Eden circled back to her apartment and unlocked the fourth-floor unit she shared with her friends. She took off her shoes and snuck inside quietly, careful not to bang the door in case she woke everyone up.
But when she turned around and found three pairs of eyes, shining with anticipation, her plan of making a quiet entrance went up in smoke.
"Hi guys," Eden grimaced, her face as red as the angry birds T-shirt Sienna wore over her grey pyjama pants.
"It smells like a walk of shame in here," Lydia sniffed the air dramatically, and the other two broke into peals of laughter.
"Tsk tsk," Sienna clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "So much for saving yourself for marriage!"
"We've revoked your sainthood," Cassandra chimed in as she took the muffin box from her, scowling when she peeked inside. She hated any store-bought goodies because she knew she could do a way better job. But today her disappointment, as she loudly made it known, was not with the muffins.
"Really, with all the bazillions in his bank accounts, he sent you off with only ten muffins? What happened to diamonds being a girl's best friend? Who is this guy?" She threw her hands up dramatically, shoved the box in Sienna's hands and vanished beyond the entryway.
"You, Missy, have some explaining to do!" Lydia grabbed Eden's hand and dragged her to the living room where Cassandra sat on the grey L-shaped couch poring over a newly published cookbook by a has-been reality TV star, her knees tucked to her chin.
Sienna remained in the kitchen and made everyone coffee to have with the muffins. She was the Mom of the group and indulged everyone. Cassandra took on the Dad role and kept everyone in line. Lydia, the rebellious child, kept them all on their toes with all her mischief. And Eden's sainthood, which she had now lost overnight, had made her the wise sage. Everyone came to her with all their problems, never mind that she was the least experienced and the most naive of the four.
"You are not allowed to start without me!" Sienna yelled from the kitchen, her voice competing with the kettle whistling on the gas cooker.
"Tell us already," Lydia was practically jumping from her position on the paint-splash patterned rug.
"There's nothing to tell," Eden shrugged as she crashed in the teal wingback chair they affectionately called the throne. They picked it up for a steal at the flea market when they first moved in, and they've fought over it since. Not because it was so comfortable, but because of the sun sneaking through the lace-curtained windows behind it. Their flat was morbidly cold, so any bit of warmth was a luxury around here. After the night she had, Eden thought she deserved to sit on the throne the whole day.
"I'm here, the tale of the virgin saint ravished by a roguish prince can begin!" Sienna squealed as she rushed in with a tray of steaming yellow mugs and a matching plate, overflowing with muffins and two-days old hot cross buns.
"There was no ravishing!" Eden said crossly and took her mug.
"Sure, says the stench of sex clinging all over you," Lydia nodded innocently.
Eden quickly sniffed herself, sending her friends into another round of giggles.
"Stop it, you guys!" She pouted and drank her coffee. Even with all the gallons of milk, it was still bitter. Sienna didn't make good coffee, and they all knew this, but they continually trusted her with this very sacred job.
"Just one question," Cassandra gasped for air, struggling to breathe and laugh all at once. "Are his pubes just as red?"
"Oh my god, you went there!" Sienna rolled on the couch, tears streaming down her face.
"No comment!" Eden clenched her teeth, her arms crossed over her chest, she glared straight ahead. She would never tell her friends this, and she figured they knew the answer anyway, but yes, his hairs were fiery down there too, but a much darker shade and oh how she had loved touching him.
A familiar ache tingled between her thighs as she remembered how full she'd felt when Liam was buried deep inside her. She bit her lower lip, stifling a whimper.
"Eden! Snap out of it, OMG, you are practically drooling." Lydia screamed, "what were you thinking about?"
"Nothing." She lied quickly, her cheeks as hot as the moistness at her centre. She didn't understand how she could be so wet just thinking about Liam.
"So? How was your first time?" Sienna asked, all the amusement gone from her eyes. "Was he as good as his past lays claim he is?"
Eden thought for a moment; she had no previous experience to compare with. But for her first time, other than the soreness and tenderness she felt every time she moved, she had no complaints. She wouldn't mind seconds and thirds and maybe tenths and hundreds. Liam knew how to please her, how to touch her and how to make her scream. Just her rotten luck he's taken.
"So, how was it?" Cassandra asked, and Eden blinked, stunned by the expectation in the six eyes glued to her.
"Well," she pushed up her glasses and bit her lower lip shyly. "It was supernatural."
"Oh my god!" Her friends screamed in unison, jumping and wiggling all over the place.
"Are you seeing him again?" Sienna asked, her eyes hopeful.
Eden shook her head and burst into tears.
"Oh dear, was is that good you have to cry?" Cassandra asked as they all reached for her and held her.
"He's getting married, you guys!" She bawled, snot and tears dripping down her face. "He's getting married, and I want him so bad! I want him to make me feel good again!"
"What do you mean he's getting married?" Lydia's eyes were wide with shock. "He has a three-month rule."
"He found someone who made him want to break his three-month rule," Eden wailed some more as she took a Kleenex box from Sienna and blew her nose. For someone so tiny, she always stunned everyone with the loud, unnatural sounds she makes when she blows her nose.
"That can't be," Cassandra said. "There's no way Rock Castle's numero uno billionaire playboy will ever get married."
"He is," Eden insisted and went on to explain how she found out about his impending wedding.
"So that's why they were there? To celebrate his bachelor party?"
Eden nodded.
"And he still took you home with him?" Sienna fumed. "Unbelievable! What a dick!"
"Well, I asked him," Eden admitted. It would be so easy to let him take all the blame, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. She had to own her part.
"Why would you do that when you knew he's getting married?" Cassandra asked in a patient tone, stepping into her Dad role with ease.
"I wanted to be a little reckless!" Eden yelled, shocking everyone with her misplaced rage. "I was a good girl for twenty-four years, followed all the rules, saved myself for the right guy and what the hell do I have to show for it? A broken engagement one month before what was supposed to be the happiest day of my life."
"Eden, I'm so sorry," Cassandra said softly.
"If everyone played fair and stuck to the rules, I'll still be in Greece right now, enjoying my honeymoon with my new husband," Eden said. "I know it was wrong, and I shouldn't have, and now I'm as nasty as Olive for sleeping with someone else's man. But I got tired of playing fair, and I was hurting. And you know what, for at least seven hours I was happy in Liam's arms. God, I was so happy, and now all I feel is the same hollowness I've felt for the past six weeks."
"Oh, dear!" Sienna said. "You sound like you have it bad for this guy."
Her words blew Eden's mind, and she couldn't understand how Sienna had even come to that conclusion.
"No. Liam was my rebound guy. I'm still in love with Simon."
"Is that why you're still wearing that?" Lydia glared at the Princess cut diamond ring dazzling on her finger.
"You have to take it off," Cassandra repeated what she's been saying these past few weeks.
And like she's done of late, Eden refused to listen to their well-meaning advice. She knew keeping the ring was tacky as fuck, and she should have returned it. But it was the only tangible thing she had to remind her the past four years were real, that their love was real, and she meant something to Simon once upon a time.
If he'd let her keep Snow, the Maltese poodle they jointly adopted from the animal shelter they volunteered at, she would have given him his ring back.
"I'm going to bed," she said as she finished her coffee and placed the mug on the bamboo coffee table, a hand me down from Sienna's folks.
"Are you seeing your parents today, should we wake you up later?" Lydia called after her, and Eden shrugged them off. Her parents, in not so many words, had made it very clear the end of her engagement was solely her fault. She wasn't in the mood for another self-esteem bashing, accusatory session disguised as a good-intentioned lunch.
In her room, she drew the curtains and buried herself under the heavy, brightly coloured duvet and the millions of scatter cushions on her queen-sized poster bed, and cried herself to sleep.
The last sane thought she had before dreams about Liam filled her troubled mind was if she'd ever get to feel thousand-thread count sheets again.
It was past midday when Liam finally came out of his postcoital coma. He expected to find Eden beside him; it wouldn't be the first time his hookups overstayed their welcome.But when he turned onto his side and found her spot empty, he was strangely confused.He sat up and groaned. His pounding head made worse by the glaring light bursting through the floor to ceiling windows as his butler flicked the switch on the wall to draw the blinds."Christ, Dave, do you mind?""I'm sorry, Sir, you have been summoned to the house. Your father wants to see you immediately.""Tell him I can't see him today," Liam groaned as he gladly accepted the hangover cure and two Aspirins. He had a feeling he'd need something stronger than an Aspirin if his father has his way."He needs you home in an hour," Dave said and turned to leave.Liam stopped him, "Handle Eden for me.""She's gone already, Sir.""What do you mean gone?" Liam asked, st
As Liam cruised through the quiet, jacaranda tree-lined streets of Glen Eagles, an affluent suburb north of Rock Castle, it wasn't the meeting with his father that occupied his thoughts. He was still fuming over Eden, bewildered that she had the nerve to leave him.It would have been comical if it wasn't so mortifying.He stopped outside the massive, black iron-wrought gate in front of a sprawling mansion on the cul de sac, rolled down his window and jabbed at the intercom irritably.He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently to the beat of the fast-paced dance tune shaking the metal walls of his Ferrari as he waited for one of several housekeepers and butlers to buzz him in. The Lamborghini he drove last night was at the garage. He vaguely remembered Steven, his driver, mention something about it needing maintenance before he left.Within seconds the gate squeaked inward, and Liam eased into a circular driveway surrounded by manicured lawns
With several bookshelves and thousands of books lining the wood-panelled walls and the dark furnishings reminiscent of a centuries-old gentleman's club, his father's study was probably the most intense room in the house. But, it was also one of Liam's favourite places. He remembered all the rare times he, Willow and Holly had spent in here, crowded on the floor while they read or played with their toys, happy to have their father home and wanting to be as close to him as possible because they never knew when they'll see him again. Clarke was always out of town, out of the country, chasing one big fish of a client after another. He missed so many important days. Probably why most had ended up as snapshots lined up on the fireplace. Liam and his sisters never resented him, though. When Clarke was present, he was the best father in the world, and when he wasn't, he spoiled them rotten with insane gifts flown from all over the world to make up for his absence. "T
The call came just as Liam left the race track. When he saw the name flashing on the screen, he ignored it, and his sister went to his voicemail. He wasn't in the mood to listen to Willow go off at him about his irresponsible, selfish actions. They'd had a lot of such calls in the past several weeks, starting when Senior first brought up his succession plan. His phone pinged again. This time it was a text from Holly, the youngest Anderson child. As the baby of the family, Holly was the most spoilt and self-entitled. Their parents could never refuse her anything. Liam figured being a renowned ballerina helped, because no matter how ridiculous her demands were, Clarke and Lois would bend over backwards to cater to her every want and need. When Holly wanted her very own private ballet studio, Clarke had bought a warehouse and refurbished it specifically for her needs. When she demanded a six-bedroom penthouse in Rock Castles' prime location, an a
There were several guards stationed throughout the floor and two outside Clarke's private ward. Their only job was to keep the media out. The last thing they wanted was stories of his father, true or otherwise, making the rounds. A CEO on his deathbed wasn't good for business and share prices. Lois flew to him when they walked in. He hugged her, and she wept harder as he gently patted her head. It all made sense now, Liam thought, her lack of inspiration, the listlessness, the faraway look in her eyes. It wasn't that she couldn't paint. His Mom didn't want to. How could she when her best friend and soulmate was staring death in the face? "Oh Mom," Liam whispered in her hair as he squeezed her. "You should have told me." "You are here now," Lois gave him a shaky smile as she sat down again and took his father's hand. Liam reluctantly approached the bed, a visceral feeling of terror bubbling at the pit of his stomach. He couldn't understand how Clarke h
The next several weeks passed in a blur as Liam adjusted to his new role. He was constantly sitting in various meetings, attending numerous conferences in and out of the country and making sure his father received the best treatment. His days began as early as 4:00 AM and some nights he'd only drag himself to bed after 2:00 AM. He was cranky and short-tempered, not surprising since he was running on two hours sleep at the very least. In those first few weeks, he made a lot of enemies in and out of the company; as a result, his security detail had to be ramped up following anonymous death threats. Liam found the endless army of guards annoying, but the board didn't want to take any chances, not when Anderson Logistics’ share prices took a beating following the news of his father's illness. He wasn't their best choice, but for now, he was the only Messiah who could safely wade them out of shit-creek.He made a lot of shakeups internally. He disbanded the
Crush was hopping when Liam finally made it there almost an hour later.There were people everywhere, grinding and stepping on each other. Liam was glad his cousins had a VIP booth. He couldn't handle all the rowdiness tonight."You made it!" Julian hiccupped over the loud music; his speech already slurred as he stood and hugged him, almost toppling him over."Easy buddy." Liam pushed him back on the sectional couch and turned to Matthew. "How much did he drink?""All those," his cousin pointed at a line of empty shot glasses lined up on the bright yellow cube."What happened?" Liam asked as a scantily dressed waitress appeared at his side. He ordered the most expensive bottle of bourbon. After the hellish day, no, few weeks he's had he deserved every drop."He got dumped," Matthew said. "She left him for a wealthier, older man.""Ouch!" Liam touched his heart dramatically and rolled his eyes heavenward."How's the old man?"
Liam's night wasn't about to get any better. He found Laura waiting in his living room. "What are you doing here?" He demanded as he dumped his messenger bag on the couch and threw off his jacket. He was planning to go over the dozens of reports waiting for him and prepare for an out of town meeting. "I missed you, Li." She pouted as she pranced to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back. They were ‘on’ again it seemed, Liam thought. After being ‘over’ for four months. He couldn't remember what ticked her off the last time. But he was pretty sure it was his fault. It was always his fault. "I have to work tonight," Liam pushed her hands away and turned to the stairs. He had to be upfront with her; there could be no misunderstandings and unnecessary expectations. "I have to work every night from now. If you thought I didn't have time for you before, I sure as hell won't have any now." "I know," she cried as she ra
[Six Months Later]... After months of preparations, Eden's weeklong exhibition at Fugue was a smashing success. She even managed to sell two of her paintings. But with all the smiling and pandering she had done to Rock Castle's uber-rich, she would not have expected anything less. So when Saturday rolled around, the only thing she wanted to do was to crash on the couch and put up her feet. Not a lot for a girl to ask. But she wasn't destined to enjoy the little things in life. Having tried every trick in the book to get her to give up her spot on the couch and leave the house with him, Liam finally let the cat out of the bag. Her friends had tasked him with the sacred job of dropping her off at Heat for a surprise baby shower. Eden didn't want to go anywhere, but she would never hear the end of it if she didn't show up. So she threw on a pair of black leggings—the only thing in her closet that still fit her— and Liam's denim
As Liam watched Eden slowly make her way to him, he was overcome with emotion. The whole day he had tried to keep it together, and he had lost track of the number of times his cousins had had to stop him from running to her guest suite to see her. And now that she was here, and they were so close to the start of their next chapter, hard as he tried to blink away his tears, Liam couldn't. He choked back a sob, unable to believe how lucky he was. He had never seen that many brides before, but Eden took the number one spot from the few that he had. She looked incredible in her dress, a vision of grace and elegance and beauty, exactly how he imagined a real-life princess would look. But then again, she was his Princess, his hell, his paradise, and her slow progress down the aisle wasn't working for him. He crossed the room in few quick strides, and in a heartbeat, he had her in his embrace as he kissed her fiercely, much to everyone's surprise and cheers.
Wedding fever hit town as soon as the press release about Eden and Liam's impending nuptials went out. For days the announcement, posted on Anderson Logistics website and all the company's socials, was the number #1 trending topic on all social media platforms. The internet was in disbelief. Thousands of Liam's adoring fans couldn't accept that the day they had dreaded was finally upon them, and the Three-Month Prince was officially off the market. Well, almost off the market. Like most people who have an unhealthy obsession with their idols, they had to share their outrage and sadness with strangers on the internet. Overnight, Eden became the villainess, the woman who had ruined all their fantasies, and they couldn't understand why, out of all the beauties in the universe ready to fall at his feet, Liam would choose her. She had to have used some kind of witchcraft or love spell on him, they said. And when Sienna's exposé on t
Liam headed straight to his study as soon as they got home and spent almost an hour on the phone with his father. Like he'd expected, Clarke was against the meeting and even more disturbed when he brought up the idea of dropping the charges. "Are you insane?" His father barked on his end, and if they were in the same room, Liam knew he would have likely throttled him. "We almost lost you. You almost died! How can you even think about this?" "What other choice do I have, Dad? He's watching Eden. We're getting married in three weeks. I don't want to keep looking over my shoulder. What kind of life will that be for Eden and our children?" "James told you there's a way to handle this. Aleksei and his brother are dogs. They should be put down." "And what will that make us?" Liam asked sadly. "I didn't call to ask for your permission. I was simply informing you the meeting with Andrei is happening." He clicked off before his father could pus
The botanical gardens were in the northern part of Rock Castle, and on a good day, it would have taken them under ten minutes to get there from Van Holt Industries. But, it took them almost twice as long because, by the time they left the doctor's rooms, every man and his dog was out and about, running their morning errands. By the time they arrived, the place was almost packed to capacity. Everywhere they turned, they were greeted by people on their picnic blankets with their wicker baskets; others were on camping chairs under big shady umbrellas, already sipping beers and turning sausages and steaks on their braai stands even though it wasn't even 10:00 AM yet. "Look at this place," Eden murmured, her eyes flitting everywhere. "We can't let Aiden out of our sight. I don't want a repeat of the aquarium. What if Aleksei is here?" "He's in jail, remember?" Liam reminded her as he lifted her chin. "He can't hurt us." "But his brother is around—"
Liam never thought he'd survive two weeks in hospital. But he did. With lots of patience, tons of reports and proposals to keep him sane and an endless supply of meds to ease his pain. Before he knew it, the dreaded family fun day, months in the making, finally snuck upon them. However, Anderson Logistics' big day coincided with his hospital release and their first check-up with Dr Emily. Eden was highly strung, anxious out of her wits when she came to pick him up. "There's so much to do today," she wrung her hands as they watched James scoop Aiden up and grab Liam's travel bag. It was amazing how much stuff he had managed to collect over the past couple of weeks. His duffel bag was now heavier than it was when Eden first dropped it off. "Tell me what's wrong," Liam said as he wheeled himself around the room and paused in front of her. He didn't need the wheelchair now, but he found it very comfortable, way better than sitting on the stiff bed. "So, what's wrong?" he pulled her do
The thought of spending an indefinite amount of time in the hospital did not please Liam at all, so as soon as they returned to his ward after their brisk walk, he tried every trick in the book to get Eden to speak to the doctors and get them to discharge him. But she refused to do his dirty work, much to his dismay. He thought she would want him home as soon as possible. "Whose side are you on?" He glared at her. "Yours, of course. I don't want to take any chances, you know," she said as she helped him up on the bed. Their son was now sitting on the floor, craning his neck at the blank TV screen in the corner and sipping his boxed juice. Liam had never met a kid who loved TV as much as Aiden, and he wondered if it was normal. Maybe spending all that time with Brenda during the day wasn't such a good thing. Maybe he needed to start going to school to get his mind stimulated. "I'm someone's fiancée now, you know, and I need the groom pr
Later that evening, when Eden walked into Liam's ward with Aiden in her arms, she was surprised to find him clean-shaven and fully clothed in joggers, sneakers and a hoodie as if he was ready to go somewhere. "Dad!" Aiden shrieked with joy as soon as he saw his father rolling around the room in a wheelchair. Liam roared right back at him, his voice thundering through the room as he opened his arms. "Kool-Aid!" Eden set their son down, and he ran to his father. Liam scooped him up despite his visible agony but yelped out in pain when he tried to throw him up in the air. Eden was instantly at his side, worry dancing in her eyes, the travel bag in her hands falling at her feet with a dull thud. Aiden, too, look just as concerned. "I'm okay," Liam assured them, but the anguish on his face told a different story. "Why are you even out of bed?" Eden scolded him, much to Aiden's disapproval. "Mom, no!" He shook his hea
Eden looked up, startled out of her mind to see his eyes were open. "Liam!" She was instantly on her feet and kissing him on the lips as she sobbed so loud she thought she'd wake the patients in the neighbouring rooms. "Oh my God, it's true. You're awake! I was starting to think they lied." "If you keep crying, I might just pass out again!" He growled and patted the empty spot on the bed. "Come here!" She sank beside him, and he drew her closer and placed his hand on her tummy. "How's my little warrior?" Eden burst into tears again at his words. "You heard everything I said that night?" "Of course I did," he smiled tearfully as well. "I may have been dying, but I'm not deaf, you know." "And you're not angry?" "Why would I be angry?" Liam asked. "Because you just found out about Aiden and now—" "Now our family will be complete," he pulled her down, and she nestled in his arms, careful not to touch his wound. "I l