A Fresh Start

LYDIA

This country was my fresh start. When my father had informed that he wanted me to move back to the country where he lived, I’d been overjoyed. I thought everything would slowly fall back in place but I guess some things never went as planned.

First of all, the man I loved and wanted wasn’t paying me much attention because there was another woman in his life. A small problem, one I could handle myself. But tonight, that woman has proven to be more than a little problem.

Worse than that, my father had stepped in to stop me. My father – the enigmatic billionaire who never concerned himself with trivial things like my life. That same man had dropped everything – including his identity which he carefully guarded for the past twelve years to protect her.

I was livid. I wanted to crash something. To scream and pull out my hair but Eddie was beside me. I’d returned to his home after my father berated me for the first time in a long time. While outside I was almost calm and composed, inside I was a boiling magma.

A tear slipped down my cheek and Eddie rushed to console me, offering words of comfort. But I could see in his eyes and on his face that he was distracted. Was he thinking about her? She looked especially stunning today.

Why didn’t she wear the dress I picked out for her?

“Don’t let what Adrienne did get to you.” He said rubbing circles on my back. “I don’t know what has gotten into her lately, she was never like this. But now… it’s as though she’s a completely different person and it’s only been a few hours since she left here.”

I shook my head, keeping an innocent and hurt look on my face. “Don’t be angry at Lara,” I said meekly, allowing another drop of years slip down my cheeks. “I know she’s upset. I mean, who wouldn’t be after seeing their man choose another woman? She must have come with that anger, so I understand. I just didn’t expect my father to jump in on her defense.”

I burst into tears, burying my face in his shoulders. “I don’t blame her, honestly, I don’t. After all, I’m the one who took something from her. I ended your relationship of three years – what was left of it – and now I’m pregnant for you. If she lashes out at me, I deserve it…”

I forced a cough and slumped in his arms. “Lydia!” Eddie jumped, reaching for his phone to call for an ambulance. I reached out and stopped him, smiling faintly. “It’s the pregnancy. The doctors said I shouldn’t stress myself much, you know, because of the complications I have. But I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Eddie jaw worked and he turned away, anger flashing in his eyes. The nurse he’d hired for me ran into the room almost immediately, looking between me and Eddie before rushing to my side.

“Take care of her,” he barked, his anger slipping through his words. When he turned to look at me, his eyes softened. “I’ll be right back okay? I need to sort something out.”

I nodded, allowing another tear to slip down which he wiped away quickly before leaving the room. As soon as he was out of sight, I jumped to my feet, dropping all of the fragile act. Seriously, Eddie was the only person who could believe something like that.

But I didn’t care, as long as it worked in my favor.

I turned to the nurse and laughed. “What do you think he’ll say to Adrienne now? I’m honestly looking forward to it.”

The woman simply nodded, saying nothing. I relaxed back in my seat and began scrolling through the news reports excitedly. The entire online community was against Adrienne, so that was one point in my favor.

“Damn, Lydia is even pregnant for Eddie and I heard the pregnancy is life threatening, yet she chose to keep it because of her love for him. That Adrienne girl is causing a scene for no reason.” One user said.

“Lydia is going through a life-altering phase and Adrienne still wants to pick fights? How petty can she be?” another commented.

“Eddie Quinn and Lydia looked so good together! Like a real power couple.”

“Lol, don’t remind me of Adrienne’s fall it was so embarrassing. I cringed. I mean why was she even at the gala in the first place? She’s got a nerve showing up in places she’s not wanted. She even revealed her identity to the world, what did she think she’d achieve?”

“Adrienne, leave Eddie Quinn alone!”

“Yes! Leave him alone!”

“Leave, you’re not even married to him.”

I chuckled as I read the comments. They were hilarious and in my favor. I quickly typed out a message to my contact – the one who had made this happen behind the scenes. “Today’s move was perfect. Keep the pressure up and make sure Adrienne stays where she is. Exposing her identity got us the desired results.”

With that, I hit send.

Adrienne would surely regret the day she crossed me.

EDDIE’S POV

As I drove back to my villa home, my phone kept buzzing nonstop. When I glanced at the screen and saw the caller ID, I felt a headache already forming. All I wanted was to go a day without drama but that seemed inevitable now.

Finally, I answered the call on the last ring. “Grandma,” I greeted, trying to sound calm despite the anger waving off me.

“You still remember you have a grandmother?” Sarah Quinn, my grandmother barked from the other end of the phone. “What exactly is going on between you and that Lydia woman?”

I pressed a hand to my temple, massaging it. “Lydia is… she’s pregnant and I’m simply taking care of her. She’s not causing any trouble.”

“She’s not causing any trouble?” Sarah snapped, “Do you even listen to yourself sometimes? She knows you’re engaged and still hangs around you with… is the pregnancy yours? Did you get that woman pregnant Eddie Quinn?! You know what? I don’t care. You better end this mess and apologize to Adrienne immediately.”

My jaw tightened. For some reason Adrienne’s face flashed in my head and something uncomfortable stirred in my chest.

“Did Adrienne say anything to you?” I couldn’t put it past her. She always knew how to manipulate my grand parents with her lies and get them to take her side. That wasn’t something new.

“Does she even need to?” Sarah fired back. “The entire internet is talking about it, Eddie! Adrienne is your fiancée and you watched her getting shoved to the ground by those reporters, yet you did nothing about it! You’re embarrassing her and her family in front of the whole world!”

I recalled that moment. I hadn’t left the scene entirely, if been standing by the door when they shoved her to the ground and saw how she looked up to where I’d been standing with a hurt expression on her face.

I’d slipped away right after that. Did I make a mistake leaving her to sort herself out? She got herself into the mess, I believed she could equally get herself outside it. Why would I involve myself with her?