Page 114 of Begin Again, Part 2

Liam sighed and drummed his fingers on the cold glass surface, his irritation levels rising exponentially the longer he waited. Fifteen minutes had passed since he summoned Mrs Stone to his study, and she was yet to grace him with her presence.

He checked the time on his phone again. Five minutes, he promised himself. If the housekeeper didn't show up in five minutes, he'd go out there and drag her by her hair if he had to. His patience ran out not even a minute later, though, and he scooted out of his chair.

"Dave!" He called out as he lingered in the doorway and scanned the empty hallway.

His butler appeared beside him like an apparition, almost frightening him to death with his quiet voice and unobtrusive movements. "Yes, Mr Anderson?"

"Goodness, Dave!" Liam grumbled. "You've got to make some sound, you know. You can't just sneak up on people like that!"

The butler chuckled. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Where is Mrs Stone?" Liam asked as he stepped back into the study and sat at his desk.

Dave frowned and tilted his head. "I thought she was with you. I told her a while ago you want to see her."

"As you can see, I'm still waiting for her," Liam said, his anger threatening to boil over before the showdown began.

"Don't worry, sir, I'll bring her in." Dave bowed and vanished from the room, returning with the defiant housekeeper five minutes later. He pushed her inside and closed the door behind him, leaving Liam alone with the wayward woman.

He stretched out his legs on the table and laced his hands behind his head. "Mrs Stone, how long have you worked for me?"

"A little over eight years, sir."

"In that eight years, did I ever mistreat you?"

She shook her head quickly. "You've been nothing but kind to me."

"Now, now—" Liam yawned as he stood up and stretched his arms above his head to ease his stiff back, startling her with the sudden movements. She took several steps back from him, only to trap herself against the door.

Unperturbed by her uneasiness, he continued in his quiet tone. "Why do you insist on testing my patience every chance you get when I've treated you with nothing but kindness over the years?"

"I don't understand what you mean, Mr Anderson," she stammered, her eyes resting on everything in the room but him.

"You've broken our NDA more times than I can count."

"I didn't," she cut in quickly, earning herself a mildly irritated look from him.

"I'm still talking," Liam growled.

"I'm sorry, Mr Anderson," she lowered her gaze and stuffed her hands in her apron.

"I know you broke our NDA numerous times, but out of respect for my history with your daughter, I chose to let your indiscretions go in hopes you'll self-correct. But it's clear that you can't."

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to overshare with Laura," Mrs Stone said softly and stared at the plain black shoes on her feet. "It won't happen again.

"You did more than just overshare," Liam said. "I'm curious; how much did they offer you?"

She went ashen at his question, and her shoulders sagged. Surprisingly though, when she looked up, the fear and remorse he expected to find in her eyes weren't there. Instead, he was met by stony insolence.

"I don't know what you mean."

"You do," he grinned, but his eyes remained as cold as hers. "I know you tried to sell the story to Dirt. "What I don't get is what you were hoping to achieve by speaking to the tabloids."

"I still don't know what you're talking about." Mrs Stone raised her chin defiantly and glared at him. "And you can't go around accusing people without proof, Mr Anderson."

"How did I know you'd say that?" Liam pulled out his phone, his fingers running swiftly on the tempered glass while he swiped and tapped his screen.

Moments later, Mrs Stone's phone screeched in the pocket of her apron. She pulled it out, and for the second time in the space of a few minutes, she looked like she'd just seen a ghost. This time, terror flooded her face when she finally looked up from her phone. She ran to him to plead her case, but Liam held up his hand to stop her.

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