Chapter 346 Reputation Ruined, The Loss Outweighing The Gain
Buzz!-zz-zz...
Diana had just settled back into her office to get to work when her phone vibrated on the desk.
Glancing up, she saw it was Douglas calling.
Assuming Douglas was calling to apologize for Emily's behavior, Diana didn't answer.
The night before, Douglas had casually talked about looking at houses and wanting to buy one for Diana. She hadn't thought he was serious, assuming he was just speaking without much thought. But to her surprise, he had actually discussed it with his family and even asked for money.The night before, Douglas had mentioned looking at houses and wanting to buy her a place. Diana hadn't taken it seriously, thinking he was speaking off the cuff, but to her shock, he had indeed brought it up with his family and even asked for money.
Housing prices in downtown River North were astronomical.
If Douglas truly intended to buy her a house, it wouldn't just be any modest apartment. He'd be looking at lavish properties worth millions.
Looking back, Douglas's shortcomings weren't entirely his fault. He was young, didn't have much money, and sometimes acted immaturely.Looking back, Douglas couldn't really be faulted for his shortcomings. If he was at fault, it was simply because he was too young, lacking a solid financial foundation, and a bit immature in his actions.
The phone rang incessantly, but Diana had yet to pick up.
Frustrated, Douglas shot her a concise text message: ["Diana, step out. Let's meet.]"
—["Step out. Let's meet.]"
Reading the message from Douglas, Diana couldn't help but notice the tone didn't seem apologetic at all. Maybe he was upset because she hadn't answered his calls.
Ignoring the message, Diana tossed her phone into a drawer and continued with her work.
After all the recent chaos, she understood where her in-laws stood, and she realized she had to come up with a plan to break off this relationship with them as quickly as she could.After the recent upheaval, her in-laws' stance was clear, and she knew she needed a plan to end this relationship with them as soon as possible.
Douglas, on his way to the Evans Group's corporate building, punched the steering wheel in anger after Diana ignored his calls and texts.
He knew his sister had embarrassed Diana at the Evans compound that morning. While he admitted she was wrong, that wasn't his main worry at the moment. Diana had been distant since coming back from a business trip with Liam. She hadn't reached out to him, which made it obvious she had found someone new and planned to leave him behind, her old flame.He was aware his sister had embarrassed Diana at the Evans compound that morning. Admittedly, she was wrong, but right now, that wasn't his concern. Diana had become distant since returning from a business trip with Liam, never reaching out to him. Clearly, she had found someone new and intended to discard him, her old flame.
—Old flame!
Douglas couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh at the idea. Maybe Diana had never truly cared for him, let alone loved him, but had always considered him just a fleeting interest.At the thought, Douglas let out a sarcastic laugh.
Perhaps Diana had always seen him as a passing fancy, never genuinely liking, let alone loving, him.
Repeatedly, he dialed Diana's number, but no matter how hard he tried, she wouldn't pick up, nor would she reply to his texts.
At this moment, Douglas felt an overwhelming sense of despair, as if the world had turned its back on him.
He floored the accelerator, racing towards the Evans Group tower.
Once there, he tried calling Diana again, but to no avail.
Initially, he wanted to storm into the office and confront her, but he restrained himself. His sister had just caused a scene; his appearance would only add to the embarrassment.
If Diana were avoiding him, he'd wait—wait until she left work, however long it took.
Up on the top floor, in the CEO's office, Diana had been buried in work all day, her phone long forgotten. At half-past ten, she knocked on Liam's office door to remind him, "Liam, you had a meeting scheduled with Mr. King. It's time to go."
Liam glanced at her, nodded, closed his laptop, and rose from the executive chair. He grabbed his coat and walked out, pausing only when he reached Diana. "You're coming with me," he said.
"Right." Diana nodded, dashed back to her office to grab her bag, and hurried after Liam, completely forgetting about the cell phone she had left in her desk drawer.
Downstairs, parked by the curb, Douglas repeatedly dialed Diana's phone from his black Land Rover, but even after over an hour, there was still no answer.Downstairs, by the curb, Douglas redialed Diana's phone incessantly from his black Land Rover, but after over an hour, there was still no answer.
His patience was worn thin, and on the verge of storming the Evans Group skyscraper, he suddenly caught sight of Diana and Liam exiting the building and heading towards a black Bentley parked at the entrance.
"Diana!" Douglas bolted from his vehicle, shouting her name.
Hearing the shout, Diana turned.
She hadn't expected Douglas to be waiting outside the Evans Group building.
Confronted with an angry Douglas charging towards her, Diana wasn't sure what he intended but offered Liam an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, Liam, I've caused you..."
Before she could even speak, Douglas quickly moved forward without hesitation, throwing a punch at Liam.Before she could finish her sentence, Douglas hastened forward with no time for talk, swinging his fist at Liam.
With a quick reflex, Liam dodged, narrowly avoiding Douglas's blow.
Teresa had endured a hit from Gabriel willingly, but that was different; others weren't permitted the same liberties.
"Douglas, have you lost your mind?" Diana shocked that Douglas wasn't there to apologize but to throw a punch, shocked that Douglas wasn't there to apologize but to throw a punch, immediately stepped in front of him and shouted at him in anger.
The guards at the door saw the disturbance and quickly went to shield Liam.The security guards at the entrance, witnessing the scene, rushed over to protect Liam.
"Me, crazy?!" Douglas scoffed coldly as he saw Diana protecting Liam, a sharp pain lancing through his heart, "Diana, tell me, did you sleep with Liam?"
The question left a flicker of panic in Diana's eyes.
‘How did Douglas come to know about it? Or was he guessing?’
"Douglas, I'm working right now. Can we talk about this after I finish, please?" The moment of panic passed, and Diana's voice was calm again, trying to soothe Douglas.
Liam stood aside, giving Diana a deep, significant look.
He wasn't sure about Diana's thoughts—whether she wanted to continue things with Douglas or stop them.He wasn't quite sure what was going on in Diana's head—whether she wanted to keep things going with Douglas or end them.
If it was about ending things, he could have lent her a hand, but considering the possibility of making matters worse and embarrassing her, that would be on him.
So, he kept silent, not uttering a single word.
"Talk after work?!" Douglas looked at Diana with a mixture of disappointment and pain. "That means you admit it. That's why you're not answering my calls, not replying to my texts."
"Douglas, I've got work right now. I'll contact you after I'm off, okay?" Diana pleaded with an almost desperate gaze.
She couldn't afford another scene with Douglas at the office, yet she wasn't ready to drop everything and leave with him.
If Diana walked out with Douglas now, it would show Liam that she valued Douglas more than him, just like her job did.Walking out with Douglas now would signal to Liam that he meant less to her than Douglas, as did her job.
"Liam, you damn fool, slept with her or not, why can't you admit it?" With Diana not owning up, Douglas turned his anger towards Liam.
Liam's look was calm and intense as he glanced at Douglas. He didn't intend to complicate things for Diana, but now that he was being accused directly, he couldn't act cowardly.Liam's gaze was cool and deep as he looked at Douglas. He didn't want to make things hard for Diana, but now that the accusation was squarely aimed at him, he couldn't be a coward.
So, with a slight nod and without hesitation, he affirmed, "Yes, I slept with her. It was me who forced Diana."
"Son of a..."
"Douglas!"
Just as Douglas, seething with rage, was about to throw a punch at Liam, Diana quickly grasped his hand, stopping him without a moment's delay, and blurted out, "Liam didn't force me. It was consensual."
"Diana, you..." Suddenly, Douglas's anger turned to shock, and he was so angry that he was left speechless.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault. Whatever you want, if it's within my power, I agree," Douglas managed to say, his demeanor unnervingly intense.
To appease him and prevent further commotion, Diana immediately offered an apology and admitted her fault.
"Come with me." Although Douglas was practically drowning in his anger and heartache, he managed to maintain a sliver of reason. After shooting Liam a sharp, raging glance that could have cut deeper than a knife, he didn't say another word. He grabbed Diana's arm and stormed out.
Now that Diana had already told Douglas she would do anything she was capable of for him, what right did Liam have to pull her back?
They were ordering her to stay as her boss seemed too coercive.
So Liam did nothing but stand silently, watching Douglas hustle Diana into his car and drive away.
After Douglas' car shot out like a bolt from a bow, Liam turned and headed to his vehicle.
Once inside, he didn't hesitate. He immediately retrieved his phone and dialed Thomas.
"Liam."
The moment the call connected, he ordered, "Cut all ties with the Coppola family. Pull every investment from them now."
Only a small group of people were aware of his relationship with Diana – themselves and his driver. His driver had been loyal for years, also acting as his bodyguard; betraying him over something so insignificant was impossible.Only a select few knew about his affair with Diana – themselves and his driver. His driver had been by his side for years, also serving as his bodyguard; a betrayal over something so trivial was out of the question.
This implies that Faith was likely the one who leaked the information to Douglas. And the confusion with Emily earlier that morning probably had Faith involved as well.Which meant the leak to Douglas had to have come from Faith.
And the morning's chaos with Emily most likely had Faith's fingerprints all over it.
