Chapter 240 Through Thick and Thin
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
Curled up in her bed, Diana was getting groggy from the heat.
The sound of the persistent doorbell slowly brought her to her senses. With difficulty, she made her way to the door to check.
Peering through the door's peephole and seeing Liam—the very person she had been longing for—Diana instantly sobered up.
Last night, she deliberately soaked in cold water, hoping to catch a cold, spike a fever, and give Liam a reason to come knocking on her door.
Today, she was determined to seize this final chance to tell Liam about the baby growing inside her and to lay all her cards on the table.
After tidying up her tousled hair, she reached out, the click of the unlocking door echoing as she swung her apartment door open.
Liam stood there, and as the door opened, revealing Diana's pale, haggard face, his handsome features instinctively contorted with concern.
“Liam, I'm sorry., I'm feeling under the weather today and forgot to call off,” Diana said, lifting her gaze to meet his, a weak smile trying to fight its way onto her lips.
Liam's furrowed brow deepened as he reached out to check her forehead for a temperature.
She didn't flinch or pull away, allowing his hand to rest on her brow. At that moment, she felt touched, even happy, because Liam still cared.
“Get dressed. We're going to the hospital,” Liam commanded tersely after feeling her forehead with the back of his hand, then withdrawing it.
Looking at him, Diana just smiled, looked down, and, without a word, turned and went inside.
Watching her, Liam's brows knitted tighter, and he followed her in, closing the door firmly behind him.
“Diana, I said go get changed. We're heading to the hospital,” Liam ordered again as she started to tidy up the scattered papers on the living room coffee table, completely ignoring his previous directive.
At his words, Diana paused, then slowly turned back to face him, smiling faintly, “Do you really care what happens to me, Liam?”
“Diana, what do you want? Just spit it out!” Liam replied, his patience wearing thin, his expression steadily cooling.
“I want to be your girlfriend, to stay with you, and I don't want you seeing any other women,” Diana blurted out, unable to hold back any longer.
“That's not going to happen,” Liam responded sharply, without a moment's hesitation, “You're not my type.”
Stunned by his blunt answer, Diana froze for a second but then laughed sarcastically, “Then why did you sleep with me?”
His gaze was without mercy, “That's something you need to ask yourself.”
Indeed, she had to remind herself. It was she who loved him, she who had pursued him. Liam had never expressed any affection for her.
“What type do you like then? I can change. I'll make myself into someone you could love,” Diana said, her eyes brimming with tears she couldn't hold back any longer.
Even Diana herself never knew how pitiful she could be in the face of true love for a man.
“Diana, you don't need to do this. You're fine just the way you are no need to change for me.” Liam said, his voice steady even as he watched her tears fall.
“Then why can't you like me, love me, let me be with you?” Diana blurted out, the humiliation evident in her voice.
“Diana, love can't be forced. It's as simple as that. Just like Teresa doesn't love me, she can turn around and marry Gabriel just like that. No question needs to be asked.” Liam's voice rose with irritation.
“But that's because they have a child. They have ties," Diana tried to reason, her voice breaking as she was on the verge of shouting but then softening into a near-pleading whisper, “If I... what if I told you I was carrying your child? Would you stay with me then? Would you let me have the baby?”
Liam's brows furrowed deeply as he looked at Diana.
He remembered one time he had slipped up, and afterward, he had given Diana a pill.
Did she not take it?
“That pill, the contraceptive... you didn't take it?” he asked with a sinking feeling.
“Hah... Just tell me, do you want the child or not?” Diana avoided his question, looking at him with tears mixed with laughter.
Finally, Liam's expression softened, but much to Diana's dismay, he let out a long sigh and said coldly, “It's better to end it. Having a child doesn't fit into what we have between us.”
Every word was like a cold, sharp sword piercing Diana's heart. She shivered uncontrollably from head to toe as the last shred of her fantasy shattered.
What else could she do? What else could she say?
From the very beginning, it had all been her wishful thinking.
“Liam, I lied. I'm not pregnant,” Diana managed to stand her ground and stop her tears, forcing an elegant smile, striving to retain what dignity she had left.
“Diana, stop wasting your feelings on me. It's not worth it.” Regardless of whether Diana's pregnancy was true or not, Liam didn't want to drag things out any longer. He took another deep breath, softening his tone slightly, “Since you're unwell, take a couple of days off. Come back to work when you're feeling better.”
With that, he turned and pulled the apartment door open with a swift motion, leaving without a backward glance, his movements smooth and resolute.
As he walked away, with the loud thud of the closing door echoing behind him, Diana could no longer hold back. Her body slowly crumpled to the floor, curling up as she trembled, her cries catching in her throat.
