جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

A few minutes passed before Abigail finally pulled away from David's embrace. “I... I don't even know what to say anymore. I'm... embarrassed.” Abigail lowered her head, wiping the remnants of tears from her cheeks. “Everyone makes mistakes. Every child has argued with their parents at some point. What is there for you to be embarrassed about?” “How much did you hear?” “Not too much, but enough,” David answered honestly. “Aunt Veronica has changed so much.” Abigail could only nod. “My father's bankruptcy destroyed her.” “I can understand that. Are you planning to take her somewhere for treatment?” “Mom always refuses. But my friend suggested putting her in an alcohol rehabilitation centre. She said she'd already found a good one.

Mark parked his car in the lot of a flea market, which happened to be packed with visitors that day. The cool blast of the car’s air conditioning had momentarily made Abigail forget how scorching it actually was outside. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Mark removed his jacket and tie, then casually tossed both expensive items onto the back seat.“You’re sure you’re getting out, sir?” Abigail asked hesitantly.Being alone with Mark—even when Jasper was usually there to accompany them—always made her feel tense. Having to walk beside him through a crowded place like this only made her more uncomfortable.“I know Nora much better than Jasper does, and I don’t want you getting thrown out on your first day of work simply because she considers what you’re wearing inappropriate,” Mark replied flatly, without turning toward her.Is this Nora woman really that difficult? Wouldn’t it be enough for Abigail to wear something neat and respectable? she wondered.Not everyone could afford

From the very first moment Abigail met Nora Quill, she felt deeply uncomfortable. Would she really be able to endure living with this “second Mark”? Abigail honestly had no idea.Being subjected to Nora’s scrutinizing and suspicious gaze every time they crossed paths already made Abigail’s chest feel tight. If she were the only one who had to deal with Nora, she could handle it. But what about Amora? Abigail was afraid the older woman might treat her daughter with the same coldness.“Sit here for a little while, sweetheart, okay? Mommy will take these things inside first, and then I’ll come back for you,” Abigail whispered to Amora.As usual, the little girl obediently nodded.Jasper carried two large suitcases filled with clothes—mostly the ones Mark had specifically bought for Abigail, along with some of Amora’s clothes—while Abigail carried her own bag.“Your room is at the end of the hallway,” Nora said, pointing toward the corridor beyond the spotless kitchen area.Jasper seemed

“Are you comfortable staying there?”Lily’s voice came through the phone, filled with concern for Abigail. In the background, Abigail could hear the hustle and bustle of a busy environment. Lily sounded incredibly occupied, yet she had still taken the time to call Abigail just to check on her.Abigail wasn’t quite sure how to answer. So far, she had actually found living with Nora rather comfortable and peaceful. The older woman wasn’t nearly as bad as Abigail had initially imagined. Her cold, curt attitude seemed to have been limited mostly to their first meeting.“I’m sorry, Abby. I really didn’t know Mark was going to send you there. I thought he would put you in one of our penthouses, but apparently, he had other plans,” Lily said without giving Abigail a chance to interrupt. “Aunt Nora can be rather blunt and cold. I hope you can endure it and get along with her.”“Mrs. Quill, she’s actually—”“Mark is still upset with me,” Lily interrupted again. “He doesn’t want me talking to y

“What a vile woman. What kind of crazy person kills her own child like that?” Mark snapped. He looked genuinely disturbed by the heartbreaking truth his best friend had kept buried all these years.“But I suppose you should be grateful you didn’t end up with her. There’s nothing worse than a woman who’s obsessed with money.”“You think so?” Ian looked at Mark, who immediately gave him a firm nod.“Then should I feel sorry for her husband now? I heard he’s completely infatuated with my former lover.”“He was obviously deceived. That woman must be incredibly manipulative.”The corner of Ian’s mouth lifted again, forming a cynical smile. “The older someone gets and the more experience they gain, the better they become at knowing exactly how to manipulate others.”He set his fork and knife down neatly at the edge of his plate.“Enough. Stop talking about me. I didn’t come here to reminisce about the past.”They soon changed the subject, moving on to old friends, the ever-shifting dynamics