Begin Again novel Chapter 185

Her nerves and shock emptied, Eden stood up, fixed her dress and flushed the toilet before heading to the basins, her eyes clashing with Laura's in the mirror as she rinsed her mouth and wiped it off with Liam's handkerchief.

"What do you want?" She demanded, knowing very well she would regret entertaining the other woman.

"Nothing," Laura smiled wickedly. "I wanted to congratulate you."

"For?" Eden asked as she ran her hand through her hair. It was a bit messy after her quickie with Liam. But now, after her unexpected bathroom stop, it was a hot mess of note.

Franco would be so disappointed.

"Your happy family, of course," Laura pulled out a small perfume bottle and spritzed herself, sending a cloying cloud in Eden's direction. "I underestimated you, but I must admit, it was a brilliant plan—To give Liam a child so you can get your hands on all those billions!"

"I don't have time for your bullshit today," Eden turned and glared at her. "Liam's moved on. You should do the same as well."

"You little witch!" Laura brought up her hand to slap her across the face, but Eden's reflexes were too quick; Lucy had taught her well. She grabbed it and threw it back at her.

"Don't touch me!" She warned her softly. "Or I will retaliate!"

Laura sneered and swept her hair over her shoulder haughtily. "You think you've hit the jackpot with Liam."

"No," Eden shook her head. "It was never about hitting the jackpot. Unlike you, I see the man he is and not the dollar signs swimming in front of your eyes. Maybe if you treated him like a human being instead of a bank card, your fragile relationship could have survived!"

"You bitch!" Laura screeched.

But Eden held up her hand. "Listen to me carefully, Laura. This is the last time we meet this way, the last time you try to use your past with Liam and my son's existence to get into my head, and the last time you speak to me."

"Excuse me—" Laura tried to interject, but Eden was on a roll.

"I'm still talking!" She tapped her index finger on her lips to hush the other woman up. "Now, the next time we run into each other in whichever setting, whatever context, don't even think about coming near me. From now on, you don't exist in my world."

Laura opened her mouth to say something but then seemed to change her mind, and they stood there for a little while, staring at each other in the mirror, both unwilling to back away from their standoff.

At last, the blond cursed under her breath, fished out a lipstick from her bag and quickly retouched her lips before she sashayed her way out of the bathroom. At the door, she turned back briefly to deliver her parting shot. "He's not an easy man to love. Good luck to you! I wish you both well."

"This is not happening!" Eden whispered when she was alone again as she paced outside the cubicles.

How did she get here?

And where was the awesome night Matthew had promised her?

"Fucking hell," she groaned as she closed her eyes and counted slowly from ten. But her mind kept racing back to her confrontation with Laura and the bullet now nestled in her clutch.

The bullet, though, was her biggest concern.

Gibby once told her Liam had received numerous death threats in the past, but nothing ever came of them. So maybe, this, too, was nothing to worry about—

No, Eden mentally shook herself. She'd be an idiot to take Aleksei's threat lightly.

She pulled out her phone to call Liam to suggest they skip the auction and head home; she was ready for their talk. But his voicemail lady picked up.

She was about to try him again when her phone buzzed in her hand.

It was Matthew. "Where are you? The bidding is about to start."

"I'll be there now," Eden said and hung up, ruing the day she met Aleksei as she left the bathroom and grabbed a champagne glass from a buffet table outside the dining hall. She downed it one go before she entered the already packed room with her third glass in her hand.

She sat down between Liam and Matthew and sipped her drink before she turned to introduce herself to the six or so unfamiliar faces at their table— all execs from departments she hadn't worked with before.

"Are you okay?" Matthew asked, a worried frown in his eyes.

"Yeah, where were you?" Liam added. He looked just as concerned.

Eden ignored their questions and bounced her leg impatiently, a clear sign she was agitated. "Is there any way we can leave right now?"

"Why? The auction's just started," Liam pointed out. "This is important to Anderson Logistics. And what the hell happened to your arm?"

He jerked his head at the faint bruise Aleksei's fingers had left on her skin.

"Nothing," she lied quickly and averted her eyes.

"Princess?" He growled under his breath. "Who did that to you?"

Wordlessly she pulled out the black case from her clutch and pushed it at him.