The next day, they were on a 9:00 a.m. flight back to Florivera. Traveling with the CEO, they all enjoyed the comfort of business class. Xander sat by the window, Abigail in the aisle seat, and Keith in the row behind them. As they settled in, a flight attendant approached. "Sir, ma'am, would you like something to drink?"Abigail replied, "Two bottles of mineral water, please." Knowing her CEO was quite particular about his beverages, she opted for the safest choice since hand-ground coffee was not available on the plane.The attendant nodded but did not leave, her gaze lingering on Xander. "Sir, we do have coffee on board. Would you like some?"Without even a glance at the attendant, Xander spoke to Abigail, "Tonight, I'm taking my wife out for dinner. Make sure to reserve a table in advance."Abigail nodded. "Understood." Turning to the attendant, whose smile was faltering, she added, "Could I have a copy of today's newspaper?" As an executive assistant, staying informed was esse
Xander's eyes turned icy cold, a menacing aura emanating from him. "What's the deal between you two?"The man suddenly puffed out his chest and pulled the woman into his embrace. "What's it to you? Mind your own damn business. I'm warning you, don't bother us again, or you'll regret it." With that, he slammed the door shut.As Xander stared at the closed door, thoughts of their intimate encounter in the room and the man's embrace filled him with revulsion. Until now, he could have found excuses for her or deceived himself. But faced with undeniable evidence, he had no choice but to accept that his wife had been with another man and that he had been cuckolded. He turned away, tossing the bouquet of roses into a trash can before stepping into the elevator without looking back.Felix, watching Xander leave through the peephole, breathed a sigh of relief. "Mel, do you know that terrifying man?"Melody shook her head vigorously, muttering, "So scary! So scary!""Oh no, Caterpie should
In the dead of night, Abigail slept peacefully, lost in her dreams, when an unexpected phone call jolted her awake.Groggy and disoriented, she fumbled for her phone and saw 'Mr. Zane' on the screen, immediately snapping herself to attention. She sat up straight and answered the call with utmost respect. "Hello, Mr. Zane."However, a mysterious male voice responded instead. "Your Mr. Zane is wasted. You need to come pick him up at Plaid Luxe.""Who are you?" Abigail asked, her mind racing. 'Mr. Zane should have been with his wife at this hour. How on earth could he be drunk at Plaid Luxe, with a stranger calling from his phone?'"I'm Malcolm. Get over here ASAP." And with that, he hung up.Malcolm hailed from the affluent Cobain family, one of Florivera's four most prominent families. Abigail knew he was a close childhood friend of Xander's. Picking up a drunk CEO was part of her duties as his personal assistant. With no time to waste, she slipped into her work clothes, hailed a c
Abigail did not know how, but Xander did not give her the chance to admit her inexperience. "In the kitchen, you'll find the recipe and ingredients for a hangover soup. Whip it up and call me when it's ready."With no choice, Abigail tackled the challenge head-on. Having done household chores her entire life, this task was nothing she could not handle. Following the recipe, she swiftly created a steaming, aromatic bowl of hangover soup. As she emerged from the kitchen, she realized Xander had vanished from the living room. Glancing around, she noticed the master bedroom door slightly ajar, warm light spilling through the gap. Setting the soup down, she texted Xander:[Mr. Zane, your hangover soup awaits. If you don't need anything else, I'll be on my way.]Just as she hit send, the doorbell rang, shattering the silence. The sound sent a shiver down her spine. Her mind raced to the possibility of it being Xander's wife. Although her relationship with Xander was strictly professional,
As Dr. Sander diligently mixed the topical medication, Abigail carefully applied it to Xander with unwavering focus. Despite never having been so intimately close to a man, she remained composed and determined, reminding herself that he was a patient in need of her help.Xander, however, could not help but blush, though his severe allergic reaction hid it well. Having been married for over a year, he had only met his wife once and never experienced such closeness with another woman, leaving him feeling unexpectedly vulnerable. As Abigail applied the medication to his back and chest, her smooth forehead danced in his line of sight, while her delicate fragrance tantalizingly filled his nostrils."I can handle it myself." He suddenly interjected, his voice deep and somber, startling the intently focused Abigail.Bewildered, she looked at him. "Mr. Zane, did I press too hard and hurt you?"Xander maintained a stern expression. "Paxton, take her home."Abigail glanced out the window at
Malcolm burst into laughter. "I've never heard a woman use such a wildly inventive reason to turn me down before."Abigail grinned. "Well then, should I feel honored?""The more you act like this, the more I'm drawn to you." Malcolm admitted playfully."And the more you act like that, the more repulsed I am." Abigail's grin vanished as she replied with a serious tone, "Mr. Cobain, I have zero interest in you, now or ever. Don't waste your energy on me."Malcolm found her candidness amusing. "Abigail, you really remind me of your boss, Mr. Zane. You both reject people without any regard for their feelings, leaving them absolutely mortified."Abigail shot back. "But I don't see Mr. Cobain losing face at all."Malcolm was speechless. 'Dang! I lost a verbal battle to a woman.'"Why are you hiding here chatting with my assistant instead of attending to your guests as the host?"Xander's rich voice suddenly sounded behind them. Abigail turned around and saw him standing a few steps a
Only a select few were privy to the secret of Xander's whirlwind marriage – his family and a tight-knit circle of friends, including Malcolm and Max. When Malcolm would inquire about it over the phone, Xander would always laugh it off, saying, "When I get back to the country, I'll bring her home." But after experiencing the gut-wrenching betrayal, the mere thought of that woman filled Xander with disgust, making him unwilling to even mention her to anyone. "What do you think?" he replied."Xander, come on, satisfy my curiosity, will you?" Malcolm begged."Malcolm, you know Xander's personality, right? If he doesn't want to talk, it probably isn't good," Max answered casually, trying to figure out the true state of Xander's marriage. Abigail was also dying to know what was going on between the CEO and his wife, since Xander had not mentioned her in ages.Xander saw right through Max's little scheme. His mood spoiled, he turned to Abigail. "We're out of here.""Already?" Malcolm aske
"Abigail, money can't replace your health, you know." Felix and Melody were all too aware of the immense pressure Abigail faced since becoming the CEO's right-hand woman. Many nights, they would wake up to her talking in her sleep, negotiating work deals even in her dreams. Time and time again, they had urged her to ease up; their comic studio was thriving, so she did not need that demanding job to live comfortably. But Abigail was scared to hit the brakes, dreading that too much downtime would lead her to dwell on her past traumas. The only way she could find a little peace of mind was by working nonstop, earning money, and watching her bank account grow.Wiping away her tears, Abigail muttered, "Man, I just can't handle alcohol; it turns on the waterworks."Felix playfully ruffled her hair. "Go ahead and cry. There's no shame in that."Abigail retched. "Ugh..."Felix patted her back. "How much did you drink, you goofball?"Having hardly eaten that night, Abigail felt a burning s