Chapter 149: Walking Down the Aisle
Diane’s POV
The prison doors closed behind us with a finality that seemed to echo through my entire body. I clutched Dylan tighter against my chest, my legs shaking as we walked toward the car. Every step felt like I was walking through quicksand, the weight of Liam’s confession crushing down on me.
"You killed my sister," I whispered to no one, the words tasting like poison in my mouth. "You killed Sophie."
Noah’s arm came around my shoulders, steadying me as I stumbled. "Diane, breathe," he said softly, his voice cutting through the fog of rage and grief that was consuming me. "Just breathe."
But I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. All I could see was Sophie’s face, her smile, the way she’d looked at me that last morning when she’d promised to keep the twins safe. She’d died because of him. Because of the man I’d once loved, the father of my children.
By the time we reached the car, tears were streaming down my face. I couldn’t stop them. They came in waves, each one bringing fresh pain as the reality of what Liam had done settled deeper into my bones.
"Diane, please," Noah said as he helped me into the passenger seat. "The twins are going to pick up on your energy. You need to try to calm down."
I turned to look at the twins in their car seats. Dylan’s little face was scrunched up, his bottom lip trembling as he watched me with wide, worried eyes. Danielle was making soft whimpering sounds, her tiny fists clenched.
"I’m sorry, babies," I whispered, trying to wipe my tears away, but they just kept coming. "Mama’s okay. Everything’s okay."
But everything wasn’t okay. Nothing would ever be okay again.
As soon as we pulled into my father’s driveway, I was fumbling for my phone. I needed Joan. I needed my best friend, my rock, the one person who could help me make sense of this nightmare.