Hell Hath no fury like a billionaire's Ex
Chapter 118: The Devil In Disguise

Chapter 118: The Devil In Disguise

Diane’s POV

The morning light filtered through Joan’s guest room window as I made my way down the hallway to find her. She had returned quite late from her meeting with Henry Reynolds, and I was eager to hear what he had discovered about Liam’s offshore accounts and assets. The anticipation had kept me awake most of the night, my mind racing with possibilities.

I found Joan in her room, still in her silk pajamas, sitting cross-legged on her bed with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her hair was slightly tousled, and there was something different about her expression...a softness I hadn’t seen before.

"Good morning," I said, settling carefully into the armchair by her window. "How did it go with Henry Reynolds?"

Joan’s face immediately brightened, and I watched with growing curiosity as a soft pink flush crept up her neck.

"Oh, it went... really well," she said, her voice taking on a dreamy quality. "Henry is incredibly thorough. He spent hours going through every document, every financial record. His attention to detail is remarkable, and he’s so... professional."

As she continued talking about the meeting, describing Reynolds’ expertise and attention to detail, I noticed how her eyes lit up when she mentioned his name. The pink in her cheeks deepened, and she kept tucking a strand of hair behind her ear—a nervous habit I recognized from our college days.

He said the documents are more damaging than we initially thought," Henry believes we have enough evidence to completely destroy Liam’s financial foundation. He’s going to compile a comprehensive report and get back to us as soon as possible."

I raised an eyebrow, studying my best friend’s face with growing amusement. "Joan," I said slowly, "is this what I think it is?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, but the guilty smile tugging at her lips gave her away.

"Love at first sight?" I teased, unable to keep the grin off my face. "My God, Joan, you’re completely smitten!"

Her blush deepened to a bright red. "I don’t know what you’re talking about," she protested weakly.

"Oh please," I laughed, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in days. "You’re practically glowing. I think I’ll have to pay my dad a finder’s fee for this romantic connection rather than just the professional consultation."

Joan threw a pillow at me, but I could see the happiness in her eyes. After everything she’d been through supporting me, seeing her potentially finding someone who could make her smile like this filled my heart with warmth.

"Shut up, Diane. He’s just... he’s different from the men I usually meet. Professional, but also kind. And those eyes..."

"Those eyes?" I echoed, delighting in her embarrassment. "Oh, you’re gone, completely gone."

"Diane!" Joan protested, but she was laughing now too. "You’re being ridiculous. Henry is just... he’s very good at his job."

"Sure he is," I teased. "And I’m sure his professional expertise is the only thing that kept you out that late."

We were still laughing when my expression turned more serious. "Anyway," I said, settling back in my chair, "I have something to tell you. I’ve decided to accept Liam’s dinner invitation."

Joan’s dreamy expression vanished instantly, replaced by concern. "Diane, I really don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re heavily pregnant, and Liam is unpredictable—"

"I know exactly what I’m doing," I interrupted. "Besides, I have a little surprise planned for him."

Joan’s smile faded slightly. "What kind of surprise?"

I opened my palm revealing a small vial of clear liquid, holding it up for her to see. "Remember how Liam always loved to play games? Well, tonight I’m going to play one of my own."

Joan’s eyes widened as she realized what I was holding. "Diane, is that...?"

"Laxative," I confirmed with a wicked smile. "Liquid, tasteless, and highly effective. If Liam wants to have his last supper with me, I’m going to make sure it’s memorable."

Joan stared at me for a moment, then burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Oh my God," she gasped between fits of giggles. "You’re absolutely evil! I love it!"

"I figured it was appropriate," I said, carefully wrapping the vial in my palm. "He’s been full of shit for years—now he’ll literally be full of shit."

Joan wiped tears from her eyes. "I can’t believe you’re actually going to do this. You’ve become so deliciously vindictive."

"He created this version of me," I replied, my voice growing colder. "Now he gets to deal with the consequences."

I had already chosen the perfect restaurant for our encounter—a small, dimly lit place called Connect Bistro on the outskirts of town. It was secluded enough that we wouldn’t attract much attention, but public enough that Liam wouldn’t try anything too dramatic. I sent him the address with a simple message: "7 PM. Don’t be late."

---

As evening approached, I stood in front of the room mirror, deliberately choosing my outfit with care. I selected a simple, loose-fitting top that accommodated my bump and comfortable leggings. My hair went up in a casual ponytail, and I kept my makeup minimal.

This wasn’t a date—this was a meeting with my soon-to-be ex-husband, nothing more.

I wanted to look approachable but not alluring, pregnant but not vulnerable. This was his last supper before I systematically stripped away everything he held dear. I didn’t want violence, I wanted to be the devil in disguise, smiling sweetly while I planned his downfall.

Joan appeared in my doorway as I was gathering my things, her face creased with worry. "Diane, I still think this is a terrible idea," she said for the tenth time today. "You’re heavily pregnant, and I don’t trust Liam. What if he tries something?"

"Please you need to calm down," I assured her, slipping the vial of laxative into my bag.

Joan crossed her arms, unconvinced. "At least call Noah and see what he thinks about this whole arrangement."

I nodded, knowing she was right. Noah deserved to know where I was going and why. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number, settling onto the bed as it rang.

"Hello, beautiful," his warm voice filled my ear, instantly calming my nerves.

"Hi," I said softly. "How was your day?"

"Better now that I’m hearing your voice," he replied. "What’s going on? You sound like you have something on your mind."

I took a deep breath. "Liam asked me to have dinner with him tonight. He said he wanted to talk, for the sake of the babies. I chose a restaurant called Connect Bistro , and I’m meeting him at seven."

The silence on the other end of the line stretched for several long seconds. When Noah finally spoke, his voice was carefully controlled. "Diane, I don’t feel comfortable with this arrangement at all. I’d strongly advise you not to go."

"I understand your concerns," I said gently. "But I think it might be better to keep my enemies close, you know? I want to hear what he has to say."

Another pause. "If you truly think it’s necessary," he said finally, "then I suppose you should do what feels right to you. But please be careful. Don’t let your guard down for a second, you know I’m not there with you."

"I won’t," I promised. "I’m taking the security detail with me. They’ll be watching everything."

I could hear the tension in his voice when he spoke again. "I still don’t like it, but I trust your judgment. Just... promise me you’ll call if anything feels wrong."

Feeling playful despite the serious conversation, I let my voice drop to a flirtatious whisper. "Or you could come over and be my sexy bodyguard," I teased.

I heard Noah’s sharp intake of breath, followed by a low chuckle. "Don’t tempt me," he said, his voice rough with something that made my stomach flutter. "I might just show up from my business trip and drag you out of there myself."

"I love you," I said softly.

"I love you too," he replied. "Be safe, Diane. Call me the moment you’re done."

After we hung up, Joan was still giving me a concerned look. "I can’t shake this feeling that something’s going to go wrong," she said.

"Nothing serious is going to happen," I assured her, standing and smoothing down my top. "I’m going with security, I’m not eating anything he can tamper with, and I have my own little surprise planned for him."

Joan studied my face for a long moment. "Diane, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you still love Liam?"

The question caught me off guard, and I found myself laughing—a sharp, almost hysterical sound that surprised even me.

"Hell no," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "God, no. I’m so completely into Noah now. I love Noah more than I ever thought possible."

I gathered my purse and moved toward the door. "I just want to know what’s going through Liam’s head right now. I want to grant his last wish before I unleash my demon on him, because he’s definitely going to pay for all the pain he’s put me through. I don’t want him to see me coming... even though I must have given him quite a scare the last time we encountered each other."

Joan sighed, recognizing the determination in my voice. "Please just take care of yourself, Diane. Please."

"I will," I promised, kissing her cheek. "Don’t worry about me. Focus on planning your next meeting with the charming Henry Reynolds."

Her blush returned, and despite her worry, she smiled. "Get out of here, you troublemaker."