Begin Again novel Chapter 175

"How did it go, sir?" Both James and Steven asked when he slid in the car. "You and the missus made up? Will she and the baby move in?"

"She played me!" Liam grunted as he loosened his tie and yanked it off his neck. "She fucking backed me into a corner, and one of those idiots in there thought I'd struck gold with a custody agreement I didn't even want. I wanted her to come home! I wanted her and our son home with me. What am I supposed to do now with Aiden on my own?"

"Ask the missus for forgiveness?" Steven offered his two cents, and James quickly shook his head to shut him up.

"Why must I always ask for forgiveness? Why should I beg for forgiveness when Eden lied to me and kept my child away from me? When do I get my apology?"

All thoughts of finding a way to move forward were momentarily forgotten as Liam fumed in his seat and racked his brain, trying to understand how their meeting had turned into such a circus.

"She's apologised, Sir," James reminded him. "I know it's hard, but you have to untangle the knot in your heart and forgive her. The missus made a mistake."

And now I've just made one as well, Liam seethed as he checked his phone, sighing with great disappointment when he saw Eden hadn't called or texted him even though he knew she wouldn't, not after the way she'd stormed out of the meeting.

"How did this happen, James?" He asked.

"You were angry and not thinking straight." His head of security replied.

"That was a rhetorical question!" Liam groaned and stared outside the window, thinking about his uphill battle to win Eden over.

He'd fought many wars in boardrooms and won. He didn't get all his shiny businessman of the year accolades by being nice. If he saw something he liked, he took it, no questions asked and no moment's thought about his opponent's feelings.

Maybe that was his first mistake, treating the custody agreement like it was a business deal.

He should have taken Eden up on her offer when she proposed they handle this shit themselves without involving third parties.

But driven by his pride and anger and arrogance, he thought he could back her into a corner. And that was his second and possibly biggest mistake.

He should have factored in Eden's impulsive nature and sheer stubbornness. And he most definitely should have known she'd come prepared.

Even without legal counsel, she'd managed to flip the tables on him. She'd gone with the extreme choice to force his hand and make him bend to her will.