Diane's POV
The new house still felt surreal, like I was living in someone else's dream. Noah had thought of everything—the way the late afternoon light streamed through the large windows in the living room, the way the kitchen opened onto the garden where Dylan and Danielle could play safely, the way my home office faced the east so I could watch the sunrise while working. Every detail spoke of a man who had listened to my quiet wishes, my unspoken needs.
I was curled up on the oversized sectional sofa, watching Dylan stack blocks while Danielle dozed in her bouncy seat, when my phone buzzed. The name on the screen made my stomach clench: Richard Holbrook.
"Hello?" I answered cautiously.
"Diane, I hope I'm not disturbing you. I know you're probably still settling into married life." His voice carried a weight that made me sit up straighter.
"No, you're not disturbing me. What's going on?"
"I need to see you. Tonight, if possible. It's... it's important. About Liam."
