CHAPTER 58

SHE STANDS WHERE I PUT HER..

The Vandell car swept through the city at twilight, its sleek black frame cutting through traffic with ease. Abigail sat beside Luke, her hands folded neatly on her lap. Her heart raced with every passing streetlight. Tonight wasn’t just another outing, tonight was her first dinner with the Lois family.

Luke, as usual, was composed, unreadable. He leaned back against the leather seat, his phone set aside, his gaze fixed out the tinted window. Abigail stole glances at him, searching for some sign of what to expect.

“Luke,” she said finally, her voice low, “what if I say something wrong?”

His head turned, and those dark eyes locked onto hers. “Then you’ll learn not to.”

Her breath hitched. There was no comfort in his tone, but there was certainty. She pressed her lips together, nodding.

“Abigail,” he added after a beat, his voice softer but no less firm, “the Loises aren’t your friends. Don’t mistake their politeness for acceptance. They’ll test you. And you’ll endure. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Good.” He took her hand then, surprising her with the warmth of his grip. “Stand beside me. Not behind.”

Her chest swelled with conflicting emotions, fear and pride battling for dominance.

The Lois estate was a spectacle in itself, vast and glittering under the glow of chandeliers. Staff in pristine uniforms opened the grand doors, ushering them inside with bows. Abigail’s heels clicked softly against the marble floor as they entered the dining hall.

The Lois family was already gathered. At the head sat Richard Lois, tall and broad, his hair peppered with gray. Beside him was his wife, Regina, elegant in pearls. Their sons flanked them on either side, and at the far end of the table sat Carmen.

Abigail’s heart skipped when their eyes met. Carmen didn’t smile, but there was a flicker of acknowledgment, almost like silent encouragement.

“Luke,” Richard greeted, his booming voice filling the room. “It’s been too long.”

Luke shook his hand firmly, his own presence commanding without effort. Then Richard’s gaze slid to Abigail. “And this must be your wife.”

Abigail bowed her head slightly, her voice steady despite her nerves. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Lois.”

He studied her a moment too long, as though weighing her worth, before gesturing for them to sit.

Dinner began with small talk business, politics, society. Abigail stayed quiet at first, observing. The Loises carried themselves like royalty, their words sharp, their laughter tinged with superiority.

It wasn’t long before Regina turned her attention to her. “So, Abigail,” she said smoothly, sipping her wine, “we’ve heard very little about you. Your background is… quiet.”

Abigail’s pulse quickened. She knew what that meant she wasn’t from wealth, wasn’t born into this world of power.

Before she could speak, Luke’s voice cut in. “My wife doesn’t need to be introduced by her past. She stands where I put her.”

Silence fell for a beat. Regina’s eyes flickered, and Richard chuckled, breaking the tension. “Of course, of course. Still, it’s always fascinating, isn’t it? To see how different paths converge.”

The sons exchanged smirks, as though they shared an inside joke at her expense. Abigail’s fingers tightened around her fork.

It was Carmen who shifted the mood. “Backgrounds don’t always define the future,” she said lightly, her gaze sliding to Abigail. “Sometimes they make people stronger than those who’ve had everything handed to them.”

The table stilled. Regina arched a brow, Richard cleared his throat, but neither openly challenged her.

Abigail looked at Carmen, gratitude flooding her. She didn’t speak, but her eyes said enough.

As the meal went on, the jabs became subtler. A question about her education here, a comment about her accent there. Each one designed to remind her that she didn’t belong. But Abigail remembered Luke’s words in the car: Don’t bend. Don’t falter.

So she lifted her chin, answering each question calmly, even when her heart pounded.

“Yes,” she admitted when one of the sons asked if she’d ever been intimidated by wealth. “At first. But intimidation doesn’t last forever. You adapt. You learn. You grow.”

Richard’s eyes narrowed, as though assessing her anew.

Luke didn’t interrupt, didn’t rescue her. He sat back, watching, letting her hold her ground. It was only in the slight curve of his lips that she sensed approval.

Dessert arrived, but the tension didn’t ease. Regina leaned forward, her pearl necklace gleaming under the light. “Marriage into families like ours can be… burdensome. Some women aren’t built for it. It crushes them. But I suppose,” her eyes flicked toward Abigail, “we’ll see which you are.”

Abigail felt the sting of the words, but before she could respond, Carmen spoke again. “Some women surprise everyone, even themselves.”

This time, Carmen’s gaze lingered on Abigail with quiet defiance, as though daring the others to keep pressing.

Luke’s hand slid under the table, resting over Abigail’s. His grip was steady, grounding. She didn’t look at him, but she felt the silent command: Don’t break.

The dinner finally wound to an end, and the Vandells were escorted back to their car. Abigail exhaled deeply once the doors shut, her body trembling from the strain of holding herself together.

Luke was silent at first, watching the city lights blur past the window. Then he turned to her.

“You didn’t falter,” he said simply.

Abigail’s chest tightened. “I tried.”

“You did more than try.” His hand brushed hers again, deliberate and possessive. “You proved them wrong.”

She swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. “It was Carmen who helped. If she hadn’t”

Luke cut her off with a sharp look. “Don’t give her credit for what you did. She may have eased the blow, but you stood. Remember that.”

Abigail nodded slowly, absorbing his words.

As the car glided through the night, she realized something profound. The tests weren’t over they had only just begun. But tonight, for the first time, she felt like she could face them. Not because she was perfect, not because she had all the answers… but because she wasn’t alone.

Luke was beside her. Watching. Guiding. Possessing.

And, perhaps most importantly believing.