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68|Living A Lie
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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Laura Stone is such a media whore," Lydia announced as she held up her phone.
"You searched for her? Why?" Eden asked, wishing she hadn't mentioned the other woman."Well knowing you, you weren't going to stalk her!" Lydia smirked and pointed at herself proudly. "So, I— your trusted FBI agent—will do all the internet stalking for you, and dig up every piece of dirt on her. You're welcome!""Thanks!" Eden said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. But she took the phone from her friend and scrolled through Laura's gallery on her social media page.Her heart broke anew when she came across a few photos of the other woman posing with Liam's sisters at various social events.She sighed sadly as she gave the phone back to Lydia. Laura was clearly close to Liam's family, seeing she's so buddy-buddy with his sisters."She's got quite a profile," Cassandra murmured as she looked through her phone. "She's twenty-eight and an attorney at Hayes and Jon
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Begin Again 69|Paradise Is Home
Liam was in his living room, destroying his cousins in a heated round of F1 2020 when his head of security called. He paused the game and grabbed his phone from the coffee table. "Dude, that's such a pussy-ass move!" Matthew barked from behind him. "It would be if I was losing," Liam smirked over his shoulder. "I have to take this." "Anderson," he breathed into the phone as he stepped onto the patio. "Sir, Paradise is home," James said on his end. "I'm sorry, paradise what?" Liam asked, puzzled by the other man's announcement. "Paradise," James murmured. "That's the code name for the Missus. Since her name's Eden, which means paradise, the guys thought it's a great code name for her. What do you think?" After the long evening he's had, Liam wasn't in the mood for the other man's theatrics. He gripped the phone tightly in his hand and breathed in slowly as he mentally counted to ten. Confident that he can speak w
Begin Again 70|Modest People Deserve Nice Things
"So, who's it for?" Matthew asked as Liam returned the vase inside the box and reached for the painting. It was an impressionist print and nothing to write home about, at least not for the price he'd paid. The only reason he'd shelled out a small fortune for it was the artist had recently died in a car crash following a drug-fuelled joy ride on the N1 highway. For some warped reason, the art world thought his works were worth far more now that he's dead than when he was still alive. "Yeah, you're bringing out the big guns. I'm guessing it's for a woman!" Julian got straight to the point. "Please tell me it's not for Laura!" Matthew said and chugged his beer. "You just escaped with your life. I beg you, don't go back there." "It's for Eden!" "The same Eden you hate?" Julian's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Shut up! I didn't say I hate her," Liam scoffed. "It's my apology." "For what?" "The cookie incident," Liam replied
Begin Again 71|With The Boss
A gentle tap on the door pulled Liam away from his laptop, and he was surprised when Eden walked in with a file in her hand. He didn't expect to see her before the marketing meeting after lunch, and he certainly didn't think she would ever want to come to his office again willingly, given their last showdown in this very room. This sudden turn of events pleased him greatly. He gawked at her openly, taking in every little thing about her, from her side-swept hair to the black knee-length dress and matching pumps she wore. Was she always so pretty, or did it happen overnight? Was that even possible? Good grief, why was he even noticing how pretty she is when he should still be annoyed with her? "Mr Anderson," Eden said from the door, and he waved her over. "What can I do for you?" Liam asked softly, praying he doesn't say something stupid to mess up this golden opportunity. Now's his chance to make things right wi
Begin Again 72|I Want Your Friend
They were at his childhood home in Glen Eagles in fifteen minutes. Sitting around the fireplace and enjoying their mid-morning snack, his parents were pleasantly surprised to see him when he walked into the parlour with Eden in tow. "Sit!" He glowered at her, pointing at the loveseat in front of the French windows overlooking the back garden. Eden hesitated ever so briefly—as if she's debating whether to challenge him or not—before she sat down. "Mom, Dad," Liam began. "You both remember Eden, my new assistant. She has a few questions for you." Eden nodded and stammered all over his parents. "Mr and Mrs Anderson, it's a pleasure to see you again." "Please call me Lois," His mom laughed, her face beaming with delight. "'Mr and Mrs Anderson' makes us sound so old and stuffy, right, Clarke?" His father cleared his throat and nodded his agreement. "Yes, of course. How are your parents, my dear? It was wonderful seeing them after su
Begin Again 73|Make You Mine
Eden tried every excuse in the book to get out of the business dinner with Liam. She'd declined his invitation as soon as Clara sent it last night and again this morning, citing everything from being sick with a sudden bout of flu to Aiden not having a nanny, an obvious lie since Brenda lives with her. Liam saw right through her bullshit reasons and rearranged his whole diary for her, moving their appointment from 7:00 PM to earlier in the day. He was determined to get his money's worth from her and make sure she brings Lydia to the fold by any means necessary. Promptly at 4:00 PM, he knocked on her door, and Eden sucked in her breath when she looked up from her laptop, and their eyes clashed. She was convinced, now more than ever, Liam was sent on earth with the sole purpose of tempting her. He looked sinfully dapper in a navy three-piece suit and his usual white shirt, but he had abandoned the matching tie he'd worn throughout the day.
Begin Again 74|We Can Work With That
Eden was floored by Liam's announcement, the butterflies in her stomach skipping out of control again while her heart jumped to her throat. His half-empty bottle of wine didn't seem like a terrible idea now. Maybe a glass, half even, would do a fantastic job of calming her nerves because, quite frankly, her Evian water wasn't cutting it. But the last time she touched alcohol, she ended up in Liam's bed and pregnant with his child she's yet to inform him of. To avoid making another catastrophic mistake, Eden picked up her water instead, her hand trembling slightly. "I don't think that's going to be possible." "Why not?" Liam asked, his eyebrows shooting up. "You don't believe I can make you mine, Princess? You doubt me?" The only person Eden doubted in this whole thing was her. It would be so easy to give in to Liam, to be swept up in the excitement of possibility, to fall in love with the idea of 'what ifs' and allow herself to be consumed by
Begin Again 75|Set My Sights On You
Sometime before lunch, the phone on Eden's desk rang. She knew it's Liam; no one else called her office line. She ignored it and stared listlessly at Isaac's place of employment, at his colleagues puffing away on Marlboros or maybe Stuyvesant's on the rooftop. Tormented beyond her limits by memories of her dinner with Liam last night, Eden finally gave in to the urge. She rifled through her purse, pulled out some notes and dashed to the breakroom, ignoring Liam's frantic calls behind her. She spent a good two minutes in front of the vending machine, unable to decide between her very limited options. The cigarette brand was important; she knew that much; it said something about one's social standing. She may not be the prettiest or smartest candle in the room, but she had class and grace and poise, and her cigarette choice should reflect all her shining qualities. She shoved the notes in the slot and pressed the corresponding numbers of her bra
Begin Again 76|Won't Settle
Eden was still recovering from Liam's announcement when he stunned her again with more revelations of his big plans for their future. "I'm too old to be running around and meeting up in hotels, and I sure as hell won't be waking up in your dinky little house." "Excuse me?" Eden seethed. Did he just insult her house? Did he know how much money she's poured into her place, all that love and time? "My house is hardly little or dinky!" She said, dumping her fork on her plate. "I've worked very hard to do up my place. So for you to insult it, it's truly disheartening, Mr Anderson." "It's Liam. No more 'Mr Anderson'," he reminded her. "And I'm sorry, it wasn't meant as an insult. I should have said it's not as big as this place and won't be comfortable. This place is perfect." "Perfect for what? Perfect for who?" "For us, of course!" Liam groaned and impatiently ran his hand through his hair, his eyes narrowing in her directi
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Begin Again 196|We'll Always Be Together
[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
Begin Again 195|Begin Again
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.
Begin Again 194|First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life
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
Begin Again 193|Something About Almost Dying
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
Begin Again 192|Finish Strong
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—"
Begin Again 191|Too Many Expectations
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
Begin Again 190|We Don't Kill People
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
Begin Again 189|It Will Always Be Yes
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
Begin Again 188|A Lifetime Of Kisses
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
