Ruins of Us

"Hey, why is Connor here too? You're impressive, Abigail. Your lapdog even followed you all the way to Lothriel!"

"He's chasing you across half the world. He just won't leave you alone, will he?"

Abigail Chandler's friends' sharp taunts pierced my ears. I turned back with indifference.

Abigail's expression darkened slightly. She frowned at me and asked, "What are you doing here? It was bad enough that you followed me around shamelessly in Jorvale. Now you even chased me to Lothriel."

She put on a stern face and lectured me. "You're the only son of the Foster family. Do you have no sense of dignity at all?"

Her supposedly righteous yet deeply disdainful tone was something I had known for over a decade in my previous life. They felt painfully familiar.

In the past, I had forced myself to stay composed in public, only to drown my feelings in alcohol once I got home. I had constantly questioned what was wrong with me that I could never earn her affection.

But now, I merely dropped a detached remark. "My dad asked me to bid on a piece of jewelry here as a gift for my 20th birthday. What does that have anything to do with you?"

Abigail clearly didn't expect me to react like that and froze for a moment.

Before she could react, the friends around her erupted in chaos.

"Mr. Foster Senior's will stated that when Connor turned 20 years old, he had to choose one of the eldest daughters from the four major families in Jorvale for marriage. That woman would later oversee the finances and internal affairs of both families."

"All four families built their fortunes with the Foster family's backing. This is no different from a marriage decreed by royalty."

Something flickered in Abigail's eyes as she cast a subtle glance at me from the corner of her eye.

Her friend continued, "The Foster family controls a business empire. By taking over both Foster and Chandler Groups at the same time, Abigail could gain complete control of Jorvale!"

"Abigail, once you rise to the top, don't forget about us!"

"Congratulations, Abigail!"

As the group showered Abigail with congratulations, I regarded her with cold detachment. Her expression barely changed, yet with my familiarity with her across two lifetimes, I still caught the fleeting joy in her eyes.

"Alright, let's just follow whatever Mr. Foster Senior decides," Abigail said.

Her expression softened slightly, and she said as if granting me a favor, "Fine, you can stay if you want, but you must keep your distance. I'm here to work."

Suddenly, she leaned in and whispered, "This time, I must bring Louis home on the wedding day. If you dare refuse, I'll call off the marriage, and you'll never have me!"

My heart clenched abruptly. So, she had been reborn as well!

"Abby."

A low, cool, and clear voice cut through my thoughts.

The coldness on Abigail's face instantly melted into tenderness. "You're suffering from jet lag. Why didn't you rest a bit longer?"