All Chapters of DARK DIAMOND : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

♠️ MARLENE ♠️I found him in the study, late at night.The mansion was quiet; the only sound was the low hum of the air conditioning.Ethan sat at the desk, papers scattered around him, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the polished wood. He looked calm. Controlled. Focused—too focused. And that terrified me.I didn’t know when it happened. When the careful, thoughtful Ethan I had fallen for started becoming this… version of Caspian—the cold, calculating, ruthless man who could stare at danger and smile.I knew Ethan was ruthless too, but something about him was different now.“Ethan,” I said quietly, stepping into the room. My voice was calm, but I could feel the heat rising in my chest. “We need to talk.”He didn’t look up. His hands paused over the papers, then continued moving like a machine.I walked closer, stopping just behind him. “Ethan.”Finally, he lifted his head. His eyes were dark, serious—a storm brewing behind them. “Marlene.”I tried to keep my voice steady. “I know

♠️ ETHAN ♠️I was at school when the call came in from the hospital. Reina had another attack—and Mom didn’t even bother to tell me.I didn’t think. I just moved.My car tore through the city streets, tires screeching against asphalt like they were the only thing keeping me from completely losing it.The hospital lights blurred past—red and blue flashing like warnings I couldn’t ignore. I rushed through the sliding doors before the valet could react, ignoring the stares from nurses and security.And then I saw her.Standing rigid. Pale. Shaking.Trying—and failing—to steady Reina’s trembling body.“Reina!” I shouted, rushing toward them.She turned, confused, her small body wracked with pain. My chest tightened as I dropped beside her, pulling her into my arms.“I’m here, baby. I’m here,” I whispered, holding her close like I could take the pain from her.Mom stepped back sharply, her eyes flashing with something unfamiliar—anger… fear… maybe even guilt.“Ethan!” she snapped.I looked

♠️ MARLENE ♠️The dining room in the Blackwood estate had always felt more like a boardroom than a home.Mom had sent out a formal invitation—yes, an actual typed invitation delivered by staff—for a “family dinner.” No explanation, no emojis, no “can’t wait to see my babies.” Just a date, time, and dress code: formal.We all knew something was wrong. After the sex tape scandal, I wasn’t expecting anything peaceful from my parents, and neither were they surprising anyone.I arrived early, my heels echoing in the empty hall. Mom was already seated at the head of the table—Dad’s usual spot. That alone sent ice through my veins. She was in a black dress, elegant as always, but her eyes were red-rimmed, her lips pressed thin. She didn’t look up when I walked in.“Mom?” I said softly, pausing at the doorway.She lifted her gaze and gave me a small, tired smile. “Sit, Marlene. The others will be here soon.”One by one, my brothers filed in.Caspian first, always first—his jaw tight, suit imp

♠️ MARLENE ♠️The headlines hit like wildfire.“BLACKWOOD MATRIARCH LEAVES ESTATE AMID SHOCK DIVORCE DRAMA”“GEORGIA BLACKWOOD SPOTTED MOVING OUT—SOURCES SAY MARRIAGE OVER”“PATRIARCH’S FURY: INSIDER CLAIMS HE THREATENED TO ‘END HER’”I stared at my phone in disbelief, the screenshots from gossip sites and news outlets flooding every group chat. Someone had leaked footage—grainy security cam clips of moving trucks pulling up to the estate, staff carrying out Georgia’s personal belongings. And then the audio. A leaked recording of Dad’s voice, raw and venomous, screaming at Liam as he helped Mom load boxes.“If you walk out that door, Georgia, I swear to God I’ll end you. I’ll ruin you. Everything you love—gone.”Liam’s voice in the background, fierce and shaking: “Touch her and I’ll kill you myself.”The internet exploded. #BlackwoodDivorce trended worldwide within hours. Stocks for the academy dipped. Paparazzi camped outside the gates.Mom had officially moved into her new penthouse

♠️ ETHAN ♠️The warehouse smelled like rust and damp concrete, old oil, and now, the sharp tang of blood.We’d dragged Brandon to one of Dre’s safe spots on the outskirts of the city—a forgotten industrial shell where screams didn’t echo far. He was tied to a metal chair in the center, wrists raw from the zip ties, head lolling from the punch I’d given him earlier.Dre flipped on the single hanging bulb, casting harsh shadows across Brandon’s face. He stirred, groaning, eyes fluttering open to the nightmare.“Wake up, princess,” Dre said, cracking his knuckles. “Time to chat.”Brandon blinked, blood trickling from his split lip. He tested the restraints, then laughed—wet, defiant. “You idiots. You think this scares me?”I stepped forward, grabbing his chin hard, forcing his eyes to mine. “The tape. Where is it?”He spat in my face.I wiped it off slowly, then drove my fist into his nose. Crack. Blood sprayed, warm and sticky, soaking his shirt. He howled, head snapping back.Dre hande