Page 98 of Begin Again, Part 1

"I bet it doesn't," Eden whispered. "But it sure changes the way I see the world. How am I supposed to feel knowing you only stayed together because of me? How should I feel knowing you missed out on the best parts of yourselves, the best years of your lives, because of me?"

"It was our choice!"

"I know that!" Eden clenched her fists on her lap. "But I can't help but feel I cheated you out of a lifetime of happiness with other people."

"That's not true." Erica shook her head. "You didn't cheat us out of anything."

"Yes, I did. I was a responsibility that you both decided to take on. And God, Mom, I didn't want to be a 'duty'," she said, tears brimming in her eyes. "I wanted—I wanted—"

Eden stopped trying to articulate her thoughts when she realised she didn't know what she wanted, because back when all these decisions were made, she was a child, and children often don't know what they want. At least that was what adults tell them to justify why they are never given a choice or say in decisions that could affect the rest of their lives.

But as an adult whose world was just turned upside down, Eden definitely didn't want to be in their presence for a moment longer.

She pushed away from the table and stood up. "I have to go. I have to get out of here."

"We'll take you home," Steve said, but she brushed him off.

"I'm fine, Dad."

She was far from fine. Her heart was in pieces, not for her, but for her folks. They'd spent half their lives creating an illusion of a happy home for her, because they thought it was what she needed.

She'd never do that to Aiden. She'd never lie to her son like that.

Eden grabbed her purse and phone and stumbled out of their private room. Determined to outrun her heartache, she clawed her way forward, running from the years of cold, calm, fake memories and forced moments.

She ran as far as possible, resolving to put as much distance between her and the twenty-six years of lies.

She ran until she hit a solid wall of muscled chest and manly arms, and she found herself staring into the calm ocean in Liam's eyes.

Finally, an adult, Eden thought. He'd make sense of everything for her. He'd fix things. He always wanted to fix things.

Every time she pushed him away, he pleaded with her to tell him what was wrong, so he could fix it. Yes, her Liam would fix things. He'd put them all back together again.

"Eden—"

Her name on his lips was her unravelling. Only he could make it sound like the paradise it was supposed to be.

"Was any of it real?" she asked him, tears falling hard on his chest, forming a damp spot on his shirt. "Twenty-six years. Was it real?"

"Hey, what's going on?" Liam asked as he cupped her cheek and searched her face. "Are you okay?"

She was about to tell him she wasn't okay, and everything had gone to shit. She was ready to open herself to him and show him her torn-up heart, the fragile pieces scattered around her, destroyed by her parents' announcement. But then she remembered he was her boss. She'd have to face him on Monday, and she'd cut off whatever he was trying to start because she was just a tonic to him.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "Something in my eye. I need a minute."

"You are not okay," Liam growled, tightening his grip around her waist. "Tell me what's wrong."

She was so tempted to lean in, soak up all his warmth and strength, and allow the steady beat of his heart to lull her into a false sense of safety. But she had no right to be in his arms. He belonged to Laura Stone. Gorgeous Laura Stone with her luscious blonde curls and large green eyes. A fairy tale princess by all accounts.

"Where is she?" she asked. "She wasn't there. You were all there, but she wasn't."

"Who?"

"Laura."

"Why would Laura be here? And how do you even know about her?" Liam shook her a little. "You are not making any sense."

"Nothing does," Eden said, a bewildered look in her eyes as she flew out of his grasp and dashed for the emergency stairs. She needed a minute to catch her breath and collect her thoughts, and she knew the place.

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