Temptation

Chapter Thirty-Three

"What?" Tom scoffed.

"What if I leave him and he makes his brother fire me?"

"Why would you think he'd ever do that?" Tom chuckled lightly.

"Well, if he was willing to go behind my back... who's to say he wouldn't do it again?"

"Will you tell him about me and Alice?"

Diane laughed sharply before she calmed herself down, taking a sip of her water.

"What would you do if I said yes?" Diane retorted.

"There's nothing I could do but tell the truth. Sure, I might lose my job but I'll find another place of work and it might follow me there, too. I'd much rather be able to tell people that Alice is the woman I love than hide her away like she's some dirty secret. I would never do that to her. She deserves everything this world has to offer her. If all it took was losing my job to tell the whole world that I love her... I'd send in my resignation right now as we speak. My students mean so much to me but she means more to me than anything. I can find other students to work with but I will never find someone like her."

Tom glanced towards the doorway and inhaled sharply, sitting back in his seat seeing Alice standing in the archway. Diane furrowed her brow and turned around to look at Alice.

"I don't think you ever talked about me like that when we were together." Diane spoke softly.

"I love you, Alice." Tom told her as she took a step into the room.

"I love you, too, Tom." Alice smiled weakly.

"Jack is an asshole at times. I really only did it so I could get the promotion. I heard them talking about giving it to someone I worked with who had only been at the firm for a few years. I put my blood and soul into my work there and they couldn't even acknowledge it. I had to sleep with my boss' brother so that he could give me a good word. Sex led to feelings and feelings led to liking and liking led to... "

"You don't love Jack." Tom whispered.

"I don't. I thought I did but... hearing all of this. I'm happy for you, Tom. I'm actually happy that you've found someone who you really love. That's difficult to find. I was stupid and scared because I didn't want to lose someone who was so good to me and to everyone he knew. You are an incredible guy, Tom. I'm sorry I treated you so terribly and said such nasty things to you. You treated me well and I took you for granted."

"Please, you have no need to apologize. I understand, Diane." Tom grinned.

Diane stood from the sofa and turned around to face Alice. She smiled brightly and walked over to her. Alice quickly glanced between her and Tom before focusing on Diane as she stood a few inches away from her.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I'm sorry for everything I've said to you that was harsh and the things I spoke to Tom about you. I spoke those words from a place of anger and frustration with myself and the choices I was making. You are a good person."

"Thank you, Ms. Roberts." Alice said quietly.

"Diane. Call me Diane." She beamed.

Alice nodded her head and inhaled sharply as Diane placed her hand over hers.

"I'm not going to tell Jack. In fact, what I am going to tell him is that we're done and I'm going to stop trying to find my own happiness in other people. I have to find that for myself," Diane explained. "And thank you to both of you for helping me realize that."

Alice squeezed Diane's hand, flashing her a smile.

"Thank you for making him happy when I couldn't," Diane whispered to Alice. "And thank you for loving him when I couldn't."
Alice took a deep breath and softly nodded her head. Tom then walked Diane to the door and opened it for her. Diane looked back at the collage of them and smiled brightly. She turned back to look at the both of them and chuckled lightly.