The Glimpse of My Past

Diane’s P. O. V.

To date, this had been the saddest day of my life.

The gloom was covering me like an invisible robe, seeping through my skin. Eventually, it was converted into a string of pulses that traveled towards my heart, accessing me morosely. 

Aside from the fact that no one was present in the house when I woke up earlier-I didn’t even have any idea where Mom and my siblings had gone through-I was also overly stressed at work. I even had dark eye bags showing on top of my cheeks, resulting from drowning myself in frequent and consecutive overtimes, which I just covered up with a concealer. Stress was making me vulnerable.

Being stressed at work was completely normal. I had already been used to fatigue since it had always been a part of my daily routine as an accountant.

But the fact that I couldn’t see even the end of Liam’s shadow throughout the day and he doesn’t even lend time to call me for a moment? That was not normal, and I wasn’t used to him being like that. I was worried. At the same time, too afraid, that this worry and stress could lead to fear.

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If I could only see my face right now, there was no great artist who could even paint my glum and brooding expression while I placed my cellular phone in my right ear non-stop. I couldn’t help myself but be annoyed while petulantly stomping my left foot on the ground.

With puckered forehead, I just put my cell phone back inside my bag while releasing a deep sigh. It was quite irritating to call the one you loved a few times, and that was the only voice you would repeatedly hear from the other line.

After that, I balled my right fist until my nails dug into my palms. Why would Liam go unattended when he knew for a fact that I would be worried about his whereabouts?

Liam wasn’t even answering any of my chats and emails. Wondering what happened to him, I even went to the twenty-second floor earlier just to personally ask his secretary, Trixie, if he reported at work. I no longer cared anymore about what would be her reaction, and why was I being nosy about her boss.

I wasn’t afraid of being cornered again by Leandro because I was ready to face him despite Liam’s objection. My boyfriend told me to just ignore and stay away from his brother.

Leandro was insane and desperate at sending me lots of messages these past few weeks requesting a one-on-one talk. I wondered how he would still find out no matter how many times I changed my number. He would always text me that it was crucial and we could not discuss it over the phone.

One time, Leandro was successful at cornering me in the lobby, but Lorenz appeared right on time and saved me. My best friend then accompanied me until we reached my office on the fifth-floor level.

Stressed while sipping through my frappuccino’s straw, I just dismissed my thoughts about Leandro. I just couldn’t accept the fact that he was bombarding me with calls and messages… when it should be Liam doing all that to me.

So, back to Liam’s secretary. Trixie was approachable, and it only made me confirm my suspicion that Leandro only scared her the last time I talked to her.

She was even smiling at me with an obvious tease on her eyes, indicating that she might have known my real relationship with the CEO. She was beautiful, but my hormones were telling me not to be jealous of her.

But what I didn’t like was her answer to my question about our big boss. “I’m sorry, Diane. Sir Liam left last night because he had an urgent appointment at Balesin Island. Didn’t he tell you?”

That made my tongue retreat, so I didn’t answer her. My lips just formed into a thin smile before I decided to walk back through the course of the elevator. That was what happened this morning, and after that, I couldn’t focus at work anymore.

So, he went to Balesin Island without even telling me? Great! I rolled my eyes.

I might be naive all my life, but I wasn’t numb not to notice that Liam seemed to be hiding something from me these past few days. Every time his cellular phone rang while the two of us were together, he would immediately distance himself as if he didn’t want me to hear whatever they would talk about. Thus, I would just pretend to be dumb.

When we used to eat at restaurants before, he would always leave his cellular phone on the table and within my reach whenever he would use the restroom. Now, it wasn’t happening anymore. His cell phone was like a magnet, and he always had it with him wherever he goes.

If there was one thing that should only be stuck to his body, it should have been my body and nothing else!

Oh my God, I think I’m going crazy right now! Lo and behold, who would be jealous over a damn cellular phone?

But no matter how much I tried myself not to overthink, Liam wasn’t like that before. He would always make sure to attend to my needs. He would also give me the authority to answer his calls whenever we were together. I was only the one who refused since it was a part of his privacy.

But now? Whenever I asked him about those calls that would make him step away from me, he would always tell me that those calls came from another country and everything was entirely work-related. Unbeknownst to him, I knew, and I heard him one time that he called the other line-Honey! I was freaking sure of it, and my ears were not fooling me.

“Geez, what’s happening? I am his girlfriend. He should at least tell me what’s going on with him!” I stomped off my feet like a child having tantrums. Some passersby couldn’t help themselves but stare at me because of how I impetuously acted. As a result, I just awkwardly smiled at them.

There were also a few times when Liam reasoned out that he was too busy at work, so he could no longer visit us in the house. Either he had not yet made a presentation at the conference meeting, so he needed to get it done… or his meeting with foreign investors would always be right on-the-spot.

He never ran out of reasons. I even said once that Denise was always anxious to see him, but he still wouldn’t go. He would only give me imported chocolates to bridge to my baby sister.

There was something wrong, and I could feel it. Liam should be eager to be with me more than before since his brother was just right in the corner and could approach me anytime soon, but my boyfriend wasn’t doing anything at all.

What was happening to him? Did I do something wrong? I asked Liam what was bothering him for the past few days, but he wouldn’t let me know. Was he being manipulated by Leandro? But why now? After what we had been through together, it was not fair to just leave me alone without a proper closure.

Liam’s sweetness when it comes to our intimate moments seemed to be gradually losing as well. I couldn’t remember when he last surprised me or when was the last time… we did lovemaking. The last time I checked, we made love three weeks ago. A week after I got drunk, something happened to us again, and I missed it so much. I badly wanted to feel him inside me right now.

But that was the last. Sometimes, I would just ask myself in despair if Liam was getting tired of us. Should I need to level up?

“Hey, penny for your thoughts?” 

I got startled when someone suddenly approached me. He wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me closer, causing the sides of our bodies to inadvertently stick together. I could even feel his breath fanning on the left side of my neck because my hair was resting on my right shoulder.

“You seemed to be too preoccupied here! Aren’t you going home?” he asked me.