CHAPTER 87

TESTING HER...

The city night was softer than the day street lamps glowing amber, cars moving slower, and conversations floating in the air with less urgency. Inside Abigail’s sitting room, the atmosphere was even calmer. The two women sat cross-legged on the couch, a half-eaten plate of snacks between them, while a warm lamp in the corner gave the room a gentle light.

Maya leaned back against the cushions, her arms folded, her eyes staring at nothing in particular. Abigail noticed the heaviness in her friend’s silence and tilted her head curiously.

“You’ve been awfully quiet,” Abigail said softly. “Are you going to tell me what’s sitting on your mind, or do I have to drag it out of you?”

Maya exhaled, shaking her head with a faint smile. “You’re too good at reading me.”

“That’s what friends do,” Abigail replied. “So… what happened?”

Maya hesitated for a moment, her jaw tightening. Then she shifted on the couch to face Abigail fully. “It’s Obetta.”

Abigail blinked. “Obetta? What about her?”

“She’s been… testing me,” Maya said, her voice low but steady. “At first, I thought it was just coincidence. But twice now, she’s crossed my path at the boutique, then at a café. And both times, she made it very clear that she wanted me to feel small.”

Abigail’s brows furrowed. She set her drink down carefully, her eyes fixed on Maya. “Testing you how?”

Maya recounted the encounters in detail the demand to clear the boutique, the mocking words, the coffee spill at the café. Her voice didn’t waver, but there was steel underneath it, the kind of steel forged by being challenged and refusing to break.

Abigail listened intently, her chest tightening with every word. She could picture Obetta’s smile, her sharp tongue, the way she enjoyed making others uncomfortable.

When Maya finished, Abigail’s eyes darkened. “She’s crossing a line.”

Maya gave a small shrug. “She wants to intimidate me. But I’m not afraid of her, Abigail. Not in the way she wants me to be.”

Abigail reached out and took Maya’s hand, squeezing it firmly. “You shouldn’t have to deal with her games at all. She knows better than to try and humiliate people just because she can.”

There was a pause, and then Abigail added, her voice low, “If she ever does that again while I’m around, she won’t get away with it.”

Maya smiled faintly, the kind of smile that held gratitude more than amusement. “I know.”

The next afternoon, Abigail decided they needed something lighter. “We’re not going to let Obetta dictate our mood,” she had said. “Let’s go out. Just us. We’ll shop, eat, laugh, and enjoy ourselves. That’s how we fight back.”

Maya had agreed, and soon they were strolling together down one of the city’s shopping districts. The area was vibrant, with rows of boutiques, cafes spilling onto sidewalks, and people moving in lively clusters.

Abigail wore a flowing cream dress that moved with the breeze, her hair styled loosely around her shoulders. Maya kept it simple a pale-blue blouse and black skirt, neat but understated. Side by side, they drew glances not because they demanded them, but because their presence carried quiet confidence.

For a while, it was exactly as Abigail promised. They tried on shoes, laughed at each other’s exaggerated reactions to outrageous price tags, and shared ice cream from a small street vendor. Abigail felt lighter, and she saw Maya’s shoulders ease bit by bit.

It almost felt like Obetta had no place in their day.

But Obetta had her own timing.

They were in a jewelry store when it happened. The shop was elegant, lined with glass cases that gleamed under soft lighting. Abigail and Maya stood together, admiring a delicate bracelet with tiny silver charms, when the sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor made them turn.

Obetta.

She entered like a storm wrapped in silk, her black dress hugging her figure, her hair shining as though the world existed just to highlight her beauty. The staff’s faces lit up instantly, rushing forward to greet her.

“Miss Obetta, welcome,” one of them said, bowing slightly.

Abigail felt Maya stiffen beside her. Her own lips pressed into a line, but she said nothing, only reached out to squeeze Maya’s wrist briefly a silent reassurance.

Obetta’s gaze swept the room lazily until it landed on them. A slow smile spread across her face, sharp and deliberate.

“Well,” she said smoothly, “what a surprise. Abigail Vandell and her… friend.”

Abigail straightened, her expression calm but her eyes firm. “We’re shopping,” she said simply.

“Of course you are,” Obetta replied, stepping closer. “Though I can’t imagine what either of you would find in a place like this. Some pieces are… far beyond certain people’s reach.”

The staff shifted uncomfortably. Maya’s jaw clenched, but Abigail’s voice came cool and steady. “We don’t measure worth by price tags, Obetta. Some of us know value when we see it.”

Obetta’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, then returned with sharper edges. She turned to the counter, pointing at an expensive diamond necklace displayed under glass.

“Bring it out,” she commanded. “I’ll take it. And make sure the entire floor knows it’s mine.”

The staff scrambled to obey, their hands trembling slightly as they lifted the necklace. It sparkled brilliantly, drawing stares from other customers.

Obetta slipped it around her neck, admiring herself in the mirror. Then, deliberately, she turned back to Abigail and Maya.

“You see,” she said sweetly, “this is what true class looks like. Not scraps of silver, not childish trinkets. Power. Wealth. Prestige.”

Abigail’s eyes narrowed. She could see what Obetta was doing trying to belittle Maya in front of her, trying to make her seem small by comparison.

But Abigail wasn’t going to allow it.

She stepped forward, her presence firm, her voice clear enough for everyone in the room to hear. “Class isn’t about what hangs around your neck. It’s about how you carry yourself. A diamond can shine, Obetta, but it can’t cover arrogance.”

The silence that followed was sharp. Customers exchanged glances. Some even hid faint smiles.

Obetta’s face froze, her eyes flashing with something dangerous. But she couldn’t lash out not here, not with so many eyes watching. Instead, she gave a sharp laugh, lifting her chin.

“Enjoy your… little window shopping,” she said, her tone dripping with mockery. Then, with a swirl of her dress, she walked out, her heels striking the floor like a retreating drumbeat.

The store felt lighter once she left, but Abigail could feel Maya’s heart racing beside her. She turned, reaching for her friend’s hand.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly.

Maya swallowed, her lips pressing into a thin line before she nodded. “I’m fine. I knew she’d try something. I just… didn’t expect it to be so direct.”

Abigail’s grip tightened. “She wanted to humiliate you. That’s what she does she feeds on making others feel less than her. But she failed today, Maya. She failed because you didn’t give her the satisfaction.”

Maya looked at her, her eyes softening. “You make it sound easy.”

Abigail smiled gently. “It’s not easy. But she doesn’t get to decide who you are. You do. And as long as I’m here, she’ll never break you.”

The sincerity in her voice warmed Maya more than the jewelry lights ever could. For the first time that day, Maya felt the sting of Obetta’s attack fade, replaced by the quiet strength of Abigail’s presence.

That night, Obetta sat in her room, the diamond necklace lying across her dresser. She stared at it without joy, her reflection in the mirror hard and restless.

“She thinks she can embarrass me,” she whispered, her nails digging into her palm. “In front of everyone.”

Her smile returned slowly, but it was colder now. “Very well, Abigail. If you want to play her protector, then you can fall with her. Both of you.”

The plan had begun to shift in her mind not just against Maya, but against Abigail too.

And in the shadows of her thoughts, the next move was already forming.