Page 129 of Begin Again, Part 1

"I'm sorry," Zara said and gathered up the signed warning and her phone. "I hope this doesn't affect our friendship."

"Sure it doesn't." Eden bobbed her head, even though they both knew there'd be no play dates with their children. Final written warnings were a death knell for any budding friendship.

She picked up her iPhone and headed for the door.

Zara stopped her, asking, "how are you handling everything?"

Her question was so vague, Eden gave her a blank stare. "Everything?"

"I mean the rumours. Don't take them to heart. We all know Mr Anderson's with Laura. She's been so supportive of him, especially when his father was ill. I'm sure the photo's innocent."

Eden nodded, the ache in her heart back.

"I have to go," she said in a voice belonging to the Eden at La Famiglia, whose parents had announced they were getting a divorce.

"You have to take care of that." Zara pointed under her right eye, where Lucy had slapped her. "Place an ice pack over it before it gets worse. It's already swelling up."

"I'm fine." Eden brushed off her concern. Her face still stung like a fucker, but not as much as the searing ache in her heart. Liam may not be engaged to Laura, and he may not have slept with her in the last two years. But, as recent as last month, when Eden saw them at Crush, she was in his life.

"I'm okay," she repeated, more to herself now, as she eased out of the meeting room and took the stairs back to the 36th floor.

Eden had tried so hard not to think about Laura. She'd almost forgotten her existence because for two blissful nights, she'd allowed herself to be swept up in the excitement of being pursued by Liam. She'd even dared to dream, wish, and believe that maybe there was a chance for them, and as insane as his proposal was, they could make it work.

But now, Zara had to dash her silly fantasies and remind her she couldn't live on sex and dreams alone.

Chapter

Forty-Two

RAW

Still raw from her fight with Lucy, Eden dreaded returning to the battleground, to the place where all the drama began, but she'd already missed three hours of work. Matthew's reports and minutes weren't going to type themselves. Gibby's training and handover session, too, wouldn't attend itself.

With a loud sigh, she pushed her office door and stepped inside. Instead of being blown away by all the luxury surrounding her like she was earlier, she was suddenly filled with a rage so fierce, it threatened to devour her if she didn't find something to distract her.

She glared at the blazer on her desk, hating Liam. It was irrational. But she needed someone to blame for her rage and hurt, and he was the perfect scapegoat. He should have left her broom closet office the way it was, and he should never have held her at La Famiglia. Their dinner dates should never have happened, and he should have stayed away from her, like she'd asked.

"Well," she said as she picked up the vase. "You should have stayed gone."

It felt as pretty and fragile as it looked. The art whore in her screamed at her to put it back on the credenza. It wasn't its fault that Lucy had attacked her. She should keep it because she deserved to look at pretty things while typing her mundane reports.

Eden wanted the vase as much as she desired the man who gave it to her. But she couldn't hold on to it. The cost of keeping it was too high, and her fight with Lucy had already tainted the joy she'd felt at the idea of owning something so precious. She'd never look at it with the same wonder and delight she had when she first laid eyes on it.

She bundled it up in Liam's blazer before she could change her mind, and stuffed it inside an empty stationery box. She turned to the painting next and spent a little while staring at it. She'd seen better pieces by the same artist. But this particular one had cost a small fortune. All his earlier works had tripled in value since he died in a car accident months before her return to Rock Castle. For weeks after his death, Sienna had cried buckets. Her bestie never knew him personally, but Eden understood her grief all too well. If one of her idols died, she'd have to take a few days of family responsibility leave to mourn in peace.

Her heart dark with regret, her eyes heavy with the river of tears she was struggling to contain, Eden reached up and plucked the painting from the wall, surprised by its weight. Its light appearance was deceiving.

She grabbed the box with the vase and tucked the painting under her arm, ignoring the curious stares following her as she made her way to the dragon's den.

She paused in Gibby's office first and asked for a ten-minute slot in Liam's diary.

"Everything okay, Eden?" The older woman asked, her sharp, hawk-like gaze shooting rapidly between the ugly welt on her cheek and the box and painting in her arms.

"I'm great," she smiled, grateful for her grey, drab dress. It did a fantastic job of hiding her bruised heart away from pitiful, prying eyes.

"Let me check if Mr Anderson's available."

Eden nodded and flicked her eyes around the office while Gibby chatted to their boss.

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