Page 107 of Begin Again, Part 2

"Mental health is the theme for this year's conference. They want you to share your journey, sir."

"Decline it," he told her. "And all future requests, Clara."

His conscience wouldn't allow him to stand in front of thousands of people and sell lies. Yes, his mental health took a serious beating over the past two years. But, his father had made it clear his erectile dysfunction was a no-go zone. If he couldn't talk about the real reasons for his struggles, he'd rather not say anything.

"Set up an appointment with Aleksei Ivanov," he instructed his assistant.

"Are you sure? I know the board said you should, but—"

"I don't remember them giving me a choice, Clara. Do you?" Liam seethed and clicked off, disgusted by the idea of getting into business with the Ivanovs. But if it meant keeping his family safe, he'd swallow his pride and toe the line.

Chapter

Thirty-Five

NOTHING GOOD ABOUT ENDINGS

Erica slipped into her role of the injured party as soon as Eden stepped inside her parents' penthouse. Despite the change in their marital status, nothing much had changed in their matrimonial home. The place still looked as it did the last time she was there, when they issued her the ultimatum that sent her to the Blue Mountains.

As Eden sat on the loveseat facing the pool on the deck, listening to Erica's outrage, she realised she'd come full circle. Two years on, her son was under discussion again.

"Why didn't you tell us, Edie?" Erica sniffled dramatically, while Steve stuffed his face with last night's meatloaf and downed it with red wine. He'd piled on more weight since Eden last saw him at La Famiglia, and he didn't look happy or healthy. She was concerned for him, but with too many problems of her own at the moment, she couldn't handle his as well. Maybe when her life made sense again, she'd reach out to him.

"Edie!" Erica clapped her hands, demanding her attention.

"What, Mom?" Eden asked as she bounced Aiden on her lap and checked the time. Eight minutes. That was how long it had been since Jace and Aaron dropped her off. After the hellish morning she'd had, reading all the nasty comments people had written about her on the internet, she wasn't in the mood for her guilt-tripping.

"Yes, Liam is Aiden's father. Are you happy now?"

Erica dissolved into tears, expressing how wronged she felt. "You should have told me. I'm your mother. I deserved to know. Can you imagine my shock and surprise when Lois called me this morning to tell me all about the rubbish they've written about you two on the internet? I've never felt so blindsided! How could you do this to us?"

Eden rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure why you're so aggrieved; you already suspected they're related."

"Would you like something to eat or drink, honey?" Steve asked as he set his plate and glass down and eased back in his armchair, interrupting what would have undoubtedly turned into a massive fight, severing all ties between Eden and her mom.

"Just water, Dad." She smiled at him and gave mom her undivided attention.

"You should have told us when we asked you!" Erica accused. "All the fights and the resentment were unnecessary. Look at how much time we've lost with you and Aiden. All that hostility could have been avoided had you told us the truth!"

"You wanted Simon, remember?" Eden reminded her. "Your hearts were set on him being your son-in-law."

"Liam's way better than Simon. Edie, you've made me so proud. I always knew you were meant for big things. Don't mess this up!" Erica said, the crocodile tears pooling in her eyes just seconds ago had mysteriously vanished.

Slack-jawed, Eden could only stare at her, astonishment dancing in her eyes. She didn't even know why she was surprised, though. It was so like her mom to jump at the first opportunity to crawl up the social ladder and grab on for dear life with her French-manicured hands like hellhounds were after her.

"Wow, Mom," she whispered. "This is one of the reasons I never told you about Liam. He's not your golden goose or meal ticket out of your middle-class existence!"

"He's Aiden's father, and Lois told me he wants to do the honourable thing."

Her words set off warning bells in Eden's head. "What honourable thing?"

She set Aiden down, gave him his plushie, and paced before pausing at the bar. Her father's water was way too mild for the nightmare her day was quickly turning into, and since she wasn't driving, she saw no reason not to drink. So she poured herself a shot of vodka and topped it up with orange juice from the fridge.

She took a few sips, but couldn't finish it. A wave of nausea hit her hard, and she stumbled her way to the bathroom and spent the next five minutes vomiting Liam's chicken soup.

"Are you okay, Edie?" Erica asked when she returned to the living room, feeling strangely fatigued.

"I'm fine." She brushed off the concern and breathed a huge sigh of relief when her phone screeched in her bag. She pulled it out and smiled when she saw it was Sienna. She held up her finger to silence her mom as she answered the call.

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