Begin Again novel Chapter 200

Liam dug in his heels, explaining they had no recourse to dismiss her. She did nothing wrong, and HR processes had to be followed for all terminations.

"That's your only way out of this." Holly stepped in at some point.

Liam figured she had a manicure appointment or some other arbitrary thing to attend, and he had wasted enough of her time with his scandalous ass.

"And my offer to sign her as my artist still stands." Willow tapped her hands together and beamed brightly at him through the camera.

"I'll leave," Eden murmured from behind him. She was fully clothed now, with their son on her hip and his backpack flung over her shoulder.

"Dad!" Aiden screeched and threw himself in his arms, stunning Liam with his enthusiasm. He caught him quickly and blew bubbles on his cheeks while he absently watched Matthew and Julian take their respective seats at the breakfast counter.

His son squealed his excitement when Liam bit his hand playfully, earning them both a stern look from Eden as she took the chair he'd occupied moments before and addressed the board.

"I'll leave Anderson Logistics," she announced. "But I'm in the middle of onboarding Lydia Edwards, and as her primary liaison, I have to make sure she settles in well. Once she has, I'll leave."

"You are not going anywhere. I'll reassign you if I have to. But you are not leaving," Liam growled, startling Aiden with his stern tone. He kissed his forehead quickly to reassure him he was not upset with him.

"No, Liam. I'm doing this." Eden shook her head firmly and turned back to the board. "Please, give me a month. Two at most to make sure Ms Edwards settles in okay."

"Give us a minute." Liam barked at the screen. He didn't wait for their response. He switched his mic and camera off and glared at Eden.

"What the fuck are you doing? What is this? There's no need for you to leave the company. I'll reassign you if I have to, but you are not resigning."

She sighed and wrung her hands on her lap. "Liam, hear me out, please. They are all out for your blood, and your position at the company is weakened. Let's not give them any more reason to come after you."

"But—"

Eden shook her head, placed her finger on his lips before she reached up and kissed him gently. "It's done."

"I did not sign off on this!" He grumbled.

"But you will," she smiled and took Aiden from his arms. "I never planned to stay anyway."

"Then why go through the trouble of an interview and your crazy negotiations with Gibby?"

"Because I missed you, and I wanted you to meet Aiden, and now you have."

"This isn't over. We'll talk about it tonight," he said. "And why the hell are you all dressed up? Where are you going? I told you I'd take care of the shit with Mrs Stone."

"I have to see my parents. I've been summoned." Eden smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. At that moment, she looked so tired, so sad, and so much older than her twenty-six years, and he wanted nothing but to hold her and rock away all her weariness.

So he reached for her and their son and held them. "Is everything okay at home? Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'd like that," Eden nodded. "But you have to stay here and sort this out. So let's divide and conquer. Yeah?"