breath, trying to quiet the anxiety building in her chest.

Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe the ssage had been a sick joke. But sothing in her gut told her otherwise.

A crunch of footsteps on the gravel path snapped her out of her thoughts.

Instinct kicked in, her hand flying to the small gardening spade she’d left beside her.

"Easy, sunshine." Riot’s familiar voice cut through the dark. "I’m too pretty to stab."

Diane sighed, relaxing as she turned toward him.

He was standing at the edge of the garden, hands stuffed in the pockets of his worn leather jacket, his usual cocky smirk firmly in place.

"You scared ," she muttered, setting the spade down.

"Yeah, I’m good at that." Riot stepped closer, squinting down at the rows of flowers. "Didn’t peg you for a ’poison garden’ kind of girl."

"Old habits," Diane said lightly, though there was an edge to her voice. "What are you doing here?"

Riot shrugged.

"Gabriel told

to check in. He’s stuck on a call with so corporate sharks. Thought I’d swing by, make sure you hadn’t run off to join a cult or sothing."

Diane rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips.

Despite his snark, Riot had a way of easing the tension.

"You worried about , Riot?"

He snorted. "Please. I worry about the people dumb enough to ss with you."

His humor faded slightly as he studied her face. "Sothing’s wrong. Spill."

Diane hesitated. She could’ve lied—brushed it off—but what was the point? Riot wasn’t an idiot, and she trusted him more than most.

"I got a ssage," she admitted, her voice quiet. "Anonymous number. But it was him."

Riot’s expression sharpened instantly. "Adrian?"

She nodded, pulling out her phone and handing it to him. He scanned the ssages, his jaw tightening as he read.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, handing the phone back. "We should’ve finished him when we had the chance."

"He’s not as dangerous as he thinks," Diane said, though even to her own ears, the words rang hollow.

Riot arched an eyebrow.

"You sure about that? Because last ti I checked, he was trying to kill all of us."

Diane stood, brushing the dirt from her hands.

"I’m not saying he’s harmless," she admitted. "But co on...he’s not Evelyn. He doesn’t have her resources. Without her, he’s just..."

She trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Desperate," Riot finished.

"Exactly."

Riot didn’t look convinced. His body tensed muscle mory from too many years of living on the edge.

"Desperate people are unpredictable, princess. Don’t let your guard down."

"I’m not worried," she insisted, but the weight in her chest told a different story.

"Well, I am," Riot snapped, his usual humor gone. "The guy’s unhinged, Diane. And if he’s alive, you and Arthur are still targets."

Diane opened her mouth to argue, but Riot cut her off.

"I’m serious," he said, lower now. "You don’t ss around with guys like him. I’ve seen what happens when people underestimate psychos. It never ends well."

She sighed, pressing a hand against her forehead. "What do you want

to do, Riot? Hide? Run?"

"No," he said imdiately. "You stand your ground—but you’re not doing it alone."

Diane shook her head softly. "Gabriel will lose it if I tell him."

"Good," Riot said bluntly. "Let him. He deserves to kno

"I can handle Adrian," Diane said eventually, but there was so doubt in her voice.

Riot stepped closer, his face looked unusually serious. "Maybe. But you shouldn’t have to."

Diane swallowed hard, pushing down the fear curling in her stomach.

"I’ll tell Gabriel," she promised. "Just... not tonight."

Riot gave her a long look but finally nodded. "Fine. But if that bastard makes a move—"

"He won’t," Diane cut in, her voice firm.

Riot didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, he glanced back at the garden, his lips quirking into a half-smile. "You know," he said lightly, "if you wanted to poison soone, there are easier ways."

Diane let out a soft laugh despite herself. "I’ll keep that in mind."

As Riot turned to leave, his voice drifted back to her—lighter but still laced with warning.

"Be careful, sunshine. You might not be worried—but I am."