Chapter 90: Thank You For Time
Diane’s POV
The evening shadows had crept into Joan’s living room by the time I hung up the phone with Andrew. Outside, the streetlights flickered on one by one, casting a warm glow against the darkening sky. Joan busied herself with clearing our research materials from the coffee table while I sat in contemplative silence, trying to process the conversation.
"That was... unexpected," I finally said, my hand absently stroking my belly.
Joan glanced up from her organizing. "Which part? The Elite Group connection or the bodyguards?"
"Both," I admitted. "I’ve spent so long keeping Andrew at arm’s length. Accepting his help feels like... I don’t know. Like opening a door I’ve tried hard to keep closed."
Joan set down the stack of papers she’d been gathering and settled onto the couch beside me. "You’re not selling your soul, Diane. You’re using available resources to protect yourself and secure your future. There’s no shame in that."
I sighed, leaning back against the cushions. "I know. I just wish the ’available resource’ wasn’t the father who abandoned me, my sister and my mother."
"People change," Joan said gently. "Or at least, they can. Maybe this is his way of trying to make amends."
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. Joan’s security system chimed, and she reached for her tablet to check the front door camera.
"Right on time," she said, showing me the screen. Two men in dark suits stood on the porch, their posture straight and alert, scanning the surroundings with professional vigilance. "Your new shadow detail, I presume."
My stomach twisted with a mixture of relief and unease. Having security would certainly help me sleep better after everything that had happened, but the constant presence of watchful eyes—even friendly ones—felt like yet another invasion of privacy in a life that had become increasingly public.