Page 30 of Tempted By Eden

It’s a perfect lazy Saturday, and all I want is to cocoon myself in blankets, binge-watch mindless TV, and eat enough cookie dough to send me into a sugar coma. But that’s not an option. Guilt nags at the corners of my tired mind—I haven’t spent nearly enough time with Leo or Dad this week. I’ve been totally neglecting them.

Leo’s giggles fill the room, and all I can think about is how I’ve missed hearing that sound all week. He’s barely looked up from the screen, but can I blame him? I haven’t been here. The shadows under Dad’s eyes are darker than usual, and I wonder when he last had a proper rest—certainly not since I threw myself headfirst into work. He’s been picking up all the slack—keeping the house running, looking after Leo, making sure there’s dinner on the table—and I’ve been… absent. Lost in my work.

“You doing okay, Dad?” I ask, watching him closely, noticing the way his frame is hunched, like it’s taking more effort than it should just to sit upright.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just feeling a bit wiped, that’s all.” He attempts a smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. I should be helping him, not the other way around. Yet here I am, practically falling asleep on the couch while he bears the load of my responsibilities.

“You should go lie down,” I suggest, even though I know he’ll refuse. “You need to rest.”

He shakes his head gently. “I will, sweetheart,” he says, patting my hand. “But I wanted to sit with you two first. I’ve missed seeing you this week.”

I nod, guilt spearing through me. Dad’s always there for me, always picking up the pieces. And I keep leaning on him, even when I shouldn’t.

“I know this week’s been a lot for you, and, well… I wish I could help more,” he adds.

“You do way too much already, Dad,” I say quickly. We’ve had this conversation a thousand times before. I force a smile, but the way his skin looks pale—almost translucent—has me worried.

Before I can say anything else, my phone buzzes. Reluctantly, I pull it from my pocket and glance at the screen. It’s a message from Hailee. My stomach sinks as I read it.

Hailee

Hey Cora, just a friendly reminder—you’re scheduled to work tonight in the lounge at 8 p.m. Don’t forget to check your roster. X

Crap. Eden.

I completely forgot about my conversation with Madame Sophia. This week has been such a disaster that Eden wasn’t even on my radar. I bite my lip, my mind racing. Do I really want to go back? Financially, I should—my job at Hayes & Hayward Media is far from secure, especially with James gunning for me. But do Iactuallywant to work tonight?

The question hangs in my mind, but the answer comes with surprising clarity. A shiver runs through me, my pulse quickening at the thought of slipping back into that world. I could be someone else, just for a few hours. No pressure, no expectations. Just… freedom. Last Saturday night awakened a strange feeling in me, one I wasn’t ready to fully grasp. The power dynamics, the anonymity… Maybe going back is exactly what I need.

“Are you up for looking after Leo tonight?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, swallowing roughly. “I… forgot I had a shift at the bar.”

Dad looks at me for a long moment, concern etched into the lines of his face. He knows me too well. “Of course I can, darling,” he says. “You know Leo sleeps right through. But… are you sure you’re up for it? You’ve been running on fumes all week. I thought you didn’t have to go back to that job?”

“Idon’thave to,” I admit, my fingers twisting a loose strand of hair. “But… I don’t know, it feels safer. Keeping my options open, you know? Just in case Hayes & Hayward doesn’t work out.” The words taste bitter as they leave my mouth, and I can’t shake the fear lodged in my throat. The truth is, I’m not just keeping my options open—I’m hedging my bets. I could be out of a job in a week’s time. But I can’t tell him that.

And I don’t just need Eden for financial security. I need it for me—for control, for some sense of power over my life. Because right now, it’s like the ground is shifting beneath my feet and I can’t seem to stop it.

“Alright.” He nods. “Just don’t wear yourself out. Promise me that.”

“I won’t,” I assure him, offering a grateful smile. “Thanks, Dad. I owe you.”

“My pleasure, darling.” His hand rests on mine for a moment. Then he turns his attention back to Leo, who is still engrossed inBluey.

I shoot Hailee a quick text.

Thanks, I’ll be there. See you tonight. X

I settle back into the couch, pretending to focus on Bluey and Bingo, but my mind is already at Eden. My fingers trace idle patterns on my thigh, fidgeting unconsciously, as I think about slipping back into that world, where I can shed everything else and just be… Cora. Not Cora the mother, Cora the employee, or Cora the daughter.

But Cora, the goddess.

Chapter eighteen

James

The moment I stepinto Eden, the noise of the outside world fades into silence. Market share, stock prices, investors—they melt away, replaced by a visceral need driving through my veins. Here, I don’t think; I simply act.

Dameon, Zac, and I stride through the entrance, handing over our phones to security like we’ve done a hundred times before. The sense of being watched isn’t new to me. Our presence is expected here, even revered. But tonight, my focus is elsewhere. The usual surge of pride I feel from the attention doesn’t land the same. I’m scanning the room for just one person.

---