Temptation

Chapter Thirty-Two

"What are you doing here?" Tom asked.

"I came to speak to you about some things but I think I can put those on the back burner. Something more interesting has come up." Diane explained, looking Alice up and down.

"Come in before one of us makes a scene." Tom spoke.

Alice let out a sharp exhale as she moved to the side, letting Diane step into the apartment. As Alice closed the door, Diane spotted the collage and grinded her teeth together. Alice quickly walked over to the sofa and sat down on it with her back to the both of them, unsure of what to do or say. Tom walked over to Diane and took a deep breath.

"You... you get furious with me for cheating on you when you did the same thing?" Diane seethed.

"I didn't cheat on you."
"You have your student in your apartment. Of course you cheated!"

"No, I never cheated on you, Diane. I got together with Alice after I ended our relationship." Tom explained.

Diane looked over at Alice and inhaled sharply, clenching her fists together.

"I knew it. I knew she was always saying bad things about me to you. Did you ever think about her when we were together? When you were fucking me?"

"Alice, go to the bedroom."

She stood from the sofa and Diane put her hand out towards her.

"She stays!"

Alice swallowed hard as she looked between the two, unsure of what to do.

"Ms. Roberts, I never-"

"Don't fucking talk to me!" Diane interjected.

"You don't have the right to speak to her in that way!" Tom protested.

"Answer me, Tom. When we were together, did you think about her?"

"What does it matter? You were fucking Jack."

"Just tell me!" Diane shouted.

"Yes!"

Diane's eyes welled with tears as she glanced over at Alice.

"You knew our relationship was coming to an end... before I ever had feelings for Alice."

"I should have known. He was always talking about you, you know? I don't think he could have gone one conversation without mentioning you at some point. I bet you told him I was bad for him. That I didn't love him? That I wasn't good enough for him?"

"That's enough, Diane." Tom looked back at Alice.

Alice rubbed her hands together as she backed herself up against the wall.

"When did you start having feelings for her?" Diane inquired softly.

"The moment I met her." Tom replied.

Diane scoffed, rolling her eyes as she took a step back from Tom.

"But I never acted on them! I suppressed my feelings because of you! Because I thought I loved you!" He protested.

"I can't believe you. I can't believe you'd do that to me!"

"At least I waited until we were done, you fucked my supervisor while we were together just so you could get your promotion!" Tom shouted.

"It's true, Ms. Roberts. We waited. But if you want the whole truth, I can tell you." Alice spoke up.

"Please, do indulge me." Diane sneered.

"Tom and I had an argument in January. We somehow got on the topic of your engagement and I told him I had a crush on him. I will admit to you that I've liked him all four years of college, but I never did anything because I could see how much he cared about you."
"Seems like he never did to begin with." Diane interjected.

"When I told him, I liked him... he admitted it too. And we kissed. And then you walked in and-"

"I walked in?"

"Yes, you came to surprise me. I told you I would take a raincheck." Tom explained.

"That's... that's why she was up against the wall looking all nervous? Because you kissed her?"

"When you left, I told him I wasn't going to be the other woman and he agreed."

"Diane, you knew our relationship was over. I couldn't deny the feelings I had for Alice. Besides, you were already sleeping with someone else. You have to admit we just fell out of love. You attacking my work and calling me a joke was the last straw. I ended it not because I just fell in love with someone else. I ended our relationship because I wasn't happy anymore." Tom told her calmly.

"You know... I would tell Jack but... he has no say in anything anymore since he got fired. I swear to god, if he still worked there... " Diane trailed off.

"Why did you come here, Diane?" Tom asked, walking over to Alice.

"I came here to talk to you about Jack."

Tom furrowed his brow and glanced down at Alice seeing the same confused expression.

"He knows you had something to do with him getting fired."

A few moments later, Diane was sitting on the sofa as Tom sat on the loveseat while Alice pouring Diane some water in the kitchen.

"What does he want to know?" Tom asked.

"He said you had a conversation with him, you stormed out, and then that was it. I want to know what the conversation was."

"Why? Why should I tell you?"

"Because whenever I try and ask him, he just gets mad. He tells me I have nothing to worry about but... that conversation got him fired. What did he say?" Diane exhaled sharply.

Tom watched Alice as she walked over to Diane and handed her the glass.

"Thank you." Diane whispered.

Alice walked over to the loveseat and sat down next to Tom. She took his hand in hers, not caring the glare she received from Diane. This was her home and her boyfriend. Diane had no say over what she could do or say to Tom.

"Alice, I'm sorry." Tom said quietly.

"Why are you sorry?" Alice scoffed.

"Because I lied to you," He looked up at her with his brow furrowed. "The conversation was about you."
Alice's expression dropped as Diane felt herself grip the glass tighter, gritting her teeth together.

"Alice? What about her? He wanted to fuck her too?"
"Yes, actually." Tom blurted out.

Alice pulled her hand from Tom's as Diane looked down at her feet. Alice felt her eyes well with tears as she stood from the loveseat and walked to the kitchen table.

"What did he say?" Diane asked softly, holding back her tears.

"He had spoken with Alice and made an innuendo. She was incredibly uncomfortable when she spoke with me after so I went to confront him and I made sure to record him. I told him that he spoke to her in an unprofessional manner and he told me that Alice was attractive and she was graduating in a month so why not flirt."

Alice picked her head and slowly turned her head towards the two, listening in on and what they were saying.

"And then he commented on the clothes and perfumes she wore every time they would meet on either a Tuesday or Friday, thinking it was for him. I was disgusted by what I was hearing. I knew I had enough and I went to the president of the school. After Alice, who knows what other students he might go after. And... it made me think about you."

"About me?" Diane scoffed.

"Yeah. Although I don't love you, I want you to be happy. I want nothing but the best for you and to know that he'd be willing to go behind your back... " Tom trailed off.

Diane nodded her head and sniffled, wiping her nose.

"I can't leave him." Diane whispered.