Page 112 of Begin Again, Part 2

His phone pinged just as he entered the lobby, and he scanned through Clara's brief text—the date, time and location pin to the meeting spot with Aleksei. While waiting for the elevator to the 23rd floor, he texted her back and confirmed he was happy with Rock Union's Racetrack. Not that he had a choice.

The ride to Laura's office seemed to take forever, or maybe he was just a little on edge. But the elevator doors couldn't open fast enough when he finally reached her floor.

She was hard at work, like he knew she would be. If there was anything his ex loved more than money, it was her work.

He tapped on the ajar door. Laura looked up from the file in her hands, took off her horn-rimmed reading glasses, and smiled at him. "Li, what a lovely surprise! Please come in."

Liam didn't take the seat she offered. Instead, he crossed the room and gazed at the view of Forrest Creek in the distance while he vaguely listened to her potter about behind him.

She joined him moments later and handed him a drink.

He stared suspiciously at the whiskey glass, to Laura's amusement.

"Relax, I didn't poison it."

To prove she didn't, she took a long sip. "See, I didn't die!"

Liam nodded, guzzled it down in one go, and held out his glass for more.

Laura wore a worried look in her eyes as she topped him up. But she knew better than to voice her concern. They were no longer in that kind of relationship.

They turned to the window and drank their whiskey in silence until their glasses were empty.

"Why did you do it?"

"It wasn't me," she denied it and touched his arm to reassure him. "I'd never do that to you, Li. I love you."

Liam snorted and gave her a sidelong glance. "I'd hate to be on the receiving end of your hate if that's how you show your love."

"That's not fair," she said. "I didn't leak anything to Dirt."

"You expect me to believe that? After you threatened me?"

"I know it looks bad, but I didn't do it. Why don't you ask your precious Eden?"

Liam held up his hand to silence her, irritated that Eden kept popping up every time he tried to get to the bottom of the truth. "If you didn't do it, it can only be your mother."

Laura gasped, took a step back, and collapsed in her seat.

He turned and stared at her, surprised by the genuine confusion he saw in her eyes.

"No, my mother wouldn't do that," she said, her breath catching in her throat as she reached for a tissue from the box on her desk and blew her nose. "You can't go around accusing people."

"For her sake, I hope I'm wrong because I won't hold back once I find proof. What she did is criminal."

With his message delivered, Liam set his empty glass down and headed for the door.

"What are you planning to do?" she asked, stopping him before he could slip out of her office. "She's old."

"She should have thought of that. I gave her too many chances," he called over his shoulder. "And I thought I should give you a fair warning. That's why I came to see you today. You're welcome."

His phone buzzed in his hand, and he read Eden's text, relief and worry flitting through him as he imagined the lengths she'd gone to. Turning back to Laura, he held up his phone. "That 'proof' you mentioned, I found it. You'd better start selling everything you have because I'm coming for you and your mother. You should have backed off when I asked you to."

"Li," Laura sniffled behind him. "I'm so sorry."

"So am I," he smiled sadly. "It didn't have to come to this. Goodbye, Laura."

"Did you get your answers, sir?" James asked when Liam returned to the car and pushed his seat belt in place.

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