"Brother Ryland, where are you going?"
Ryland stopped as he saw her approaching him.
"Vanes, I will return to my apartment tonight. You can go home alone, right?"
"Why are you going back there?" Vanessa’s expression turned gloomy. "Do you want to meet with my sister?" she asked softly, but disappointment flashed through her eyes.
Ryland took her hand and pulled her close. His anger about the company matter slowly faded when he saw Vanessa’s teary eyes.
"I need to see Abigail. It’s about company matters. Please understand. Stay at your apartment tonight. I promise we will return together tomorrow, okay?" he gently said, smiling at her.
The thought of Abigail and Ryland in the same apartment was enough to make Vanessa worried.
"Can I go with you? I’ll wait outside. I won’t appear before her and make her angry, Brother Ryland...please." She pleaded, placing her head on his chest and wrapping her hand around him. She couldn’t let him go alone.
She was afraid Abigail would seduce Ryland, and he would change his mind again. She couldn’t allow that to happen after her efforts yesterday to separate them.
Ryland closed his eyes, almost canceling his plan to return to his apartment. But the company matter, the one-million-dollar project, has now hit him hard. If they lose this project, substantial financial damage will result. He can’t risk his company over anything, especially women.
He released her embrace and stepped back to create a distance between them. When he saw her about to cry, he gritted his teeth.
"Listen, I won’t ask you nicely again, Vanessa. Please, just leave without me today. I might be angry with you if you still cling to me like now. Don’t act like a child!"
Vanessa was stunned, seeing how serious Ryland was now. "But I’m afraid she will snatch you from me—"
"Why do you not believe me?" he said, slightly annoyed. "I already hurt her so much yesterday. She won’t forgive me and ask me back, Vanes."
"I know. I’m just jealous of her!"
Ryland couldn’t help but chuckle. "You know exactly why I must meet her, right?"
"Yes."
"So, you don’t have to worry. I just need to plead with her so she will consider returning to meet our client, or the company will be in jeopardy."
"Sorry, Brother Ryland. I don’t want to lose you. Because I—"frёewebnoѵēl.com
"Because what?"
"Because if you return to her, I might end my life with my baby."
"Y-You what? What baby?" Ryland was utterly shocked hearing her words. "What the hell are you trying to say, Vanes?"
"I’m pregnant, Ryland," Vanessa said, smiling happily, finally able to tell him. "I’m pregnant with your child."
It took a while for Ryland to digest Vanessa’s words. Pregnant? How could she be pregnant? Didn’t he always use a condom?
"Wait... wait, Vanessa," Ryland said, staring into her eyes. "You said you are pregnant? Are you sure?"
"What do you mean? Of course, I am..." Vanessa replied, sounding upset.
Ryland was speechless.
He looked up at the ceiling and pinched his forehead, feeling overwhelmed. How could another problem arise now? He had been dealing with issues at work. He wasn’t ready to tell his family about his failed relationship with Abigail. And now, Vanessa claims to be pregnant!?
"You don’t believe me?" Her voice sounded weak and shaky, holding her sadness.
"Vanes, I use a condom every time we have sex. And you said you always take birth control pills. How could you be pregnant?" Ryland asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
Instead of answering, Vanessa burst into tears, leaving Ryland confused.
"How could you ask me that?" Vanessa sobbed. "I don’t know the answer either. But I’m pregnant. And I only have sex with you. You know that, Brother Ryland!"
"Alright, stop crying!" Ryland said, feeling helpless as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Vanes, we’ll talk about this tomorrow. Right now, I need to go. I’m afraid Abigail will leave, and we won’t have a chance to ask her to return."
Vanessa nodded slightly in response, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
"Thank you for understanding, baby..." Ryland hugged her briefly. "I will call you later."
He kissed her forehead before leaving the room.
As Ryland’s figure disappeared from her sight, Vanessa’s expression changed from sadness to anger.
"You won’t be able to return to her, Ryland! I won’t let you do that—"
***
Ryland took a deep breath before he opened the door.
The apartment looked dark. No light was on; the only light coming in was from the street lamps.
"Is she not here?" Ryland muttered while walking toward Abigail’s room. He could see there was no light inside.
"Abigail? Are you inside? Can we talk...?" Ryland called while knocking on the door.
After waiting a few moments, there was still no sound from inside, making him scared that Abigail had left.
"I’ll come in if you don’t answer me, Abigail!"
After waiting another second, Ryland finally opened the door and turned on the light. He was shocked to see the room empty. There was no trace of Abigail there. Their picture on the wall and the nightstand was nowhere to be seen.
Ryland walked quickly to the closet. His heart sank when he opened it and saw her clothes were gone. Only a few pieces of clothing remained; he remembered they were what he had bought for her.
His hands clenched. He felt something missing inside him, knowing she really left.
Dragging his feet to the bed, Ryland’s eyes fixed on the study table at the end of the room.
He rushed to check it and was taken aback when he saw a few things there: the diamond ring he gave her when he proposed, a savings card she gave him when the company won its first project, and other valuables he had given her.
"What are you doing, Abigail? Why did you leave all this? This is all yours..."
Ryland took out his cell phone and tried calling Abigail again, but there was no ringing tone.
For the first time since yesterday, he felt like thousands of nails were stabbing his mind, knowing Abigail had left him for real.
He clutched the diamond ring tightly.
"Damn it, Abigail! Where are you...?"
Abigail was going through the contract once more.Now, every word stipulated in the contract was slowly digested. As in the old contract, the first page listed the conditions she needed to follow while living there.[Party B can invite friends and family if they have permission from the owner of the house, Party A, by contacting the Guard at the front guard post.]Abigail nodded in agreement, reading the new revision."Wow! This is a big revision! Now I can invite Grandma to stay over here."Abigail smiled happily, but a second later, her smile slowly disappeared when she imagined her grandmother climbing the stairs to get to this place, the fourth floor.She dismissed the idea and continued reading the next page.However, not long after, she coughed. Her oatmeal almost spurted out.Abigail rushes to the fridge to find water. After drinking a glass, she felt her throat relieved.freewebnøvel_comShe returned to her seat and reread the particular revision that made her almost choked."W
Abigail’s gaze fell on the digital clock on the nightstand."Who in their right mind is coming to someone’s house at nine in the morning?"ƒгeewёbnovel.comHowever, seconds later, her confusion slowly turned to worry as Mr. Peters’ face appeared in her mind."Oh my God! What if it’s Mr. Peters? And he’s come back to cancel the rental agreement?"Hearing her own words made Abigail’s knees feel weak.She immediately left the bedroom to check the person outside, praying it wasn’t Mr. Peters who had come to cancel the contract. Otherwise, she would be in trouble, needing to find a new place.Abigail didn’t rush to open the door. Still, she waited a bit, hoping the person outside had already left and wouldn’t bother her again. Or, she would pretend she didn’t hear the knock.However, her prayer was dashed as the person outside knocked on the door again, startling her.Taking a deep sigh, Abigail speaks, almost like whispers. "Who is it?""Miss Abigail. I’m sorry to bother you."To her surpr
"Abby, thanks for the latte. I’m looking forward to another latte from you."A faint smile slowly emerges on her lips as she reads Sawyer’s text message.She immediately replies to his text:"You’re welcome, Sawyer. Give me a call, or you can visit me at the café. I promise I’ll make you a better latte."Abigail hesitated before sending the text. She read it over several times, ensuring her words didn’t reveal her true intentions of wanting to meet him.After a moment, she deleted the long text and simply replied, "Sure, Sawyer."As she entered the house, a faint smile appeared on her face.It still felt surreal to her to be in such a luxurious house. She felt proud of herself for having this house all to herself, without sharing it with anyone like her ex."You did a good job, Abby!"Her happy, proud smile appeared on her lips as she walked toward the kitchen to check what she could eat without cooking too much.Although she was skilled at cooking, Abigail didn’t intend to do it. She
"Sir? Hello, Sir...? Are you still there?" Ethan asked worriedly.Sawyer cleared his throat before asking, "I’m still here, Ethan. Okay, so are you saying Ronan and Abigail met, but they didn’t know each other before?" This was the most crucial piece of information he needed to hear."Of course, they don’t know each other, sir," Ethan lightly laughed. He could sense jealousy from his big boss. Since he had worked for him, this had never happened before.Ethan became more certain that his boss liked Abigail Snow. He was curious and wanted to meet the girl who had managed to shake his boss’s heart.Hearing nothing from the other end, Ethan continued, "Sir, I arranged for Miss Abigail to stay at your house because her life is pitiful. You know that, right? I already told you about what happened to her Grandma..."ƒreewebηoveℓ.comSawyer said nothing but silently nodded in agreement with Ethan. Abigail’s life was indeed miserable. Her fiancé betrayed her. Her family stabbed her in the back
Sawyer took a deep breath, feeling like a heavy weight was lifted from his shoulders after hearing her words."Thank you, Abby." He smiled at her and hit the gas pedal.The vehicle slowly began to move again."Okay. Tell me, where do you live?" Sawyer asked, focusing on the street ahead.Abigail asked him to return to the café because she didn’t remember her new house address; she only remembered how to get there from the café.Fifteen minutes later, Sawyer’s vehicle stopped in front of Abigail’s house. He was stunned beyond words when he saw the gates.After a few seconds, Sawyer, trying to suppress his shock, turned to her."Is this where you live now?" he asked."Yes, I’m staying here..." Abigail answered excitedly. She wanted to invite him to stop by. Still, a second later, she remembered the rental contract rule stating she couldn’t bring her friends or family onto the rooftop.Sawyer said nothing but silently looked at her beautiful smile as she spoke."Thank you so much for the
Abigail was puzzled. Her house was only a few minutes’ walk away.It would be troublesome if she rode in his car and made him drive her home. He must have something else to go and to do, right!?"Abby?" Sawyer’s gentle voice snapped Abigail from her thoughts. "Please get in. Is there something or someone you are waiting for?"Seeing his confused expression, she quickly got in and sat beside him. This was her second time sitting in his car, and she felt much more relaxed.After buckling up her seat belt without being asked, she looked at him."Abby, would you mind holding this for me, please?" Sawyer handed her the takeaway paper bag containing the cup holder she had given him earlier.Abigail nodded and immediately took the paper bag. She thought he wanted to unbuckle his seatbelt, but as usual, she could never predict what this man was about to do."So, how much is the coffee?" Sawyer asked while taking out his wallet, ready to reimburse the money she had spent for the coffee.Abigai