Abigail
As I zipped up the last bag in my suitcase set and placed it against the others in the corner, I felt a relief at the knowledge that I was almost ready to leave this house and its suffocating weight behind.
I glanced at my handbag, where the divorce papers I had gotten prepared sat neatly folded, tucked away like a secret. My hand twitched with the urge to pull them out and march straight to Conrad’s study to demand he sign them. But not yet. There were steps I had to take first. Before anything, I had to talk to Roxy. She would know if I could keep working at the company and stay at the house she’d taken me to when I had left this mansion the first time. I needed that stability now more than ever, for both myself and for my child.
Everything I was doing, every step I took, was
Abigail*Without a word to Susanna, I turned away and walked back toward my room. I didn’t need to look at her to know her sharp gaze followed me until I was out of sight, brimming with that contempt she wore like armor.As I pushed my bedroom door shut behind me, Marceline’s words came rushing back, relentless and sharp: “Abigail’s back here now, in her husband’s home. It’s time you returned to yours.”I let out a annoyed breath and sank onto the edge of my bed. Marceline thought I was back for good. That much was clear. And why wouldn’t she? Here I was, back under this roof… pretending.This was survival. I was here
Abigail*For the first time, I saw something shift in his expression—something that looked almost like shock. Conrad stood slowly, pushing his chair back with a scrape that set my nerves on edge.“Stop joking around,” he said, his voice low and tense. “We’re not getting divorced.”I met his gaze, my voice steady despite the panic drumming in my chest. “Have you ever known me to make that kind of joke?”For a moment, his eyes burned with anger, but he quickly masked it, exhaling sharply through his nose. His jaw tightened, and he pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to regain control.“What brought this on?” he ask
Abigail“Conrad Edward Remington!”Marceline’s sharp voice cut through the tension between me and Conrad, surprising the both of us. I turned towards the doorway of the study where she stood, her sharp eyes fixed on her son. Her usually elegant and serene demeanor was gone, replaced by a look of sheer outrage.Conrad stiffened, his face flushing red as his mother stepped into the study.“How dare you speak to your wife that way?” Marceline demanded, her voice laced with both reprimand and disappointment. “I did not raise you to be a man who throws such cruel words at the woman he vowed to protect.”For a moment, Conrad looked like a child caught stealing cookies from the jar, his mouth opening and closing without a word. I stood frozen, caught between shock at her intervention and relief that someone had come to my defense.“Mother, this is none of your business,” he finally managed to say, though his voice lacked its usual authority.Marceline’s sharp laugh filled the room, and she t
AbigailThe sound of a car woke me up, and I realized I had fallen asleep amidst a pile of documents. Lately, I’ve been getting sleepier and sleepier, probably because of the chaos at home. I’ve been busy taking over the burdens Conrad, my husband, has been carrying, hoping he’ll stop looking so troubled all the time.Looking out the window, I saw Conrad's car pull up. After getting out from the driver’s seat, he bent down to open the door for the passenger side. A woman stepped out and walked into the house. I couldn’t see the woman’s face from the window as it was hidden by her hat. Filled with curiosity, I went downstairs to greet them.As I came down to the bottom and moved toward the foyer, I couldn’t see who it was at first, only Conrad by the doorway, his head bent as he spoke to the woman just beyond my view. I couldn’t make out her words, but the voice was familiar. He was smiling—a smile so wide and bright it made me pause. I took a step closer, and that’s when she came into
AbigailAs I sat there on the examination table, the sharp antiseptic scent in the hospital room pricked at my senses. The doctor asked me seriously, "Are you here alone?""Yes, my family, they’re all busy," I instinctively made an excuse for Conrad. Though the truth was, he and the family doctor were at home, tending to Susanna, who wasn’t even injured but wouldn’t stop crying. Their actions today hurt me more deeply than any shattered fragments. It made me feel that instead of staying there hoping for help, I might as well come to the hospital alone to take care of my wounds.The doctor glanced up, his brows knitting together as he took in my pale face and trembling hands. He’d been treating me in silence for a few minutes now, but I could sense his growing concern. He held my gaze with patience, waiting for me to take a breath and settle myself. “Are you all right?” His voice was soft as if he knew that just the act of being in the same room as this open wound was almost too much f
Abigail “What are you doing in here?” I asked sharply, my voice cutting through the quiet. Susanna held up one of my scarves against her arm, admiring it. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” she said, waving a hand. “I’m just getting settled. I’ll be staying in this room.” I blinked, the words taking a moment to sink in. “Excuse me?” Her grey eyes sparkled with amusement. “It makes sense, doesn’t it? You and Conrad need to be close if I need anything, and my room is so far down the hall. It’s just more convenient for everyone if I stay here.” My pulse quickened, anger rising swiftly. “This is our room. I and Conrad’s. You don’t just decide to move in without even asking.” Susanna smirked, unfazed by the heat in my voice. “I wasn’t asking. Conrad said I could stay here.” “Did he?” I said, my tone ice-cold. “I find that hard to believe.” Our voices rose, each word louder than the last, until the door creaked open behind us. Conrad entered the room, his expression wary as he took in the
AbigailMy stomach dropped. “What?” “Susanna fainted,” he said, his voice rising. “The doctors think it could be something she ate. She said it started after breakfast.” “You think I did something to her?” I snapped, my frustration boiling over. “I’m not accusing you,” he said, though his tone didn’t fully match his words. “I just need to know if there was anything unusual in the food. Susanna’s health—”“Was fine when I left the house,” I interrupted sharply. “I made her an omelette. Eggs, cheese, a pinch of salt. Nothing unusual. The same thing I’ve made a hundred times before.” He sighed on the other end of the line, and I could almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m not accusing you of anything, Abigail. I just—” “Just what?” I interrupted. “I’m here at the hospital, dealing with my own recovery, and now I have to defend myself because Susanna fainted? You think I’d harm her?” There was a long pause, and for a moment, I thought he’d hung up. Finally, he sai
AbigailHis voice held a hint of tension, and I felt a rush of apprehension.“I—uh, I heard the phone ringing.” I said, my mind racing to think of how to play this off. I couldn’t let him know I’d seen my surprise. “It was so loud, and I thought the call might be important.” His eyes narrowed slightly, and I could see the tension in his posture. He stepped into the room, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. “You shouldn’t have come in here, Abigail. You know how I feel about people being in this room without my permission.” He replied, his tone sharper than I expected.“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would be a problem,” I replied. “You weren’t around, and it sounded urgent. It was about Alexander. I took the call. They have some leads, and I gave my permission for them to proceed.”The tension between us was thick as I stood there, waiting for Conrad’s response. His brow furrowed as if trying to choose the right words. But when he finally spoke, I felt my frustration boil over a
Abigail“Conrad Edward Remington!”Marceline’s sharp voice cut through the tension between me and Conrad, surprising the both of us. I turned towards the doorway of the study where she stood, her sharp eyes fixed on her son. Her usually elegant and serene demeanor was gone, replaced by a look of sheer outrage.Conrad stiffened, his face flushing red as his mother stepped into the study.“How dare you speak to your wife that way?” Marceline demanded, her voice laced with both reprimand and disappointment. “I did not raise you to be a man who throws such cruel words at the woman he vowed to protect.”For a moment, Conrad looked like a child caught stealing cookies from the jar, his mouth opening and closing without a word. I stood frozen, caught between shock at her intervention and relief that someone had come to my defense.“Mother, this is none of your business,” he finally managed to say, though his voice lacked its usual authority.Marceline’s sharp laugh filled the room, and she t
Abigail*For the first time, I saw something shift in his expression—something that looked almost like shock. Conrad stood slowly, pushing his chair back with a scrape that set my nerves on edge.“Stop joking around,” he said, his voice low and tense. “We’re not getting divorced.”I met his gaze, my voice steady despite the panic drumming in my chest. “Have you ever known me to make that kind of joke?”For a moment, his eyes burned with anger, but he quickly masked it, exhaling sharply through his nose. His jaw tightened, and he pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to regain control.“What brought this on?” he ask
Abigail*Without a word to Susanna, I turned away and walked back toward my room. I didn’t need to look at her to know her sharp gaze followed me until I was out of sight, brimming with that contempt she wore like armor.As I pushed my bedroom door shut behind me, Marceline’s words came rushing back, relentless and sharp: “Abigail’s back here now, in her husband’s home. It’s time you returned to yours.”I let out a annoyed breath and sank onto the edge of my bed. Marceline thought I was back for good. That much was clear. And why wouldn’t she? Here I was, back under this roof… pretending.This was survival. I was here
AbigailAs I zipped up the last bag in my suitcase set and placed it against the others in the corner, I felt a relief at the knowledge that I was almost ready to leave this house and its suffocating weight behind.I glanced at my handbag, where the divorce papers I had gotten prepared sat neatly folded, tucked away like a secret. My hand twitched with the urge to pull them out and march straight to Conrad’s study to demand he sign them. But not yet. There were steps I had to take first. Before anything, I had to talk to Roxy. She would know if I could keep working at the company and stay at the house she’d taken me to when I had left this mansion the first time. I needed that stability now more than ever, for both myself and for my child.Everything I was doing, every step I took, was
AbigailThe sharp trill of my phone startled me, pulling me out of my unhappy thoughts. For one irrational moment, I thought it might be Conrad, calling from the study even though we were in the same house.But the name on the screen made my breath catch for an entirely different reason. Liam.I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the green button. Liam, my baby brother, with his easy smile and constant chatter, always so full of life. He didn’t call often—our lives had taken us in such different directions—but when he did, it was never without good reason.What reason could he have to call me now?I shook off the thought, forcing myself to press the button. “Liam,” I said, injecting a lightness into my tone that I didn’t feel. “Hey! It’s been a while.”“Bee,” he said, and my chest tightened at the familiar nickname. He was the only one who still called me that. His voice was warm, but there was an undercurrent of something else there—something worried. “Are you okay?”The question hit
AbigailI pulled away from Conrad’s embrace, the lingering heat of his body feeling like a brand to me. “This is… a lot to take in,” I said, making sure my voice felt fragile.He nodded, looking at me with concern. “I’m glad you insisted on seeing it for yourself, Abby. Now you understand why I’ve been doing all this. It’s all for you. To protect you.”I offered him what I hoped looked like a grateful smile. “I’m exhausted,” I murmured. “I think I’ll go to my room.”“Of course,” he replied, his smile much brighter than mine. “Rest as long as you need. I’ll tell the cook to make your favorite for dinner.”
Abigail“No,” I said immediately. “I’d like to see it now. You promised me, remember?”“Yes, I remember,” he shook his head playfully, as if he had expected I would say that. “This way,” he said, leading me toward his study.We reached the study, and Conrad unlocked the door with a small key he pulled from his pocket. He stepped inside first, turning on the lights, and I didn’t hesitate before following him in.The room was exactly as I remembered it—dark wood paneling, bookshelves lined with leather-bound volumes, and a massive desk that dominated the space. But what caught my attention was the safe in the corner. Conrad led me to the far corner, where the imposing safe was bui
Abigail“I’m not saying Susanna is lying,” I added quickly. “But you can’t expect me to believe something so... so extreme without any kind of proof. This is Alexander we’re talking about, Conrad. He’s been nothing but kind to us.” I shook my head in confusion. “Why would he go from that to… this? It doesn’t make sense. Right now, without any evidence, it feels like you’re asking me to take a leap of faith without a net.”Conrad sighed heavily, releasing my hand as he leaned back in his seat. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, a nervous tick he probably didn’t realize he had. “I want to let you in on what I know, Abby. Believe me, I do. But I never wanted you to be dragged into this. Telling you would feel like the whole purpose of protecting you has been defeated. You were sup
AbigailThe nylon bag in my hand felt heavier than it should have, even though all it contained was a simple change of clothes and my phone which was all I had to pack here. As I stepped out of the bedroom, I almost collided with Conrad.“Abigail,” he said, his voice happy. His face was lit up as if he had just won some prize. Before I could step back, he wrapped me in a hug, his arms firm around me. “Are you ready to leave?”I nodded, the gesture small and noncommittal, but it was enough for him.“I can’t tell you how glad I am to have you coming back home,” he said, stepping back but keeping a hand lightly on my shoulder. “The house has been… empty without you. It’s lost