Begin Again novel Chapter 169

Cheerful and chatty by nature, both James and Steven were unusually quiet on the drive back to his place, and Liam wasn't exactly in the mood to figure out the reason behind their long faces.

He had a pretty good idea, though.

Both men were less than thrilled with the way he'd handled his confrontation with Eden earlier.

They'd be glad to know it made three of them. But he'd carry all the regrets.

Liam didn't want to admit it, but Linda was right about everything. He should have given himself time to process and accept his new reality instead of rushing to Eden's place like a mad man.

And he certainly should have given her time to acknowledge her mistakes.

But now that he'd already backed them both into a corner and he saw no other way out. The only way to go now was forward.

He laughed—but it sounded like a snort more than anything— when he remembered a bumper sticker he once saw on an old pickup truck, proclaiming hindsight is always 20/20. It was a hell of a cliche and one he'd never believed in till now because up until a few hours ago, he always prided himself on having foresight, on being able to predict how a particular situation will unfold. This time though, his prudence had failed him spectacularly when it came to the shit with Eden.

If he'd just calmed the fuck down.

If he'd just walked away—

"Sir, we are here," James snapped him out of his thousand regrets, and Liam looked up at the house.

With all the lights ablaze, the place looked welcoming enough. But he realised anew he didn't want to be there.

It wasn't home.

Home was on the other side of town, probably still crying her guts out in her living room.

He gently rubbed his chest to ease the knot in his heart at the thought of an inconsolable Eden.

He should call her.

He should reassure her and promise her they'd get through this; it may take time, but they'd work through all their issues.

But God, he was still so livid with her. Where did he even start with forgiving her—

"Sir, would you like to go someplace else? Green Point perhaps or return to Forrest Creek?" Steven asked as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the jazzy beat drifting from the stereo and the gentle rain thrashing the car's roof.

The engine was still running, and Liam just had to say the word, and his driver would gladly end all their misery and take him to where his heart desperately wanted to go.

"Thanks, Steven, that's okay," he murmured as he pushed his door open and jumped out. He and Eden had butted heads enough for one night. Their hearts couldn't possibly take any more bashing tonight.

"See you in the morning," Liam waved goodbye at the two men and trudged up the front steps.

He was emotionally exhausted and should wait until he's clearheaded before making a snap decision that had huge financial implications. But he made one anyway. He called his legal and financial advisors as soon as he'd settled in for the night.

The team of three lawyers, four bankers and a portfolio manager were at his place in no time.

They had a work-in supper as they went over all his financial affairs and amended his portfolios and life policies.

Things got a little heated when Liam showed them the custody agreement Eden had drawn up.

"It's a standard agreement," George Whitman, his lead attorney, said as he perused the document. "You both get joint physical custody of your son."

"I know that," Liam frowned at him. "I can read."

George scratched his head, a troubled look in his eyes. "Then what's the issue?"