Chapter 96 Will They Hate Me?
Eden's POV:
I walk into the hall, searching for Noah. The hall is full of people, mostly looking impatient, but I can't find Noah anywhere. I could really use just being able to look at him for a moment. I need to pull myself together so that I can actually get through this memorial without my grandmother beside me.
No one has noticed me or if they have, they pay me no attention at all. It's refreshing. I like the feeling of anonymity that I have as Eden Winters but the second I climb on that stage all that will disappear. Even with everything else that has happened today, I still find a second to resent that. I don't really want to give it up. I don't want everything to change but it will.
"Oh! Eden! You're here!"
I'm drawn out of my thoughts by Sally, my HR rep and perhaps the only person in the company who knows who I am, except grandma and Martin... And maybe whoever sent me that email today. The thought of that email brings a frown to my face. They certainly picked their moment but I don't have time to worry about how my parents died right now.
As soon as all this is over, I can look into it properly, report it to the police or whatever, but right now, I need to get on that stage, make grandma's speech and do whatever else is needed as quickly as possible so I can get to the hospital.
Sighing, I give her the best smile I can muster.
"Where's your grandmother?" she asks, looking behind me.
"Something has come up and she won't be able to make it," I try to explain without telling her that my grandma is currently fighting for her life at the hospital. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she passed out. She was barely breathing... Is she sick? Is it her heart? She's never told me anything about being unwell... Would she though? She's so independent, it's hard to believe that she actually would tell me if something serious was going on.
"Are you ready for this?"
I don't know how to answer her. I am 100% not ready but I can't tell her that.
"Sure... I guess," I say as confidently as I can, almost jokingly. "It's a piece of cake, right?"
"Rather you than me," she says, as we fall into step beside each other, making our way through the crowd. "I'll introduce you and then you just have to make the speech and reveal the doll's house."
"Okay... I can do that," I tell myself more than Sally.
"Then we'll be giving out the special gifts we have for the guests."
"Gifts?"
"You know... the miniatures? They're really very impressive. Mr Grisham has been working on them with design team one so surely you've seen them."
I don't want to admit that I have no idea what she's talking about so I just nod along.
"When you finish, the head of marketing will come up and announce the miniatures so you don't need to worry about them."
"Oh okay..."
"All you need to do after that is talk to a few investors and the staff..."
The stuff my grandma would usually be doing, I think to myself. I've seen her doing it enough over the years to know what is expected of me but it doesn't make me any less nervous.
"Are you ready?" Sally asks and I nod my agreement before she steps onto the stage, calling everyone's attention to herself.
As she welcomes everyone, I look back around the hall, searching for Noah once again but he's not here! I need him here if I'm going to be able to do this. I'm so distracted looking for him, I almost completely miss the moment when Sally introduces me.
Climbing up onto the stage, I try to regulate my breathing, telling myself that everything will be okay, that I can do this. I put a big fake smile on my face as I stride towards the podium, allowing myself one last glance around the hall, looking for Noah amongst the faces. When I don't find him, I settle for the next best thing. Stacey is there. She looks momentarily surprised but she doesn't look angry and that gives me some hope.
Perhaps they won't all hate me for lying to them...
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