Begin Again novel Chapter 97

"Come on! Don't tell me you've let that stupid rumour upset you." Liam said, returning her phone. "It's office gossip. It means nothing."

"It means nothing when you're the boss. No one dares say anything bad about you!" Eden pointed out, hot, angry tears brimming in her eyes, fogging up her vision. "I'm not good at this job, and I try my best every day. But now, this stupid rumour has set me back ten years. My credibility has been shattered, my reputation ruined. I'm no longer Matthew's junior assistant. I'm just the new girl who got the job because she's sleeping with the big boss!"

"Don't talk like that!" Liam growled. "You know it's not true!"

"Isn't it, though?" Eden asked. "We both know why you hired me, and after last night can we honestly say it's not true? It was only a matter of time before we do. I suppose we have these rumours to thank. Now we can both come back to our senses."

"Eden—" Liam tried to say, but she held up her hands.

"Since you love sticking to company protocol so much, it's Ms McBride during office hours! And from now on, unless it's related to your sessions with Linda, let's not see each other, Sir!"

She spun around again, but before she could slip out of his office, Liam called after her.

"Take that with you!" He pointed at the vase and the painting.

"No." She shook her head. "While I appreciate the thought and the gesture, they cost too much. I can't accept them."

"But it's my apology."

Eden half-turned and gawked at him. He had her attention now. "Apology for what exactly because you've done plenty, my head's spinning?"

"For everything, starting with the incident with my dietary requirements."

"You mean when you lost your shit and threw a plate of cookies like a two a year old and then reassigned me because you deemed me incompetent?" She asked.

"Yes, that! Eden, I admit that wasn't my best moment, and it hasn't sat well with me since." Liam blew out a frustrated breath. "Our session with Linda as well. I shouldn't have said the stuff I said. I was angry, and I wanted to hurt you. I know I've made so many mistakes, and I'm trying—"

She laughed, hurt and anger burning hot in her throat. "Those are very costly mistakes, don't you think?"

"What would you like me to do? What do you want me to say? I'm trying to make amends—"

"Trying to make amends? After a month? Shouldn't you have started with your apology first before you wooed me with your very romantic dinner dates?" Eden demanded, disbelief shining bright in her eyes.

"You're right; I should have," Liam said. "And all I can say is my timing was a little off, and I didn't follow the right order of things, but Eden, I promise you my heart is in the right place—"

"I don't care about your heart!" She screamed. "Would it kill you to say the words? Would it kill you to say you're sorry?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry!"

"No, Mr Anderson, one should never force a sincere apology out of anyone," Eden said sadly.