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91|Rare Moment Of Honesty
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Liam was already in Linda's office, pacing the room when Eden scrambled in, huffing and puffing from taking the stairs because the public elevators were out, and she didn't think she was entitled to use the service elevator on her own.
"You're late," he snapped as soon as he saw her, grunting inaudibly under his breath as he crashed on the couch.
Eden checked her watch, frowning when she saw it was 12:02 PM.
She didn't think his level of irritation was warranted, considering she was only two minutes late. But late was late, and she had to accept her mistake with grace and humility.
She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry the elevators are out, and I had to take the stairs."
"If you'd left your date earlier, you wouldn't have been late." The frown on Liam's forehead deepened the longer he glared at the flowers in her hands.
"I'll do better next time Mr Anderson," Eden said, still making no attempt to step inside the room.
There wa
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"Your bracelet," Linda said. "It's beautiful. May I see it?" Eden didn't want to hand it over, of course, but anything to make the forty-five minutes go quickly. "Sure," she said as she slipped it off and gave it to her. "You're into astronomy?" Linda asked as she held it up, and the tiny star and moon glinted in the sunlight seeping through the window. Eden looked at the clock again. Forty-three minutes. Don't fuck it up. She smiled brightly at the therapist. "I guess. Aiden's obsessed with the moon." "So this represents him?" Linda asked, tapping the moon charm dangling on the gold band. "And you are the star?" Eden nodded, happy to keep this line of enquiry going. "I don't see the sun, though?" "That's his father." Eden blurted without thinking. "Is he not in the picture?" Eden shook her head quickly. "No, he's not." "Maybe someday you'll get to add his charm?" Linda re
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Days after the incident with Lucy, the mark on Eden's face was gone, but Liam's rage still burned bright and hot, more so when he thought back to their session with Linda and how broken she was when she spoke about the assault. No matter how hard he tried to distract himself, nothing would soothe his fury. He thought if HR gave everyone a warning, he'd be okay, and once the chats were gone, he'd be happy. But three days on, Liam was nowhere close to any feelings of contentment. He wanted vengeance. And blood. Lucy's blood. He was running on three hours of sleep and not in the right frame of mind to be making decisions of any kind, especially ones that would impact someone's future so drastically. Backing the hell off was the best thing to do. But he picked up his office phone anyway and called Gibby in. She knocked once and let herself in. "Yes, Mr Anderson?" "Bring Lucy Edison in. I need to deal with her."
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Liam had just opened his laptop again, about to tackle his emails, when Eden flew into his office and touched down like a mini-tornado on a path of destruction, bewildered and almost in tears. "You fired Lucy?" She asked, her voice trembling with anger; it could have been from her tears too. Liam wasn't so sure. As much as he was pissed off at her lack of protocol and waltzing into his space uninvited, he was stunned into silence as he took her in. Her eyes were even more mesmerising when they were not hidden behind her glasses. He guessed she was wearing contacts again. He hadn't seen her in three days because he'd stayed away from her like he'd promised himself, avoided seeking her out even when his heart screamed at him to go to her. He was always good at cutting people off. Never needed to think too much about avoiding someone. But with Eden, he'd learned a humbling lesson: avoiding someone took strength, willpower and sheer grit. But avoiding som
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Clara was waiting in her office when Eden returned from the marketing meeting. She took one look at her beaming face and immediately wanted to vanish back in the direction she just came from. But it was too late; her friend had already seen her. "Eden McBride, you won't believe the amazing news I have!" She squealed, waving a black corporate card in front of her face. Eden sighed and crashed in her seat. "Do I want to know this amazing news?" "Well, the Dragon gave us his corporate card for the team drinks tomorrow afternoon! He said we could choose any place we want." Clara carried on, ignoring her lack of enthusiasm. "That's great, enjoy!" Eden said, praying and hoping Liam's assistant couldn't see the sadness in her eyes. It's been two weeks since Liam tried to fire Lucy, and she begged him to take back his decision. Two weeks since he last kissed and held her. Two weeks of silence from him. She should have been happy he was
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"Are you drunk?" Liam clutched the phone tightly in his hand and shook his head in disbelief as he checked his watch. Two hours. That's how long it's been since he left Eden in the VIP booth, and in that short two hours, she had somehow managed to get shitfaced, even when he told her she shouldn't, even after he had begged her not to be reckless. Now more than ever, Liam was convinced Eden's sole purpose on earth was to torture and torment him. "Why don't you like me?" She asked again, her sobs drowning out her words, and at that moment, with his heart aching at the sound of her tears, he forgot all his anger. "Where are you? I'm coming there right now." His voice was much gentler as he sighed into the phone. "Please like me." Eden hiccuped softly on her end. "I like you so much it hurts. So please like me." Her pleas left him stunned for words. How she could think he doesn't like her when
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Liam called Eden as he made his way upstairs and was mighty relieved when Clara picked up. "Where is she?" He demanded. "She's right here, sir; I was about to call a cab for her." "No need, I'll take her home," he said. "Meet me outside; I'll bring the car around." Five minutes later, he pulled up in his Lamborghini, parking as close to the entrance as possible where Clara was doing her best to prop up a blind drunk Eden. Liam stormed out of the car and approached them, scowling at his assistant before picking Eden up and placing her in the front seat. He dumped her bag and shoes in the back and returned to the sidewalk to wait with Clara. "Jeff's almost here," she said, a wide, drunken smile flickering on her lips as she held on to the street lamp. "I'll be okay, so you can go ahead and take Ms McBride home, sir." "And leave you on your own? As wasted as you are?" Liam asked, crossing his arms. Trying to talk sense int
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