Eddie’s POVI stared at the clothes for a while, nervously hoping they would do. As I caught myself straightening another non-existent crease in the shirt I had planned to wear, I chuckled to myself. I had not felt that excited and jittery in so long, specifically six years. The only time I had had such feelings was when Chloe was about to be born. Other than that, my life had been miserably dull and Chloe had been the only light in my dark world.But that will soon come to an end, I assured myself. I continued with my task, chuckling occasionally as I thought of Amelia and the way she had acted towards me that day we met. She was just so adorably cute, and the best thing about that is that she did not even know that she was. My chuckles died down as I thought of how beautiful she was now. Amelia had always been beautiful and while we were still in college, she had that subtle pretty girl next door look. But when I saw her in her boss's office, my first thought had been nothing… My mi
Amelia’s POVLet’s meet at 5:00p.m at Midvale Restaurant. Is that fine by you?I woke up and saw Eddie’s message immediately when I was awake but I ignored it. I thought about replying immediately, but I hurriedly put my phone down on the bed the very moment I opened the keyboard. I refuse to be that silly Amelia who once always replied immediately and always put him first. Besides, he is nothing to me now, just a troublesome client that I have to deal with. I took a deep breath and continued, as I tried to mentally prepare myself for the day and what was to come. You are strong, you are professional, you are hardworking, you will surely get there and things will be fine. Your mom will be fine, your career will be fine and you will even treat Eddie with nothing but professional respect. And after this, you will be free of him and certainly glad to be. You've got this, Amelia!I got up from my bed and began to carry out my morning routines, journaling and a little bit of yoga, wishin
Amelia’s POVEddie's words rang over and over again in my mind on the way back to the hospital. I stared with unseeing eyes at the passing scenery through the window of the cab, my heart beating painfully in my chest.He had broken up with me so cruelly. Did he think one measly apology in a restaurant would resolve that?I scoffed inwardly and tried to convince myself that what I was feeling at that moment was just anger and distaste at Eddie's actions, and not sorrow and regret for what could have been. The cab driver turned on the radio and music immediately began playing. I immediately recognised the song as 'Lover' by Taylor Swift. Tears began to burn in my eyes as the song brought back memories of when Eddie and I had been in love and feeling on top of the world. I immediately had a flashback.(Flashback)'Babe?'I was staring at the screen of my laptop, frustrated by my brain's stubbornness. I had a paper due soon and no matter what I did or wrote, it did not seem enough to me.
Eddie’s POVHearing the indifference in Amelia's voice when she politely accepted my apology made me deflate inwardly. I braced myself for her next words and I had been right to. Immediately after claiming that she had accepted my apology, she went on to dash my hopes of us ever reconciling. I was so sad when Amelia left me alone at the restaurant after telling me that she didn’t want to have anything to do with me again. I stared after her as she walked away from the table, taking my heart with her and dropping it on the floor outside the restaurant. After watching her leave, I remained at the table, staring aimlessly into space until I reluctantly left the place to go back home. On the drive home, the weight of the unresolved tension between Amelia and me hung heavily in the air. The streetlights blurred into streaks of light as I drove, my mind replaying the conversation over and over again. The ache in my chest intensified with each passing mile.I couldn't shake off the feeling o
Amelia’s POVMy heart thumped loudly over and over again until it was all I could hear as I stared at the bills that had been sent to me on my phone. My ears began to ring and tears of frustration welled up in my eyes as I wondered how I would be able to pay off the bills. My eyes grew bigger and bigger as I counted the number of zeros on the receipts. Breathing heavily, I exited the email app and went straight to the calculator app on my phone to calculate the total."Oh my goodness," The soft words escaped my lips as I finished calculating the total. The tears I had been struggling to hold back eventually flowed over and I rapidly wiped them off. Blaire approached me at that moment and her small smile changed to a look of concern as she saw my face.“What’s wrong, Amelia? When did you get back? Are you okay?” She asked.I stared blankly at her, unable to help the tears that flowed freshly at the concerned tone of her voice.“What should I do, Blair?” I sobbed out, hopelessness wash
Amelia’s POVAfter making the payment for my mom’s therapy session, I stared at my phone and I was lost in thought on how to get the remaining money for my mom’s bill. Just then my phone beeped and it was a credit alert from my dad. I was so happy when I saw the money, although it wasn’t that much, it would cover some expenses. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stared at the screen, the numbers on the notification representing more than just a financial transaction—they were a lifeline in a time when I was beginning to lose all hope. With the weight of worry lifted, if only momentarily, I felt a glimmer of hope flicker amidst the uncertainty that had clouded our lives.Quickly, I went to the banking app on my phone, scanning through the details of the deposit. While the amount wasn't substantial, it was a testament to my dad's unwavering support, a reminder that we weren't alone in our struggle. With gratitude flooding my heart, I whispered a silent thank you to him, knowing that his g
Eddie’s POVThe sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as I stood outside Amelia's door, a nervous knot tightening in my stomach. Tonight was our first official date, and despite my best efforts to appear calm and collected, my heart hammered against my chest with a ferocity that threatened to betray my composure.C'mon, Eddie. Toughen up and put a smile on your face. You are grinding your teeth so hard that she will think you don't want to be here, I chasten myself.When Amelia opened the door, her smile washed away the lingering traces of apprehension, leaving only a sense of eager anticipation in its wake. "Hey, Eddie," she greeted, her voice soft and warm like the gentle breeze that rustled through the trees."Hey, Amelia," I replied, my voice betraying the nervous excitement that pulsed beneath the surface. "You look amazing." I was grinning so wide that I probably looked like the joker at that moment.A blush crept across her cheeks, the rosy hue adding to her already radian
Eddie’s POVI yelled at Jenna to confirm if she truly knew about Amelia. At the cold, cruel smirk that painted her lips, I knew that yelling at her had been the wrong thing to do. Jenna was not only cold but also cruel and ruthless. I had most likely fallen into her trap. She had mentioned Amelia to know what my reaction would be and had probably deduced what she meant to me from the way that I had reacted. I glared at her, hating the way she had played me and wondering how I could take her attention off Amelia. After all that had happened and all that I had done to her, the last thing Amelia needed again was for my crazy ex-wife to begin stalking Amelia and causing her trouble.I knew the kind of woman she was and I knew very well from first-hand experience that she could go ahead to trouble Amelia, yelling at her, calling her sorts of names and threatening to destroy her if she failed to leave me alone.Jenna was a rude brat and would do anything to get whatever she wanted. Attackin
Amelia’s POVIt's been a few weeks since Eddie and I had gotten back together. It had taken him only a couple of weeks to convince me to move in with him again, but this time around, it was not as his nanny or his chef, it was as his girlfriend. According to him, he wanted to spend as much time as possible before I had to go back to Florida to resume duty with my agency. Jenna had been slammed with a restraining order along with the promise of a lawsuit if she did not leave us alone. For good measure, Eddie had made sure to properly adopt Chloe as his legal daughter. That way Jenna would not be able to cause us any more trouble.“Babe! Hurry up, we're gonna be late!” That was Edie yelling from downstairs, while I was in the closet in his… in our room, getting ready. Together with my parents, Blair, James, and Chloe, we were all going to a restaurant to celebrate my mom finally beating cancer.I looked down at Chloe who had gotten her hand on my lipgloss and was now putting it on and
Eddie’s POVAmelia's gaze flickered between me and the bustling crowd before she sighed and gestured toward a doorway at the back."Let's talk somewhere else, shall we?"I did not want to have to talk to her. I wanted to be with her at my home, where I could talk to her and have all to myself."Forget the break room," I said, a newfound determination coursing through me. "Let's go somewhere we can actually talk."Amelia hesitated, then shrugged. "Alright," she conceded. "But I do have to finish my shift first."Frustration bubbled up within me, but I knew pushing her wouldn't help. "Fine," I muttered, trying to tamp down on my impatience. "How long?""Just another hour," she replied, checking her watch. "How about we meet somewhere? My place isn't really ideal.""My place is close by," I offered, surprising myself with the boldness. "It's quiet, we can talk there."Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Your place? That wasn't exactly part of the plan, Eddie.""Well, plans change," I said, a play
Eddie’s POV"It was a mistake, Eddie," she choked out, her voice barely audible. "A one-time thing… a long time ago.""A one-time thing?" I repeated, my voice cracking. The image of a younger, naive Jenna flashed before my eyes, a girl I thought I knew everything about. Now, she seemed like a stranger."Who was he?" I demanded with the need to know gnawing at me.Jenna hesitated, then whispered a name I vaguely recognized. It was someone from the film industry, a rising star she'd met during her brief stint in Los Angeles. They had a short fling, a whirlwind romance that ended as quickly as it began.The revelation hit me like a sucker punch. All the doubts I'd ignored, the whispers in the back of my mind, the nagging feeling that things weren't quite right – it all came flooding back with a terrifying clarity. Years of my life were built on a lie. Chloe, my sweet, innocent daughter, was caught in the crossfire of my naivety and Jenna's betrayal.Fury boiled within me, a churning infe
Eddie’s POVThe doctor gave a small smile. "Of course. Let her rest for a few minutes, and then you can go in."As we waited, James explained what little he knew. He'd been picking up Chloe from school when a call came through from the hospital. Apparently, another kid had swerved into Chloe's path while riding his scooter.A surge of anger flared up within me. How could someone be so careless? But the anger quickly dissipated, replaced by a fierce protectiveness over my little girl.Minutes later, we were ushered into the room. Chloe lay propped up in bed, her face pale and drawn, a white cast encasing her arm. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw me."Daddy!" she cried out, her voice small and wobbly.My heart ached at the sight of her distress. "Hey, champ," I said, rushing to her side and pulling her into a gentle hug, careful not to jostle her injured arm. "It's okay, I'm here now."She buried her face in my chest, her small body trembling slightly. I showered her with comforti
Amelia’s POVThe question hung heavy in the air. Friends? Could we really go back to that after everything that had happened? A part of me longed for the simplicity of our old friendship, the easy camaraderie we'd shared. But another part of me worried that friendship wouldn't be enough. The feelings I had for Eddie, the unspoken desires that had simmered beneath the surface of our relationship, wouldn't just disappear. They would linger, a constant reminder of what could have been.Taking a deep breath, I typed out a reply. "I… I don't know, Eddie. Honestly, I need some time to think. This whole situation has been a lot to process.""I understand," he replied almost instantly. "Take all the time you need. Just know that… I care about you, Amelia. More than you probably realize."His words sent a blush creeping up my neck. Did he really feel the same way? Or was this just a desperate attempt to hold onto me in any way he could? I didn't have the answers, and the uncertainty gnawed at
Amelia’s POVI stared at the message for what felt like an eternity, my mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions. Finally, with a shaky breath, I typed out a reply."Eddie," I began, my fingers hovering over the screen, "I… I don't know what to say. Thank you for the money. It means the world to me and my mom. But ...is everything alright? James said you collapsed. Are you in the hospital?" I hit send, the weight of the question hanging heavy in the air. The money, the cryptic message – it all pointed to something more serious than he was letting on.The wait for a response stretched into an agonizing eternity. Just as I started to pace the room, my phone buzzed. It was Eddie."Amelia," his voice rasped through the phone, weaker than I'd ever heard it. "Yes, I'm in the hospital. They're still trying to figure things out, but the doctor says I have Angiina due to stress."My chest tightened. Stress. The word echoed in my head, a stark reminder of the turmoil I'd left him in. "Eddie,"
Amelia’s POVI knew that there was no way that he and Jenna had actually been together in the way that she had been insinuating.Jenna had probably been playing another of her manipulative tricks. Regardless, I was exhausted and had had to tell myself that it would be better to end it with Eddie than to be dealing with hurt and frustration every day. James had been giving me updates on both Chloe and Eddie and although I knew I should tell him to stoop so that I could have a clean break, I did not think I had the heart to do so.The rhythmic rumble of the bus engine vibrated through the worn leather seat I occupied. Outside the window, the cityscape blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors, each passing image signifying my new reality. A reality where I, Amelia Brooks, was no longer Eddie Turner's nanny. Today's successful interview meant I could finally stand on my own two feet, financially independent. A bittersweet victory, considering the reason behind this newfound freedom.A soft c
Eddie’s POVHis words held a truth that stung. Jenna's behavior had become increasingly erratic, her possessiveness suffocating. But the thought of facing Amelia, of dredging up the hurt and confusion of that day, filled me with dread.I could not say anything, I could only nod my head in response. Just then, my head began to pound again, this time around in sync with my heart.My vision swam, the pounding in my head morphing into a relentless drum solo. The room seemed to tilt on its axis, James' concerned face warping into a blurry mess. A guttural cough ripped through me, sending another jolt of pain lancing through my chest."James…" I croaked, the word a raspy whisper. My hand reached out, blindly grasping for something solid. My fingers brushed against the armrest of the chair, anchoring me momentarily."Eddie, mate! What's wrong?" James' voice was laced with alarm, his concern cutting through the fog clouding my mind."Head…" I managed, the word slurred. My grip on the armrest
Eddie’s POVAmelia had left a gaping hole in my heart."But will she ever come back?" Chloe persisted, her lower lip trembling slightly."I… I don't know, sweetheart," I admitted, the truth a bitter pill to swallow. A heavy sigh escaped Chloe's tiny lips. "Okay," she mumbled, staring out the window with a wistful expression. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken emotions.Reaching over, I squeezed her hand gently. "Look," I began, my voice softened with love. "No matter what happens with Amelia, you'll always be my little girl. And no matter what, I'll always be here for you. Always."Chloe looked at me, a flicker of reassurance sparking in her eyes. "Really?" she asked, her voice a hesitant whisper."Really," I confirmed, my voice firm with conviction. "You're the most important thing in the world to me, you know that?"She nodded slowly, a small smile gracing her lips. For a moment, the tension seemed to ease, a fragile connection established between us.Reaching t