Noah's POV:It doesn't matter how much I try to understand. I just can't wrap my head around why this matters so much to her. I wanted one night without all this between us, just one night where it would be just me and her. No work. No one else. No distractions.Earlier when she refused to go out for dinner with me, I'd tried to convince her. My motivation wasn't completely selfish either. She's been putting so much energy into all of this work stuff and it has clearly taken an emotional toll on her. I'd wanted to give her just one night without all this hellish overtime.I know she takes her job seriously but this is beyond any semblance of normal levels of workaholicism.She's not looked up from her work once in the last thirty minutes. I know because I've been watching her. It's getting late and usually she'd be telling me round about now that she's starving and we'd be ordering in takeout. But apparently not tonight.Her behaviour makes little sense to me. I know why I'm invested i
Eden's POV:"I don't know."It's an impossible question to answer. For one thing, I really can't believe that grandma knew about this. There's no way she'd just sit on this sort thing. She's so headstrong. She'd never have allowed someone in the company to do this. But the idea that she might not have only known about but perhaps been involved too, is beyond my level of comprehension.Grandma wouldn't. I really don't think she would but I can't tell Noah that because as far as he knows I have no grounds for my belief in her character.Instead, I try not to think of it. If grandma is involved - which I really don't believe she is - then I'll worry about that when I find the evidence to prove it. I wouldn't let myself be weighed down by the worst case scenario until we know for sure. Leaning into Noah's side, I rest my head in the crook of his shoulder.He's talking but I'm not really listening. The sound of his voice is so calming and I can feel myself drifting off to sleep but when the
Noah's POV:Last night I'd called Eden as soon as I arrived home. It had been hard to leave her apartment and so I'd rushed to pull out my phone as soon as my front door closed behind me, fearing that she might have already gone to bed. It had been late after all.She'd answered though and we'd spent the best part of two hours talking about absolutely nothing.This morning though, I'm absolutely exhausted. Before heading up to the office, I pop across the street to pick up my regular order of coffee. I've already spoken to Eden by text this morning and I'm in a great mood. I drop a quick reply to her last message. I'm disappointed when I don't immediately see the three little dots that tell me she's typing out her reply.I pay for the coffees and exit the cafe, preparing to cross the street. Waiting at the pedestrian crossing, I smile when my eyes land on Eden. She's standing outside the company and I automatically lift my hand to wave to her but pull it back when I see that she's
He can't be her father. Eden's parents are both dead. He could be her uncle, I suppose. Or a family friend? He's definitely too young to be her grandfather and I've always had the impression that Eden's grandma was the only family she had left. She's certainly next mentioned a granddad.I've been able to think of little else over the last few days, I'm not sure why I'm so interested. It's not like it really matters. Except that I want to know everything about her. And that curiosity is highly frustrating.Martin has popped by my office several times in the last few days but he hasn't once spoken to Eden. They haven't so much as exchanged smiles. The whole thing is highly suspicious but I refuse to get overworked about it.I can't ask her about it though because she asked me to trust her judgement and wait for her to tell me who her source was. It's more important than ever that I do that, after the way I behaved when she first joined the company. And now, the last thing I want is fo
An hour or so later, I'm returning to the company. I need to pick up some documents that I need to look over ahead of a meeting I have on Monday with the other team leaders and directors.Part of me wants to leave it and pick it up in the morning but that would mean wasting time that could be spent with Eden.The building is quiet as I make my way up to our floor. Unlocking my office, I let myself in before approaching my desk to find the documents I want. They're easy to find, exactly where Eden told me she left them. Then I'm re-locking my office and making my way out of the department again."I'm sorry Eden." I'm surprised when I hear a voice further down the corridor. I stop short, wanting to hear more.Eden isn't here. She's supposed to be with her grandma but I distinctly heard the person say her name. Perhaps it was my imagination… I've clearly got Eden on the brain. Logically, I should just ignore the voice and go home. That's what I should do but when it comes to Eden I ra
Eden's POV:I'm asleep by the time my grandma arrives home and she's not home when I wake up either. I'd decided to stay the night so that I could at least have breakfast with her but apparently that isn't on the agenda.Something must be going on. It's not like Grandma to miss her birthday dinner.Then again, obviously something is going on. I've seen the company accounts. I know just how messed up everything is but I also know that it's hardly new. Someone has been siphoning money out of the company for over ten years, since before my parents died. And there's no way, my grandma didn't know. She'd have to be completely oblivious not to know.I don't understand why she hasn't said something, shared her concerns. We're family after all.I'm not sure what to do with myself today. My plans have been cancelled and my back up option is clearly to busy to even have breakfast with me. Scrolling through my phone, I consider my options. I could just continue on with the work I have waitin
Noah's POV:My weekend is pretty crappy. Not seeing Eden puts a real dampener on my mood. We text frequently but I feel a little distant, still too annoyed and confused. Of course, for her part she's completely oblivious. She's unaware that I know anything at all. I make up another excuse for why I can't see her on Sunday.I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel and so I try to distract myself with paperwork. It doesn't really work but it's better than moping about feeling sorry for myself.It's insane to think I tried to fire Mrs Clancy's granddaughter. I guess I should count my lucky stars that Eden forgave me for that, rather than feeling angry with her for lying. But it's easier said than done.I want an explanation but I'm obviously not going to get one. At least not today.It's possible that Mrs Clancy asked Eden to look into the company's finances, I guess. And I was trusted to help?But Eden had seemed just as shocked as I'd felt when we found out. I don't think that
Eden's POV:I return to my grandmother's house after my lunch with Stacey, hoping that I might actually see her this evening. She's not home when I arrive, probably at the company. Grandma doesn't usually work on the weekend but I'm too scared to ask her if she's okay. Lately, I've felt like she's keeping secrets from me.Since I have the house to myself, I wander up to my bedroom. It's ridiculously over the top luxurious. It's huge but then again, I guess it has to be to house the seven doll's houses. I approach the last house, the one we never finished. I've thought about doing it myself countless times but I've never actually been able to bring myself to do it.It had always been too painful even thinking about it. We'd barely even started this particular house when my parents died.Sitting down in front of it, I pull out the old sketch book we used to collect our design thoughts. We had it all planned out. My fingers brush across the sheets of paper as the sight of my father's