The Glimpse of My Past

Diane’s P. O. V.

It was so clear that I had to close my eyes. I needed this memory because I was sure that it was one of those that I forgot. I had an absolute strong feeling that it would make me understand what was happening around me right now…

“Why? Are you a nurse, Diane?” Liam asked, but I couldn’t focus anymore because his dimple was so mesmerizing. It used to tingle my insides, and when he lightly kissed the tip of my nose, it felt so good.

“No, and there was no way I could be a nurse. I just really liked to read sometimes, and of course, I also took a short First Aid training course. I am actually an Accountancy student,” I affirmed before swiftly removing myself underneath his body. It was kind of awkward for me that I might forever want to be attached to him.

Being under Liam’s body was so electrifying, but I didn’t want him to know that I felt that way. We only met last night, and it wasn’t right for me to feel this kind of attraction towards him. He sat on the edge of the bed, and I stood in front of him.

“Are you still studying? No offense meant, but why were you at the club last night?” Liam asked me. He might have already forgotten about what I told him last night.

That I was Claire-the club dancer who was constantly being followed by Leandro. It made sense, though. Who would focus on a club dancer when he could meet a lot of decent girls?

“I am already in my final year and soon to graduate, Liam. I just badly needed to be a working student because I had to support my siblings’ education. Then, for my mom’s medication too. She always has high blood pressure. Our father died when I was only twelve, so I had to be the breadwinner.”

“But you know what? You can freely go to the club some other time to see me. Don’t worry, I’m just dancing there. No other things involved,” I chuckled while confidently waving my hands in front of him. I wanted him to know that I was different from the other women who used to sell their bodies.

“Then, I only talked to Leandro. You know him, he always wanted to be number one, but I didn’t have any more customers aside from him. He wouldn’t let me. But just in case you’ll come, you will be the number two to whom I could talk to,” I continued with a sweet smile on my lips.

“You don’t have to explain yourself, and I am sorry to hear about your late father, Diane. Once you graduated and passed the CPA board exam, would you like to work for me? I mean, in my company? How about a Cost Accountant or a Payroll Supervisor?” Liam gladly offered the kind of jobs that I would have never expected that would come from a powerful CEO like him.

Flabbergasted, I could not believe what he told me that my eyes would come out of their sockets. I was still surprised until my lips formed a heartfelt smile that could almost reach my ears. I wanted to hug him, but I suppressed myself.

‘Did I hear him, right? Was Liam really offering a decent job to a club dancer like me? And it was even EGC! How could I say ‘no’ when it was already a big opportunity for me at one of the most admired companies in the country?’

“Really, sir? Oops, I mean-”

Liam did not even finish the rest of what I was going to say because he immediately stood up and claimed my parted lips while firmly cupping my face. Oh my God! For the umpteenth time, my tongue slipped, and I called him ‘sir’ again.

For a moment, I was able to feel how soft his lips were. It was only a quick peck, but why does it feel like I seemed to have lost myself? It was my first kiss.

Stunned by what Liam did, my body froze from head to toe. I could feel how my face flushed in red as if my cheeks were screaming humiliation. I could not stop swallowing real hard, and my eyes were silently asking him why he pursued that.

But Liam just smiled and winked at me before stepping inside the bathroom. “I told you. You will be punished the next time you will call me that endearment, Diane, and that was your first punishment. You can simply call me ‘sir’ again if you want another punishment anytime soon. Just wait here, I’ll take you home.”

Never had I experienced such a severe headache. It could even smash my skull because the sharp twinge was hammering me unstoppably. I could feel my head spinning in due course, that all of my remaining strength left me out of the blue, and I almost fell onto the floor.

My jaws had tightened as I grabbed a handful of my hair, and pulling on it seemed to help ease the pain. But instead of black, all I could see was red.

“No!” I shouted while opening my eyes. I closed them again because it seemed like the whole room suddenly turned upside down after seeing that memory.

“Diane, what’s wrong with you? Wait here. I’ll just call the doctor real quick!” Mom was bothered.

What escaped her lips made me frantically open my eyes due to the shock it caused me, despite the fact that I was still having the worst headache of my life. Mom was too concerned about me, which should not be the case right now.

Her fear was mixed with confusion, and out of mistake, it was too late for her to realize that she accidentally left me here-all alone in the room with this rapist. I slowly backed away from him while sitting, almost reaching the other side of the bed.

“Diane, what’s happening? Are you okay?” That Liam gestured that he would touch me, but I immediately shoved his hands away from me. Him, touching me, would be the last thing I would have ever wanted to happen.

“Don’t you dare lay your fingers on me! Do you think I would fall for your angelic face? You are just a devil in disguise, and I hate you! I hate you more than you could imagine! I don’t want to see you again. So, please… I beg you. Just leave me alone!” I whined out loud.

While emphasizing the word ‘devil,’ I just hoped that he would finally leave while wishing that this would be our last meeting. Just seeing him again already tortured every part of me.

But what had just happened? Why would I remember such a scene after calling him ‘sir?’ What does that mean? Why does it seem like we were together in the same room, and he even kissed my lips?

Why was I too grateful in that memory as if subtly being with him already cheered my soul? And who was that Leandro I mentioned?

“I-I’ll be leaving you here… if… if you would tell me that you had already forgiven me, Diane…” he faltered, downcast.

His voice was full of grief and sadness as if he had no other choice but to accept the fact that we would no longer have a second chance. And moving forward, there would never be an ‘us.’

The truth was… my heart wanted to feel sorry for him. I actually pitied him. He suffered from the car accident too, and based on what Mom told me earlier, he loved me dearly, and he truly cared for me. But was that enough reason for me to just neglect the past and forgive him?

On the other side of the equation, my brain was telling me not to give in to him because he was only lying to me-that he was only disguising and pretending. He took advantage of my memory loss the time he approached me, what assurance did I have that he would never do that again?

And now, he sounded like more of commanding me to forgive him. Well, I would let him have the taste of his own medicine because everything should end here.

“Is that all? Is that all you want, so you could stop pestering me? Okay, fine! You don’t have to get imprisoned because I won’t file a lawsuit against you. I will forgive you, and even if it is hard for me, I will forget about what happened to us four years ago. But in one condition.”

Full of resentment, I distastefully looked at him as if it could remove all of the emotional and ugly scars of the past. But it was the other way around. Just looking at his face opened up the wounds again, and I couldn’t do anything to stop them from bleeding. Damn, I couldn’t even say his name.

He adoringly clasped my hands and kissed my knuckles again before he spoke. “What is it, Diane? I will do anything for you, anything. Just let me know.” Little did he know that I wanted him to surrender.

For another time, I shoved his hands away. “Really? If that’s the case, then prove it to me.” I scoffed before speaking what I was eager to say to him, “Just stay away from me! Don’t show your face in front of me ever again.”

E N D OF B O O K 1

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BOOK 2:

SHADOWS OF MY DARK PAST

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“Can true love mend all the heartaches brought by the painful past?”

The story follows the life of Diane after knowing the truth behind her forgotten past. How will she opt to continue living her life if the man whom she has gotten rid of-chooses to stay beside her?

C O M I N G S O O NContent (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.