Chapter 13: Silent Treatment
Diane's POV
The world had turned into a haze of pain and betrayal. I found myself staying away from everything and everyone. The sheer pain of Liam's betrayal with Sophie, my own sister, was about to devour me totally.
I had not informed my mother of the affair or the imminent divorce. The idea of telling her, of watching her world fall apart like mine had, was excruciating. So I fell silent, letting her calls go to voicemail and her texts unanswered.
As I sat alone, my mind wandered back to happier days. The times when Liam made me feel like the most valued lady in the world.
I recalled our whirlwind romance, and how he had swept me off my feet with his charisma and kindness. Liam, the self-made billionaire, lavished me with affection and luxury. Designer outfits, beautiful jewelries, and surprise visits to exotic destinations - he spared no expense to express his love.
But it wasn't just about material possessions. It was the way he looked at me, as if I were the most important thing in his world. He would cancel important appointments merely to spend time with me when I was down. He'd gently hold me, uttering words of love and adoration.
"You're my everything, Di," he'd say, his eyes shining with warmth. "I'd move mountains for you."
The memory triggered a new wave of misery. How did we go from that to this? How had the man who once made me feel so special become the one to betray me in the worst possible way?
My phone buzzed again, and my mother's name flashed across the screen. I glanced at it, my finger hesitating over the answer button before sending it to voicemail. Again.
I knew she was worried sick. It was unusual for me to leave without saying anything. But how could I tell her that her son-in-law, whom she had warmly welcomed into our family, had betrayed me with her younger daughter?
As tears blurred my eyesight, I played back the voicemail she had left earlier.