Save the Date (Modern Arrangements, #1)

"The most honest?" Liam snapped before I could.

"How could you?" Viola hissed and wrapped an arm around Lilli.

"Did you not think of her when you hatched this little scheme?" Liam pointed to Lilli.

I took that moment to really look at Lilli. Her eyes had yet to waver from my uncle’s face. She was intent, but calm.

"Lilli?" I whispered and everyone quieted down, turning to Lilli.

"I want you out of this house and away from me." She stood up and walked directly in front of my uncle. "You will have no, and I mean absolutely no, association with my children." Her arms crossed over her chest. "You’re lucky that I don’t have you thrown in prison!" She spit out and my Uncle Henry’s face filled with fear. "Stay out of my life and out of my way!"

"Lilli…" James spoke softly "I am so…"

"James, this isn’t your fault." She placed a hand on his shoulder before she left the room.

"You should be put in prison, just to learn a lesson." Viola spit before she hurried after Lilli.

"You’re fired." I said without looking up.

"What?" He exclaimed. "You can’t..."

"LIKE HELL I CAN’T!" My head snapped up and if looks could kill, he would be dead in that large leather chair. "Who do you think you are talking to?"

"Aidan Walsh—"

"Don’t you dare! I am not just your ‘little nephew’, Henry. I own and run AIS! You may have vesting, but you no longer have a position."

I realized that Liam and James were both looking at me wide eyed.

"Your things will be sent to you. I’ll be making the call as soon as I leave this room to remove your security clearance into the building." I stood and headed for the doorway. "Oh, and James?" I turned around at the doorway and found James looking at me with fear. "Congratulations, you’re our new Vice President of Pharmaceutical R&D." James’ eyes widened.

I left the room and went to check on Lilli.

Liam had taken Henry out of the house that night, with James’ help. The first week at work without my uncle was unusual and chaotic. James was trying to acclimate into the position, but my uncle had many longtime associates that were concerned with my uncle’s absence.

We had kept the departure’s true nature a secret, only announcing to our associates and clients that he had left due to personal reasons. No specifics were released, only the family knew the true cause and that it was a dismissal.

By the second week, the bustle about his departure had died down to whispers within the company. Our associates were becoming acquainted with James, who was making special trips to meet with them, attempting to put them at ease. I felt bad that James was missing so much time away from Elora and Jimmy, but he assured me that she understood.

From what James told me, Elora had laid into Henry about his actions and threatened to keep Jimmy away from him. Aunt Anne was devastated at the threat, on top of my uncle’s actions and dismissal from the company. The last that I had heard, Aunt Anne was staying with James and Elora.

It had been three weeks since my uncle’s secret had been exposed. Lilli was more nervous and cautious about everything. I could see something eating away at her slowly and hated to see that the previous sparkle I had always seen in her eyes was only there when she was with the twins.

The house had to be stepped up in the safety department, because of the twins becoming avid walkers. Gates, security latches and corner bumpers had to be installed all through the house. Walsh was the most curious child and Livy, well, she was clumsy, which I was told she got from Lilli.

They were growing up so fast and I couldn’t believe the features that they had developed. Walsh had my wild hair, crooked smile and Lilli’s eyes. His porcelain skin and the blush that would grace his cheeks was all Lilli. Olivia, my sweet little princess, had Lilli’s pouty lips and my green eyes, hair and a hint of my smile. Her skin was also porcelain and she had also inherited the blush that I had loved to watch on Lilli’s face.

Another day in the office and all I longed for was to go home and spend my time with the twins, as well as any minute amount of time that Lilli would participate in our playtime. It’s all I had. Instead, I was buried in paperwork and contracts while fielding phone calls from the Pharmaceutical division that James was currently reorganizing. I heard the large wooden door to my office open, breaking me from my work.

"Aidan." I looked up and saw Liam looking at me, extremely worried.

"I'm fine, Liam, you can stop checking up on..." He cut me off.

"Aidan, we have a problem."

I looked up him with a furrowed brow, suddenly I started to panic. "Is it Lilli or the twins?" I stood up at my desk.

"No. It's Gideon." An unfamiliar look crossed Liam's face. "He is stating that you slept with his daughter and...."

"And?" I growled out.

"She's pregnant with your child." He choked out.

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