Diane’s P.O.V.

Tears were still streaming down my face when I realized that I didn’t want to be like this—I felt so pathetic, prompting me to bow my head in despair. I was suffocated by jealousy, and this wasn’t me. I was raised by my father to be strong-willed, and I could not fail him.

To clear my mind, I immediately washed my face because my black eyeliner had already spread at both of my cheeks. I was trying to fix myself while looking at my face in the mirror.

Following the number of water droplets from my face was how frequent I blinked my eyes while resisting myself not to cry ever again. My eyes were puffy, and I no longer had any makeup on my face—even a slight shade of lipstick. Now, I couldn’t help myself again but feel self-pity.

You are beautiful, Diane… but Isabelle is still way much better than you. What do you have against someone who was a foreigner, born with a silver spoon, more educated than you, and even a lot sexier? Nothing. Liam would only toss you when he was already done with you.

I set aside my thoughts while wiping my face with a paper towel. Then, I found myself texting Lorenz if he was still here in EGC. I was taking my chance if I could hitch a ride with him.

Soon after, my cellular phone beeped, and he replied. It was a good thing that Lorenz was still here, and he even asked me where he could fetch me. Knowing how my officemates were fangirling him, I just told him to wait for me in the lobby.

Whether Liam liked it or not, I would go home with Lorenz, and I would never stay again in his unit while we were still having this quarrel. He wouldn’t be able to convince me to just forget everything quickly.

My eyes were still swollen when I exited the office restroom. Then, I headed straight towards my cube. Using my compact mirror to see myself, I just applied a little amount of lipstick and concealer. These somehow made my face glow.

They did not even ask why I would have wanted to undertime, most especially, Miss Shey. I just told them that I would be clocking out earlier for now because my stomach suddenly felt so bad. It was lies after lies—white lies to cover everything up.

I was glad that even though I didn’t tell them the real story, I knew they understood me. Sheena even gave me a medicine pill, and I was thankful for it. At the same time, I was guilty. I made her rush to the clinic for this when I was only lying.

My best friend was gentleman enough to wait, and I even saw him waiting for me in front of the elevator on the ground floor. He asked me about what happened, but I just sealed my lips. We were already in the lobby when I saw Liam chasing after us. My heart thumped so fast, and that made me feel confused about what to do next.

As a result, I swiftly grabbed Lorenz by his left arm without any permission and accelerated my pace even more while dragging him, at the same time, getting away from Liam. My best friend could do nothing about it and just sighed with hopelessness as if he was already involved in this lover’s quarrel I had with my boyfriend.

My boyfriend? But is he really mine?

“Diane, wait! Please, let me explain.” Liam grabbed my left hand, which I immediately took away from him.

My lips were firmly pressed together, and I didn’t want to talk to him. I just continued to walk away while still clinging to my best friend. I knew that people were starting to look at us here, but I didn’t care about it anymore. The three of us might look like a love triangle for those who didn’t know us, but I wouldn’t give a damn at all.

Lorenz and I already reached the underground parking lot, but Liam was still rushing towards us. I was the champion of the track and field race way back in my high school years, so I could beat a man in terms of that… not until Liam successfully blocked the two of us.

“Lorenz, could you please give us some privacy so that Diane and I could talk?” He almost pleaded.

“No, Lorenz… please, just stay. Don’t leave, please…” I begged while sobbing, tightening my grip on him. I didn’t know when I started crying again, maybe from the moment I saw Liam in the lobby.

On the other hand, Lorenz seemed to be muddled as to which side he would take on. He just heaved a deep sigh out of confusion before turning his gaze to Liam, then me. He removed my grip while looking straight into my eyes. Based on how he stared at me, he was silently beckoning me to talk to Liam.

“Please, Diane. Okay, if you don’t want Lorenz to leave, then let him hear what I am going to say. Isabelle is not my girlfriend, and she had never been—” he started to explain, but I already cut the rest of what he would like to tell me.

Jealousy was still eating me up, so I couldn’t help but raise my voice at Liam. The hurt was still fresh, I was mad at him, and I didn’t know when it would last.

“So, how would you expect me to react, huh? What was that scene earlier in the elevator, Liam? Nothing? How would you explain that? If it was nothing for you, then it means something to me. Also, why would Isabelle even say that she’s your girlfriend if she was not? And what about that last conversation before you parted in the States? Please, stop lying to me!”

He held my hands with warmth, and I just let him do that. I still loved him no matter what.

“You don’t understand, Diane… that’s why I want us to talk seriously. Please clear your mind first, and I’ll explain everything, okay? I wasn’t lying, and I wouldn’t ever do that to you. I was about to introduce you as my girlfriend a while ago, but you cut me off.” Liam held my hands tighter before he paused for a second.

“That kiss? It was nothing, Diane! I was also surprised by what she did. We were schoolmates in Harston, yes, but she’s not my girlfriend, and she’s never been. She was actually Leandro’s ex! You are my only girlfriend, Diane, and I will never take you for granted. Please believe me… I couldn’t afford to lose you.” Liam beseeched as he almost kneeled in front of me while kissing my hands unstoppably.

I chose to remain silent, but my tears were still gushing down my cheeks. I just looked away while my chest was moving up and down. My heart was melting again despite the fact that I should never let my guard down.

Why is it so hard to be angry at him? Why do I love him so much that I seemed to have nothing left for myself? Why do I want to give in to him again and immediately believe all of his explanations to me?

My lips parted, and I was about to say something when Lorenz intervened, breaking the silence.

“You know what, Diane? I think it would be much better if you and Liam would talk first. You should not be running away from problems like that. You should work with him on how to fix it no matter what. You two decided to be in a relationship together, so you must sort things out together. I was rooting for the two of you to fix everything,” Lorenz advised as if he had already experienced being in a relationship.

I didn’t want to be hurt but I knew the fact that when you love someone, it comes with pain. When you love someone, it would not always be about rainbows, and it comes with rains. When you love someone, it comes with tears. I wanted to understand the situation and give Liam a chance to explain himself, but now? I couldn’t do it. I still couldn’t talk to him.

Everything hurts now. Every damn little thing, and I just wanted to freshen up a little… away from him.

For that, I slowly removed Liam’s grip on my hands while sniffing. I seemed to be choking too. “I’m sorry, Liam… but I’m not yet ready to talk to you. Maybe tomorrow, I would be okay… but for now, just let me go first. For now, I just want to think things through. I’ll contact you tomorrow. Lorenz, let’s go.” I turned my back to Liam, and it felt like it only magnified my woes.

Without looking back, I pulled Lorenz over into the direction where he parked his car this morning. I walked like my limbs didn’t really belong to me, and each step away from Liam was damnably killing me. Lorenz did nothing but accompanied me and opened the door of his car for me.

When I already settled myself in the passenger seat, that was the time I painfully looked at Liam. He only looked at us and did not follow anymore, but I could see how sadness reflected through his eyes as his tears began to shed too. But he couldn’t do anything about it because I had already decided. I wasn’t breaking up with him—I just didn’t want to remember what happened.

Lorenz was already driving, but I still couldn’t stop sobbing. My eyes were already puffy, and I was already tired of crying. I had already used up all of his tissues in the car because I had nothing to pull out from my bag. My wet wipes were all used up too. Liam used to call me several times already, but I just refrained from answering his calls… until I decided to turn off my phone.

“Look, Diane… I wasn’t in the right position to say this, but it was too obvious that you were having a hard time! Why don’t you just go back there and give Liam a chance to talk to you? I didn’t know what exactly happened between the two of you, but I think he deserves the right to explain his side. I’m sorry to say this, but don’t be too emotional. Instead, you should be matured enough over things,” Lorenz emphasized.

“I-It’s not that easy to see… that the person you loved was k-kissing someone else in front of you, and t-that woman even introduced herself as Liam’s g-girlfriend. I couldn’t accept that, Lorenz!” I wept out loud while explaining to him.

“Exactly, Diane… that’s the point! Why are you jumping to conclusions, and why would you believe that woman even more? Why? Tell me, was Liam the first one to approach and initiate the kiss? Did Liam introduce her as his girlfriend? Answer me. If yes, I don’t mind making a U-turn here to immediately go back there, and beat your boyfriend myself!” Lorenz said grimly.

Now, Lorenz acted so differently, and women could even fall for him instantly. I wasn’t used to seeing him in a superb and masculine way, so it was quite strange for me. And the way he talked? Damn, he was so handsome and indeed a turn-on.