Diane's POV
That night, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, my mind racing with thoughts of Liam. What could Liam have written that was so important? What truth was he finally ready to tell? What has he done this time?
By 3 a.m., I gave up. I slipped out of bed gently, careful not to wake Noah, whose soft breathing steadied the silence. The floor felt cold under my feet as I padded downstairs, each step toward the living room making my heart pound louder.
There it was.
The letter.
Unopened. Untouched. Like it was waiting for me to be brave enough.
I picked up my phone, thumb hovering over the screen. My hands trembled as I tapped Joan's name. I hated disturbing her at this hour, but I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't carry this alone.
She answered on the second ring, her voice groggy. "Diane? Is everything okay?"
"No. I mean... I don't know." My voice cracked. "I just need to talk to someone before I lose my mind."
