Chapter 39: Sweet Appetizer
Diane’s POV
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ping, and I stepped into the underground parking garage, my heart still racing from the confrontation upstairs. The fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows, giving everything a stark, almost unreal quality.
The click of my heels echoed off the concrete walls as I made my way toward the exit, each step fueled by a mixture of adrenaline and vindication.
I had done it. I had faced Liam, watched him squirm, and planted the seeds of fear in his mind. The look on his face when I dropped that lingerie on his desk—pure panic. It was intoxicating.
As I rounded the corner, a familiar vehicle caught my eye. Liam’s precious Audi R8, gleaming under the parking garage lights. The car he loved more than anything—maybe even more than he’d ever loved me. I slowed my pace, drawn to it like a moth to flame.
"You threatened to destroy me, to leave me with nothing."
His words echoed in my mind. The casual cruelty, the absolute certainty that he could cut me off without consequence.
I stopped beside the car, running my fingertips along its sleek, polished surface. A hundred memories flooded back—the day he bought it, how he’d insisted on taking me for a drive along the coast, the way he’d lovingly detailed it every Sunday. Material possessions had always meant everything to Liam.
Something dark and primal stirred within me. Before I could second-guess myself, I scanned the parking garage. Empty. Security cameras were positioned at the entrance and exit, but this corner was a blind spot—I knew because Liam had specifically chosen this spot to avoid door dings from other cars.
My gaze fell on a metal rod leaning against a support column—probably left behind by maintenance. Without thinking, I walked over and picked it up, testing its weight in my hand. Substantial. Heavy. Perfect.
I returned to the Audi, my movements deliberate, almost dreamlike. Standing before the car, I raised the rod high.