Chapter 192
However, what Diana hadn't anticipated was Liam's indifference when she arrived at Teresa's mansion in Foxglove Fields that evening. His casual greeting made it seem as if they were nothing more than regular colleagues. Amidst the awkwardness, not knowing what to say or whether to engage further, Teresa came to the rescue, introducing Diana with a warm smile.
But it was Teresa's housewarming, a gathering of friends and family. It wasn't fair for Teresa to focus solely on Diana.
So, as soon as Teresa was pulled away to attend to other guests, Diana, a simple assistant under Liam and without any notable social standing, was inevitably sidelined by the crowd.
It made sense; Teresa and Gabriel's guests were a mix of wealth and notoriety, a circle Diana didn't belong to, with no common language to bridge their worlds.
Downstairs in the entertainment room, Liam was having fun with his buddies, and he caught a glimpse of a lone figure by the wine cellar bar. Liam's brow furrowed with concern, yet he didn't approach.
Left to sip her red wine in solitude, Diana grew bored and wandered upstairs to Teresa's private gardens on the ground floor.
Truth be told, wealth had its perks; Diana couldn't help but envy Teresa. Owning such a unique lakeside villa was a dream out of reach for many affluent individuals, yet Teresa seemed to possess it effortlessly.
But it wasn't just the multimillion-dollar home that was enviable. The true envy of Teresa's life was the love she received from Gabriel.
"Diana, why are you up here all alone? Aren't you joining Liam and the gang downstairs?" Teresa called out from the living room on the first floor. The room was surrounded by 270-degree panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake. So, when Teresa casually glanced outside, she immediately noticed Diana's lonely figure and rushed out to her.
Diana looked at Teresa and forced a bitter laugh, "How could I fit in with all those top execs and their games?"
Teresa pressed her lips together softly, walked over, and sat down beside her. Then, wrapping an arm around her, she spoke, "Diana, you weren’t like this before."
"What was I like then?" Diana asked, smiling again.
Thinking for a moment, Teresa responded, "The old you wouldn't belittle yourself because of someone else's status."
Diana laughed, "Well, ignorance made me fearless before. Now, I’ve just come to terms with reality."
Liam undoubtedly wouldn't have slept with Diana and pretended that nothing had happened if she had Teresa's family status, nor would he have wished to conceal the fact that their relationship went beyond a business one.
It was as if that, to him, was a source of shame.
Indeed, in everyone's eyes, a girl from an average family like hers simply wasn't a match for someone like Liam.
A proper marriage should be like Teresa and Liam's, or Teresa and Gabriel's, where social standings match, making the relationship balanced and protecting both from getting easily hurt.
"What reality?" Teresa pressed on.
Diana looked at her and smiled again, choosing not to answer.
"Diana, you’ve already worked so hard, and you’re amazing. Your family background is something given by your parents; it’s not something you get to choose," Teresa said, her brow furrowing as she comforted Diana, watching her eyes dim further.
They'd been roommates for three years, and Teresa had never seen Diana this downcast.
Diana nodded, "I know, which is why I have even less reason to complain."
"Diana..." Teresa hesitated, searching for the words, "Have you fallen for Liam?"
Teresa had seen a shift in Diana’s looks whenever she looked at Liam since she arrived; it was clear to Teresa that Diana had developed feelings for him, and her current sense of unworthiness must be related to Liam.
"No, why would you think that?" Diana quickly denied it, shaking her head.
Since Liam wouldn't spare her a second glance in public, she worried that if she spoke of their affair in front of a third person and he found out, would he be angry? Would he even forbid her from remaining in her current role?
"Come on, you're not pulling my leg, are you?" Teresa asked with earnest concern, eyes locked onto her friend, "If you really like him, just go for it confidently. What's with all this hesitation? That's not like the old you."
Diana laughed, shaking her head, "The old me never made the first move on anyone!"
Raising an eyebrow, Teresa retorted, "But you never held back from turning down guys you didn't like. Going after someone you do like is just the flip side of that."
"Teresa, do you think it matters to guys if the woman they're interested in has... a past?” Diana asked, changing the subject with a look of concern.
"You haven't already with Liam... have you?" Teresa inquired, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"No, don't be ridiculous!" Diana cut her off quickly, cheeks flushing despite her words.
Teresa saw right through her, but chose not to call her out. Instead, she replied seriously, "If they don't hold themselves to that standard, they shouldn't expect it from women either. When most women take that step, they're usually thinking long-term, about marriage and kids, perhaps. So, what right do these men have to be concerned?"
Diana nodded thoughtfully, exhaling deeply, "You are right, but what can you do if they really care about that?"
"If a man stops loving you or leaves you just because you're not his first, do you honestly think he's worth your love?" Teresa challenged.
Hearing this, Diana nodded again but said nothing more.
If Liam really did care about her past, what could she do? It was she who had fallen for him first, after all.
"Let's go back and mingle with the others. We can catch up with Gabriel too," Teresa suggested, seeing Diana's spirits dip. She tugged at her friend, steering her toward the house.
"Teresa, it's okay. Their interest in socializing with me probably stems from their respect for you and Gabriel."
Teresa looked back at her, at a loss for words on how to uplift her spirits. After a moment, she suggested, "How about we go check out the second and third floors instead?"
"That sounds good."
"Let's hit it!"
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