Chapter 153: I Can’t See Him Like That
Diane’s POV
The new house still felt surreal, like I was living in someone else’s dream. Noah had thought of everything—the way the late afternoon light streamed through the large windows in the living room, the way the kitchen opened onto the garden where Dylan and Danielle could play safely, the way my home office faced the east so I could watch the sunrise while working. Every detail spoke of a man who had listened to my quiet wishes, my unspoken needs.
I was curled up on the oversized sectional sofa, watching Dylan stack blocks while Danielle dozed in her bouncy seat, when my phone buzzed. The name on the screen made my stomach clench: Richard Holbrook.
"Hello?" I answered cautiously.
"Diane, I hope I’m not disturbing you. I know you’re probably still settling into married life." His voice carried a weight that made me sit up straighter.
"No, you’re not disturbing me. What’s going on?"
"I need to see you. Tonight, if possible. It’s... it’s important. About Liam."
My first instinct was to hang up. I’d made it clear that I wanted nothing more to do with my ex-husband, that his name was not welcome in my new life. But something in Holbrook’s tone—a desperate urgency—made me pause.
"What about him?"
"I can’t discuss it over the phone. Could you send me your address? I promise I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t crucial."
I hesitated, glancing at Dylan, who was now trying to interest his sleeping sister in his block tower. These children had been through enough. Did I really want to invite more of Liam’s chaos into our peaceful evening?