Page 30 of Always Been You
He doesn’t flinch. Instead, he tosses my bottle of sleeping pills at me, like he’s been waiting to do it all night.
“I came back to give you these,” he says with a tired sigh. “But you weren’t here, so I decided to wait. Then again, it doesn’t matter, does it? You’re not going to take them. Staying awake seems to be your favorite way of self-destructing.”
I clench my jaw, gripping the pills tighter than I should. I should say anything, but there’s a knot in my throat that won’t let me.
He softens, just a little, but his voice still carries the weight of everything he’s been holding back. “You’ve been given a second chance, Eddie. Don’t waste it. Not everyone gets that chance.”
The room goes quiet, except for the faint hum of the muted TV. His words settle into the air like smoke, choking me. For a second, I hate him for saying it. For making me feel this way. For forcing me to think about all the things I’d rather bury.
I clench my jaw, the heat rising in my chest again. “Get out,” I mutter, not meeting his gaze. But the knot in my throat doesn’t loosen, and I know he sees it. I know he sees everything. I barely notice him leaving but his words linger in the air long after he’s gone, circling me like vultures. I hate that he’s right. And I hate it even more that I don’t know if I’ll stop. Or even if I want to.
I toss the bottle of pills onto the coffee table and rub my eyes, the ache in my head spreading down my neck and into my chest. Josh thinks I don’t take the pills because I’m stubborn, but the truth is worse. The pills don’t stop the memories. They just make them louder.
I lean back in the chair and close my eyes, hoping the exhaustion will finally win tonight. It doesn’t. It never does.
Josh acts like this is simple. All he knows about me is what I’ve been willing to share. He doesn’t know the depth of my uncle's deceit and revenge. With what he knows about me, I’m surprised he acts like I can just stop buying properties, stop working late, and stop making moves that make no sense to anyone but me.
Of course, he doesn’t know what it feels like to lose everything, including yourself, in a span of one week. One moment, you’re on cloud 9, everything is intact, and the next, you don’t know where you are.
The properties, the start-ups, the bar, the shares in the Dua Group. They all make sense in my head. They’re steps in a plan, even if the plan’s not fully executed yet.
The truth is, Josh doesn’t see the real game. This isn’t just about winning Lawliss back. This is about proving something to her, to myself, and to the world that turned its back on me. The moves I’m making aren’t just for her. They’re for us. Except there’s no us, and that’s the problem, isn’t it? She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know she’s already mine. How do you fight for someone who doesn’t even know they’re yours to begin with?
Josh says love isn’t a business transaction. But what does he know? Planning is what keeps me sane. It’s what keeps the memories from eating me alive. How do I show her I love her without trying to control the outcome? Without trying to make her part of the plan when she’s already the center of it?
And maybe that’s where it all falls apart. Maybe that’s why I’ll lose her again.
But this time, I’ll die trying to keep her.
Because I’ll have both.
Her and my revenge.
Chapter Fourteen
Lawliss
Being back in the office feels surreal. I’ve been out of the office for over a month, which is not like me but after walking in on my ex-husband, I needed the break. I wouldn’t have come if there wasn’t a mountain of work piled up waiting for my approval.
The department has done well in my absence, except for when they made an intern work on compensating an injured client. She verbally agreed with the client and kept paying bills without keeping track. Luckily she used the app and it has all the records so drafting a letter to debunk that employee’s case will be easier.
I leave my office for the board meeting we have today. Walking to the conference room, my thoughts drift back to Eddie and the way my body betrays me whenever he’s near. It’s as if some spell has been cast on me, one I can’t shake. Staying grounded and telling him to stop when all I wanted was to indulge in the kiss was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Since then, I’ve been trying to avoid him. So far I’ve succeeded and it’s only been 3 days.
“Earth to Lawliss. What’s on your mind?” Lauren’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
“Lauren?” I turn to look at her; the morning air cool against my skin as I walk. “How was your night?” I yawn, trying to mask my distraction, though the ache in my shoulders betrays my exhaustion.
“Probably better than yours, considering you keep yawning.”
“Tell me about it.” I yawned again, covering my mouth with my hand. “I hope today’s meeting ends in record time.”
“I’m afraid not,” Elisa says, joining us from behind. “Many of our suppliers have changed hands, and the new ownership is implementing policies that complicate our access to key materials.”
“Just say it's impossible,” Lauren adds, shaking her head. “Every call I’ve made ends the same way: ‘no availability,’ ‘price hikes,’ or endless delays. It feels coordinated like someone’s pulling the strings.”
“Great. Just what I need to start the day,” I mutter, sighing as we approach the conference room. My sisters follow close behind as we step inside. Aria is already there, along with several board members, their expressions a mix of focus and tension.
The meeting begins, and I try to focus, but the discussion feels like an uphill climb. Every update seems to come with complications, from supply chain disruptions to market pressures. The tension in the room is palpable, and the weight of expectation starts to settle heavily on my shoulders.
