جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

I can’t accept this, Abigail thought, her chest tightening as she looked around the room.This wasn’t just luxurious—it was beyond anything she had ever imagined. And the last thing she wanted was for Amora to grow accustomed to a life they could never afford, only to return later to their small, shabby apartment and feel the painful difference.Without wasting another second, Abigail picked up her phone and called Lily.“Lily...” Abigail paused, choosing her words carefully. She didn’t want to offend her friend with what she was about to say, so she searched for the gentlest way to put it.“Yes, Abby. Is something wrong?”“Amora was just moved to an inpatient room, and—”“Is there something missing? Did one of the hospital staff make you uncomfortable?” Lily interrupted quickly.“No, it’s not that.” Abigail shook her head, even though Lily couldn’t see her. “What I mean is... this is too much, Lily.”“I booked that room on purpose so your daughter could be comfortable.”“I know, but

“What are you daydreaming about? Trying to figure out how to blow through that much money in the blink of an eye?”The deep, icy voice jolted Abigail out of her thoughts, shattering the entire train of contemplation in her head. When she looked up, Mark Harrison was already standing beside her table.Mark Harrison was the perfect embodiment of a mature, wealthy, and powerful man. His cold, assessing gaze alone was enough to make someone from a lower social standing like Abigail shrink back, even when they had done absolutely nothing wrong.“M-Mr. Harrison.” Abigail hurriedly stood, her nerves getting the better of her.She had no idea whether Mark had arrived with Charles Walker or come afterward. But one thing she was certain of—there was no way a man like him would deliberately come to meet someone as insignificant as her.By coincidence, perhaps. But deliberately?Why would he?Mark, meanwhile, had ini

“Are you out of your mind?” Mark glared at Jasper through the rearview mirror, irritation evident on his face.“What does the child’s parent information have to do with my name? I’m obviously not her father.”Jasper merely shrugged, looking unconcerned.“I was just asking, sir. You’ve already taken care of details this small, so I thought perhaps you might want to put your name down as her father to keep her from becoming a target for bullying. You have no idea how cruel kids can be these days. Somehow, they always seem to know which children they can turn into punching bags simply because they don’t have anyone to protect them.”“That’s not my problem. If the girl gets bullied because she doesn’t have a father, she can blame her mother.” Mark’s tone was curt. “Besides, if it weren’t for Lily, I wouldn’t even want anything to do with them.”He turned his gaze toward the window before continuing.“What about Shane? Has he found the information I asked for?”“He said he’ll report back t

“Derek Flint?” Shane looked back at Mark, his brows drawing together. Deep down, he couldn't help wondering why that man's name had caught his boss's attention so intensely. “He's the owner of an underground gambling den that also runs a prostitution business. He's also a small-time loan shark known for being particularly ruthless and cunning.”Mark fell silent. His hand moved over his neatly shaved chin as he tried to connect the dots between Abigail and the man named Derek Flint. Was he her lover, or...“Miss Spencer's mother, Veronica Spencer, is a severe alcoholic and a gambling addict,” Shane continued, not even needing to consult his report. “Ever since they moved to this city, Veronica has been drowning in debt to Derek Flint.”“You said he runs a prostitution business?” Mark cut in, his eyes narrowing. “Did that woman sell herself there, too?”Shane shook his head firmly. “Miss Spencer's record is clean, sir. Her connection to Derek is solely because of her mother's debts. Bas

“I would never betray you, Lily. Never.”“But you left me seven years ago, Abby. And that hurt me.”“That... that was beyond my control,” Abigail replied weakly. “I really had to leave back then. It wasn't because I was ashamed of my circumstances. I was ashamed because I'd made a mistake. I was ashamed because I'd destroyed my family, and I...”“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blame you. I just...” Lily's voice softened as old memories resurfaced. “Back then, you were my friend, my best friend, my only sister. When you left, I felt like my whole world had fallen apart. When I received that scholarship, I felt like I'd betrayed you. Everyone, including me, believed you deserved it more than I did. But after what happened...”“I don't want to regret anything.” Abigail's voice was quiet but firm. “Keeping Amora was the best decision I ever made, even though I knew I would disappoint so many people along the way. And I hope we never talk about this again, Lily.