Page 47 of Begin Again, Part 1

"But the nanny can't make it at that time—"

Gibby cut her off irritably. "That's your problem. For the amount you demanded, which is daylight robbery, by the way, you should have known it would come at a price. The new contract is on its way."

"Should I have rolled over then?" Eden asked, annoyed at how she was carrying on like it was her money.

"Of course not!" Gibby gobbled her cake and drained her cup. "But you should know that your insane salary will come with unreasonable demands. I hope you can fulfil them all."

Before Eden could fully grasp her warning, Clara appeared beside them with the new contract. She hugged her like they were old friends, and waited while she signed the documents.

Three minutes later, Clara raced out of the coffee shop with HR's copy, leaving them alone again.

In a sombre tone, Gibby said, "You've already lost a day of orientation. Get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow you'll hit the ground running."

Eden sensed she was annoyed at her negotiation skills, but she didn't care. Her mind was already on the million things she'd do with her well-deserved salary. Now she could buy Aiden those eco-friendly diapers she saw at the store. She'd have to call the bank about setting up a trust fund. And at some point this weekend, she'd hop back to the Bathroom Place to pick up her tub. Tom had better not have sold it.

Gibby clasped her hands and announced. "Mr Anderson has offered to pay for your son's daycare tuition. He knows how important it is for you to have him close."

No, no, no, Eden thought. Sure, Aiden would miss out on the fancy sleeping pods and the high-tech computer room, but Brenda was great with him. No need to upset the apple cart and tempt fate. She finished her tepid chai and set the cup down forcefully. "Thank you, but I'll have to decline. I have a nanny for Aiden, and he likes her."

"But you can see him during your lunch breaks if he's here."

"I need to focus all my energy on serving Mr Anderson. I can't afford any distractions."

For the first time since she sat down for their chat, Eden saw something close to admiration on Gibby's face. "With that attitude, you'll go far!"

Now that she'd signed the deal with the devil, Eden excused herself. She had to rush home to pick Aiden up for their trip to the playground. She rose from her seat, smoothed down her check-print flared dress, and fixed her glasses. "Thanks for the cake and tea. I'll see you tomorrow at 6:00 AM."

"Not so fast." Gibby stopped her in her tracks and took her to the security team on the second floor.

Ten minutes later, a chuffed Eden hung her new access card around her neck. It was the first-ever access card she was delighted with, and she had Franco and Cassandra to thank for it. She was slowly warming to her new look.

"Don't be late," Gibby reminded her as they parted ways near the elevator bank.

As Eden made her way to the parking lot, she was still grinning ear to ear at the new contract, elated with her new salary. There were so many zeros. She counted them, making sure HR hadn't missed any when they typed up the new agreement.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Five zeros. Five freaking zeros!

She wondered about the extent of Liam's problem. It had to be severe for him to have agreed to such a ridiculous amount. For a nanosecond, she felt like the worst person on earth for exploiting a sick man. But her guilt quickly vanished when she remembered their confrontation. She deserved every one of these zeros.

Content again with the world and life, Eden cruised home. She called her friends on her hands-free set and asked them to meet her at Crush after work for sundowners. She was about to make it rain.

Chapter

Sixteen

AND HE APPEARS

A waiter dressed in nothing but a glittery thong showed Eden and her friends to their VIP booth. The strobe lights above painted his butt cheeks different shades of neon as he leaned over to take their order. Not one to resist temptation, Lydia smacked his ass.

Eden shook her head at her friend.

"What? If they offer the service, we should use the service." Still ogling the waiter like he was a piece of Wagyu beef or something equally exotic, Lydia flicked her hair extensions over her shoulder and crossed her legs. José flashed her a megawatt smile, and said something in Spanish.

Whatever he said flew right over Eden's head. The only Spanish she knew was 'mojitos' and 'tapas'. But she figured it was something filthy when her friend blushed like a new bride.

As she watched José jot down their drinks, Eden couldn't help but feel bad for him. There was nothing cute or nice about being groped and fondled.

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