026 Goodbyes (2)

"You know your mother-"

"I don't want to hear anything about Mom from you, go talk to Lily," Eden said, raising an eyebrow. Why was he bringing up her mother, did he really think he could guilt trip her by bringing up a woman she never knew?

She would have fallen for such sentimentality a long time ago, but the Eden of back then wouldn't even have gotten to this point with her own father. The previous Eden would have balked at the thought of asking her father for even a little bit of respect.

This Eden wouldn't make the same mistake

Frederick exhaled, the guilt trip he had planned wasn't working and he felt discontent with the results of his efforts.

"You'll be back and when you come the doors to the Estate will be shut to you!" Fredrick snarled.

He watched a smirk crawl into Eden's face.

"Your true character reveals itself at last," Eden said with a giggle. She dusted herself off as if casting his terrible energy off herself.

"I have to go and brief the staff on how things are going to be since you're retired and I'm leaving," Eden said pushing past him and exiting the room.

"Eden! Eden! Come back here this instant," Frederick called after her, he trailed her as she went down the stairs, borderline heckling her.

"Oh my God! What is it?!" Eden asked. "What do you want?!"

Frederick stood stunned, unable to recall what he had chased her down for. Seeing as he had nothing to say, Eden turned tail and stormed off.

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"I have called you here today to announce my departure," Eden said to the staff all gathered in the kitchen. She looked at the faces of the people gathered before her one by one. Each had a different expression in regard to what she had just told them.

The young maids gasped, while Gertrude and Ben who already knew smiled sadly.

"Miss Eden you're leaving us?" William asked in shock, the old man's legs quivered and he had to be sat down by Gertrude who was standing beside him.

Agnes laughed.

"My, my, it seems our little bird is flying the coop,"

Eden could only smile at the staff that had taken care of her all these years.

"I just want to say thank you for all these years," Eden said. "You must know by now that my father does not care about me or my prospects and so I must make my own way and it's for that reason that I've decided to move out,"

"We know," William said. "Oh, Eden I'm so sorry you didn't inherit the company like you wanted so dearly,"

"No, it was a blessing in disguise. My eyes are now open about the kind of people I call my family. It's a harsh lesson to learn that blood doesn't always mean family. You are my family,"

One by one the faces of each member of the staff lit up with a soft smile. They traded fond gazes, patting themselves on the back.

"We did do a good job didn't we?" Ben said with a laugh.

"We did," Gertrude said.

"We're proud of you Eden," William said smiling. Ben patted him on his shoulder nodding in agreement with what he said.

"Once again I thank you for your service,"

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"So you're really not going to change your mind? And you're moving out too?" Lily said she was standing beside the portrait of Earnest Marshall, the same place Eden stood for one final look at the life sized picture before she would leave.

It was almost 3:00 PM and the moving company would be there to pick up her things and move to the new apartment.

Eden noticed her sister's expression, it wasn't as sad as she thought it would be instead the girl had a contemplative expression.

"Well, what will you do once you move out?"

"My own thing," Eden replied, she fought the urge to go on a long tirade about how she lived in Lily's shadow. How her little sister was her father's sun and Eden was simply a shadow that occupied one of the rooms.

How everything had to be about Lily all the time. There was no space for Eden in her father's heart and Lily knew that and had taken advantage of it.

Now Eden would be free of that.

"I'm going to make the toy company work," Lily declared. She looked at Eden expectantly, her older sister's face remained indifferent to her words.

"I don't care what you do," Eden said.

"You don't have to be so mean about it," Lily mumbled.

"A few days ago you called me a pig, but suddenly I'm the one who's mean," Eden scoffed. "Good luck with the company, Lily. I'm serious, I wish you all the best," she left her sister to her thoughts.

If Lily was sure she could manage Marshall Toys, that was her problem.

None of that concerned Eden now.

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"Oh please be careful with the bed frame it's old," Eden cautioned as the burly movers came into her room and began packing her things. They pulled up her workshop table, then packed up her suitcases and backpack.

Eden looked around her empty room, bare as an apartment. She felt emptiness swell within her at the sight of the empty room. This was her chance for a fresh start, she could start making all the toys she had ever wanted.

A new life was waiting for her, what did she need this old room for anyway?

"Good bye, home of Earnest Marshall," Eden said turning towards the door. Her hand reached for the knob when a she felt a cold breath on her neck. She shuddered feeling a tingle run down her spine from the sudden sensation.

"Huh?" she spun around looking for what could have caused her to feel such a breeze. Her window wasn't open and the room had neither fans nor air conditioning fixed.

Eden touched her neck again, rubbing the spot that was now covered in goose bumps.

"Okay...that was weird," Eden said, she reached for the door again and left the room before she could hear a small voice say.

"Carry my legacy well Eden Marshall,"