Novel-novel oleh Lami

Diane's POVI take exactly four minutes in my bedroom before I walk back out. Four minutes to press my back against the door and breathe and tell myself that whatever he knows or doesn't know I am not going to fall apart in front of him. I have gotten very good at not falling apart in front of Jason. It is possibly the most exhausting skill I have ever developed.I check my reflection in the mirror quickly. Nothing on my face gives anything away. Good.I walk back into the living room. He is on the sofa with his elbows on his knees and his hands loosely clasped together, looking at the floor the way he does when he is organizing his thoughts before a conversation.He looks up when I come in and something in his expression settles slightly. Like he was waiting for me to reappear and wasn't entirely sure I would."Hey," he says."Hey," I say back.I sit in the armchair across from him and not beside him on the sofa. The armchair is deliberate and we both know it. I fold my legs undernea

Diane’s POVI feel my hand clench as Scar takes the next turn leading to the hospital. The hospital with which I secretly booked an appointment for my abortion. The vinyl of the passenger seat feels cold against my palms. Obviously I still haven't told Jason and I had to use "private time" as an excuse to get rid of my security detail. Which surprisingly worked probably because Jason now trusts that I am not being very stubborn. I can't believe he said all those things about his own child. And since that night, I haven't been able to think of anything else. It should reduce the love I have for him, right? Well it doesn't."You're alright, Diane. We're here for you" Nancy grabs my hand gently and I turn to find a sympathetic smile on her face which I try to return. Her touch is warm against my skin."I hope I'm doing the right thing" I sigh, the air catching in my throat."Yes you are!" Scar yells from the driver's seat and I almost roll my eyes. Her unlikeness for Jason only keeps gro

Jason's POVWe both stare at each other and for a moment it looks as if she is more surprised than I am."Oh Ian," she says, her voice barely above a whisper as she walks slowly towards me like she's afraid I might not be real. The afternoon light catches the silver strands in her hair, making them gleam against the darker brown.I have so many questions running through my mind but most importantly I want to know why the hell she is here, with Jamie, in my stepbrother's house."Mom, what are you doing here?" I ask, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.She reaches me and sits beside me on the sofa, setting her shopping bags down carefully at her feet. She looks older than I remember. Not in a bad way. Just in the way that time leaves its marks on people whether they want it to or not. She looks tired in a way that goes deeper than sleep, with faint purple circles beneath her eyes that makeup can't quite hide."How are you doing?" she asks, and a tear slides from her eye onto he

Jason's POV"So you're telling me there's nothing left of the evidence that we gathered in months? Everything just goes back to him?" My voice cuts through the office air, frustration simmering just beneath my calm exterior as I fix my gaze on Raphael. The pity in his eyes makes my jaw clench. I've been on the receiving end of that look too many times in my life. When my stepfather's fists left bruises no one could see. When Carla spread her legs for my best friend in our bed. Those days are over."Look, we can't let him win. And if he has people in all the appropriate places, we have only one option." I lean back, the leather chair groaning beneath me like a witness to my resolve."What do you suggest?""We beat him at his own game." My fingers drum against the mahogany desk. "Infiltrate his inner circle and turn someone against him. That's the only way out. Richard Walker can't be defeated by conventional methods when he's playing dirty.""That might sound like a good idea to you,

Diane's POVThe news of Vance's death hits me hard, knocking the air from my lungs. My fingers tremble as I clutch my phone, the screen blurring through unshed tears."Diane?" Jason's voice cuts through my haze, but it sounds distant."I can't believe he died," I whisper, the words catching in my throat.Jason approaches, his brow furrowed with confusion. "Did you know him?""Of course I did," I nearly scream, my voice cracking. "He was my boss!""Oh," he says, and I see it in his eyes—the blankness. He doesn't remember Vance, the man who sold him this company, the man whose life was apparently collateral damage in a game much bigger than any of us had imagined."Why do I feel like there's more to this than him just being your former boss, Diane?" Jason studies me with that piercing gaze of his, and I know he's right. He always sees through me."I went to talk to him about the case," I admit, my voice barely audible."Diane," he groans, rubbing his temples. "We've been through this. I

Diane’s POVI still haven’t gotten over the fact that all our hard work just went down the drain. How does evidence submitted to the DA's office simply vanish? Is Richard Walker's influence so absolute that it bends the very institutions meant to constrain him? For the past three days all I’ve been doing is going through the file all over again and keeping it safe like my life depends on it.“Ma'am?” I’m about to enter my car and leave for work when I turn around to find Marcus chasing after me. I stop in my tracks.“Things got delayed because she has a surprisingly secure device. But we were able to get through.” He says looking quite satisfied with his work.“I see”He hands me a brown envelope that is thicker than I expect“Everything you need to know is in here. Texts, emails, phone call transcriptions, call logs, everything. I hope you get the answers that you need”“Thank you Marcus.” I offer a smile and he nods.I quickly place the envelope in my bag although it doesn’t fully e