Chapter 6: CHAPTER 6
EDWINA
The plane's wheels screeched on the runway, jolting me awake.
As I disembarked, the cool airport air enveloped me, carrying the scent of worn leather. I looked around, feeling at ease among the crowd.
The arrivals board flickered, a constant stream of destinations and departure times, each one a promise of adventure or reunion.
A part of me missed this place, and I made a mental note to hang out with Harriet during my stay here.
I took my time, collecting my luggage and joining the security line.
After spending what seemed like eternity shuffling from one line to another, I finally, finally walked out of the airport.
As if on cue, my phone rang and I beamed as my son's name flashed across the screen.
"Hey baby," I called out, slowing down to avoid bumping into people while on the phone.
"Mummy! Are you there yet?" he squealed, moving his face to stare directly into the screen until all I could see was his facial features.
"I just arrived at the airport, my love."
He frowned, his lower lip jutting out. "But I want to see Grandpapa."
Noah was attached to his grandfather, and the grumpy old man actually tolerated my son whenever he was around.
"I'll ask him to call you soon, okay?"
As I spoke, a familiar face caught my eye. Orion's gaze locked onto mine, and he strode toward me.
"My ride's here. Gotta go, baby. Talk later," I said and hung up.
"My, my. Who do we have here?" Orion asked, pulling me into a warm hug.
"Hello to you too, Orion. It's been a minute," I said, laughing as I relaxed into his familiar scent.
Stepping out of his arms, I hooked my arm around his elbow.
He nudged me, mischief sparkling in his eyes. "You look magnificent, Ed. My God!"
I bumped his shoulder, laughing. "You're always full of compliments."
As we walked to his car, Orion teased, "So, you keeping him a secret, huh?"
My heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?" I asked, maintaining a steady tone.
He could not have known, right? I made sure I stayed off everyone's radar for years, to avoid anyone knowing about my child and now…
No, no. It could not be.
Definitely not.
Orion's eyes crinkled. "You didn't want me to see your man, that's why you hung up. Come on, Ed. We're friends."
I shook my head. "It's not what you think."
He raised an eyebrow but dropped the subject.
Orion's teasing about my 'secret' stung more than I expected, making me wonder if he suspected more than he let on.
I owed him no explanation though. It didn't matter that my heart tightened a bit at having to hide my son even from the people I could refer to as my friends.
During the drive, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Orion's curiosity had stirred up old fears.
The weight of keeping Noah a secret from my friends bore down on me, making me question whether I was doing the right thing.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, Edwina. I was just teasing you," he said quietly sparing me a glance before turning back to focus on the road.
I knew Orion might have a thing for me, and as much as I found him cute and charming, I didn't, never had, see him in a romantic light.
Over the years, I had tried seeing men. I went on blind dates, tried casual meetings, even going out to chill in cool spots.
But no matter how good the date was, or how much the guy liked me, I was always bored out of my mind. The boredom didn't always stem from my date partners.
It was from something…someone else.
Kieran's memory always lingered, a ghostly presence that haunted me, reminding me of what could never be again.
His memory made every other man bland to me, and I had not found another man attractive since the year I became a single, divorced woman.
I felt pathetic that my little heart refused to give up on the feelings I had, still have, for my ex husband.
We found other things to speak about, easy laughter bouncing between us. Maybe, just maybe someday I would reciprocate the feelings he was trying so hard to hide.
But for now, all I could offer him was friendship.
The city lights blurred outside, a beautiful combination of color, light, and sound as we sped through the evening traffic.
The drive was over as soon as it started, and I glanced at the handsome man behind the wheel, my eyes conveying the gratitude I felt.
"That's for the ride, Orion," I said, dragging my luggage with me as I walked back to the driver's seat.
"Anytime, beautiful. Hit me up before you take your flight back. Let's have a drink together," he winked and I smiled, accepting his proposal.
I watched as he drove off, glancing at me one last time with a longing look I ignored, and made my way into my father's mansion.
The sweet scent of blooming flowers wafted into my nose, and I inhaled deeply, making another mental note to visit the garden.
Turning back to face the gargantuan building before me, I felt anxiety slowly creep into my bones.
The mansion's opulent decor felt suffocating, a reminder of the expectations that came with my family's name.
I wondered if my life would have turned out differently if I had grew up here, within these walls.
The butler greeted me at the door, his knowing glance made me feel like an outsider in my own family's home.
I ignored him, paying no heed to his body language as a maid bustled forward to take my luggage.
I had debated against packing, reluctant to spend more days than expected here, but my father was unpredictable.
The meeting might end up running for days, and I would not be caught unawares again. Already learnt that lesson the hard way.
As expected, Father wasn't home, so I sent him a text message indicating my arrival, deciding to use the time to freshen up.
Minutes later, I was refreshed and filled with food when my father summoned me to his study.
As I made my way to my father's study, my heart racing with anticipation, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life was about to take a drastic turn.
I steeled myself, thinking of Noah.
For my son, I would deal with whatever it was father wanted to discuss me. I took a deep breath, calmed my nerves, and walked in.
Father was seated behind his large desk, glasses perched on his nose as he stirred his tea.
I took my seat before him, speaking softly. "Hello, father."
"Hello, Edwina," he said, barely sparing me a glance before turning back to his tea.
Over the years, I had learnt a lot from my father from working with him. The longer his absence, the harder the sting of his words would hit.
At the rate with which this silence was stretching out between us, I immediately knew that father was about to say wasn't a good thing.
He stared straight into me eyes, seeping his tea. Face expressionless as always, I fought the urge to sigh, stopping my body from fidgeting.
Father hated seeing any signs of weakness or impatience.
Admitting that his silence unnerved me would only earn me an earful, and my ears had bleeded out enough over the years to cover that.
"Noah wants to speak with you. I told him I'll deliver his message. He wants you to call," I said softly.
My father scoffed. "He is my grandson. I'll call him whenever I want."
I silently exhaled. Mission accomplished: my father would call Noah back.
And I seemed to have broken the silence.
"What is it, sir? You seem agitated," I asked.
What would he say? Would it turn out to be another lecture or something worse?
Father placed his tea down, his expression stern. "I have a proposition. Move back home, you have a company to run."
My jaw dropped. "What...what did you just say?"
Of all the things I expected my father to say, this was definitely not one of them.
I must have misheard him. My father didn't just tell me to move back to the UK, right?
Right??
My palms grew damp, clinging to the armrests as if they were lifelines.
"Don't play dumb, Edwina. You did well in New York. I want you to do the same for my company in London."
"Why? I mean, the company is doing just fine, is it not?" I gulped down my fear, trying to decipher the reason behind his sudden request.
Father grunted as he considered my words.
"A rival company is making a big move against me. I've seen what you can do, and I know you're capable. I need a fresh voice, fresh ideas.
You'll be collaborating with another company to work together. This is not a request, Edw
ina."
His voice left no room for argument. I knew Father had made up his mind.
But I had no intention of returning to the UK. Not with the risk of running into Kieran.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone