Chapter302
What happened here?!
Diana's brow furrowed with concern, but she didn't linger downstairs. After a glance around, she headed straight for the stairs.
Only one room upstairs was lit the door ajar. She walked directly toward it.
Diana found Liam sitting on the couch, radiating an unusual coldness, while Lauren lay on the bed.
Lauren had attempted suicide just the night before. She should still be in the hospital, not here on the bed. Could it be?
Knock, knock!
Sensing something amiss, Diana gently rapped on the doorframe.
"Come in," Liam finally seemed to register her presence and looked her way.
"Liam," Diana walked over to him, softly addressing the man radiating a robust and somber chill.
Liam stood up, casting a heavy-lidded glance at Lauren, who was still unconscious on the bed. With a cold command, he instructed Diana, "Stay here and wait for Lauren to wake up. Once she's up, have her hand over all the things I had given to her. Also, find a real estate agent and get this mansion sold as soon as possible. The price is up to you."
"Liam..." Diana began, at a loss for words, as she watched him and listened to his orders. Her emotions were a tangled mess.
"Of course, if you could talk some sense into Lauren and make her realize where she stands, that would be even better." Liam's gaze was icy as he turned back to Diana with another directive.
"I'll do my best," Diana replied with a nod.
Lauren was only nineteen, with her whole life ahead of her. As a woman whom Liam herself didn't cherish, Diana hoped Lauren would see reason and let go early on. After all, Lauren had become worthless to Liam, as insignificant as an ant.
"When you've taken care of everything, I'll throw in an extra month's salary for you." Dropping that final remark, Liam turned and strode away.
Diana watched him leave before sitting down by the bed and gently brushing away the matted hair from Lauren's face.
Lauren, who had been motionless, suddenly twitched her eyebrows and slowly opened her eyes, waking up.
"Diana," Lauren said, tears streaming down her cheeks the moment she saw her.
"You've been awake, haven't you? You heard everything Liam said, didn't you?" Diana looked at her, feeling an inexplicable surge of sympathy.
Lauren's face, already pale, was now ghostly white due to blood loss, looking even more pitiful under the dim light.
"Diana, I have nothing left but Liam. Can you help me?" Lauren's eyes brimmed with tears as she pleaded.
"What do you want me to do for you?" Diana asked, her tone calm.
Lauren, seeing maybe a glimmer of hope, grabbed Diana's hand desperately, saying, "I... I don't need money or status. I just want to be by Liam's side."
"But Liam is about to get engaged, and his fiancée is from a family just as prestigious as his. For many reasons, he won't be able to keep you by his side," Diana spoke without pulling away from Lauren's grasp, her demeanor gentle yet rational.
"It doesn't matter if he gets engaged or married to Faith. I don't mind, as long as he can spare some time to see me once in a while. That's all I ask," Lauren said with an unreasonable demand.
Diana looked at her and shook her head slightly. "You may not mind, but Faith does, and so does the Coppola family. No parents in this world wouldn't want their daughter to be happy and have a fulfilling marriage."
"I could just keep my existence a secret from Faith," Lauren said, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she looked at Diana.
"No, Lauren. Any prestigious family won't let things slide so easily. If you continue to linger around Liam, there's no way Faith and the Coppolas won't find out," Diana said, letting out a sigh. "Considering your age and your parent’s influence, you should understand that any powerful family will go to great lengths to eliminate any threat to their interests."
"No, Faith definitely doesn't know about me. Liam and I have never shown up together in public," Lauren insisted, trying to convince Diana but mostly trying to convince herself.
"Lauren, if you don't walk away now, you're utterly alone, and it would take the Coppola family mere minutes to deal with you if they so choose. Do you think Liam would stand up to his family for you?" Diana asked seriously.
Lauren fell silent, not knowing how to respond.
"He won't." Since Lauren wouldn't answer, Diana did it for her. "You heard Liam earlier. He's already given up on you decisively. How could you ever compete with Faith, and why should she have to suffer because of you?"
"Diana, you like Liam too, don't you?" Lauren suddenly changed the topic, a hint of anger in her eyes.
"Yes, I did have feelings for Liam before," Diana acknowledged openly and without evasion, "but I'm clear about my worth and my place. I don't engage in actions that are harmful to others or myself."
