Chapter 12

Only a select few were privy to the secret of Xander's whirlwind marriage – his family and a tight-knit circle of friends, including Malcolm and Max. When Malcolm would inquire about it over the phone, Xander would always laugh it off, saying, "When I get back to the country, I'll bring her home." But after experiencing the gut-wrenching betrayal, the mere thought of that woman filled Xander with disgust, making him unwilling to even mention her to anyone. "What do you think?" he replied.

"Xander, come on, satisfy my curiosity, will you?" Malcolm begged.

"Malcolm, you know Xander's personality, right? If he doesn't want to talk, it probably isn't good," Max answered casually, trying to figure out the true state of Xander's marriage. Abigail was also dying to know what was going on between the CEO and his wife, since Xander had not mentioned her in ages.

Xander saw right through Max's little scheme. His mood spoiled, he turned to Abigail. "We're out of here."

"Already?" Malcolm asked.

Xander replied, "You guys killed my vibe."

Malcolm shot back, saying, "Is there anything you care about besides work?"

Without responding, Xander made for the exit with Abigail hot on his heels. They reached the hall, where a throng of people gathered, each hoisting a wine glass for a toast. Abigail finally got why Xander had taken refuge in the card room – attending others' banquets meant putting up with these business folks, which was seriously annoying.

"Apologies! Mr. Zane isn't feeling well, so no drinks for him tonight," Abigail announced, positioning herself in front of Xander to shield him from the toasts. Anyone who dared to offer him a drink would have to go through her first. When she could not block them, she drank on Xander's behalf. His high-profile position attracted people wanting to cozy up to the CEO of Zane Corporation, making the toasting seem never-ending, as if he was the main attraction.

Once they had completed their social obligations and left the Cobain residence, Abigail's head spun from all the booze. She asked Xander, "Do you think we're like some monk escaping a magical cave?"

"Dork," Xander replied sharply.

'I've fended off so many drinks for him, and he still calls me a dork.' Abigail felt miffed but dared not show it. "If you think I'm a dork, then I'll be a dork." she conceded.

Xander glanced down at her. For tonight's banquet, she had swapped her usual simple workwear for a sky-blue dress and styled her hair in a bun. The dress was plain, but her figure was killer, and the dress showcased her perfect curves. Blushing from the alcohol, her delicate face and slender neck were flushed with red, adding a hint of sexiness to her innocence. This was worlds apart from her usual efficient work image. The men who initially toasted Xander later turned their attention to her, their gazes greedy and sleazy. Unaware, she naively chugged drink after drink. Xander could have stopped them but chose not to, wanting to see just how clueless she could be. If she did not smarten up, she would eventually be left in the dust in his world.

Xander looked away. "Who said anyone's worthy of drinking with me? As long as I don't drink, who can force me?"

Feeling tipsy, Abigail grew bolder. "Mr. Zane, why didn't you say so earlier? I drank so much because of you!"

Blaming her own silliness on him, Xander raised an eyebrow. "Are you the assistant, or am I?"

Abigail clammed up. She had been so focused on ensuring he did not drink that she had dashed to shield him from the others, making sure no one could even get close. She had forgotten that a single glare from him would have been enough to send them packing. She laughed, using the laughter to mask her embarrassment.

Paxton had been waiting in the car outside, and when he saw them coming, he quickly hopped out to open the door. Xander sat in the backseat, and Abigail took her place in the front passenger seat. Xander's gaze instinctively swept over the empty spot beside him before asking, "Where do you live? Paxton can drop you off on the way."

Abigail hiccuped rather dramatically, waving her hand. "Thanks for the offer, Mr. Zane, but don't worry about it. Someone's coming to pick me up. Just drop me off on the side of the road outside the gated community." Last time she left late at night without telling Felix and Melody, they gave her the cold shoulder for a whole day. So when she found out she would be attending the dinner with Xander, she sent them a message. Felix immediately offered to pick her up in the evening.

Xander casually asked, "Your husband?"

Abigail paused, realizing that he must have overheard her conversation with Malcolm. Her so-called husband was long gone, and it was impossible for him to pick her up.

Abigail only smiled, and Xander took her silence as confirmation.

The car quickly left the gated community, and Paxton found a spacious spot to park. "Ms. Renee, should we stop here?"

Abigail nodded, opening the door and waving goodbye to them. "Goodbye, Mr. Zane! Goodbye, Mr. Spencer!"

Xander pressed the window button, and the window rolled down. "Take care of the stuff in the trunk for me."

"Yes, sir." Abigail was quite tipsy and unsteady on her feet, but she had to do what the boss ordered. She wobbled to the back of the car and opened the trunk. It was full of beautifully wrapped gifts, some even packed by her, all intended for the boss's wife. The presents should have been given earlier, but they were all still there, lying in the trunk.

Abigail returned to Xander's window. "Mr. Zane, aren't these all gifts for your wife? Why haven't they been given?"

Xander lit a cigarette and took a drag. "They won't be needed anymore. Toss them, sell them, or use them yourself—do whatever you want with them."

Abigail felt an inexplicable pang in her heart. "Mr. Zane, what happened between you and your wife? You love her so much; please don't let pride get in the way." 'His gaze had been tender and resolute when he spoke of his wife before, but now, after just a couple of weeks, it has changed—cold and disdainful. Something must have happened,' she thought to herself.

Xander's voice suddenly turned cold. "Get rid of the stuff, and don't mention her in front of me again."

Abigail did not dare to ask further since Xander did not want to talk about it. She went back to the trunk to move the items. As she bent down, a wave of dizziness hit her, and her stomach churned. She tried to hold back; she had to wait for Xander to leave before letting herself throw up. As his personal assistant, she could not show such a disgusting behavior in front of him.

She took a deep breath and was about to try again when Paxton intervened. "I've got it." He was tall and strong, and it took him only a few moments to move the items from the trunk to the ground.

Abigail could not hide her gratitude. "Mr. Spencer, I really can't thank you enough."

Paxton shot her a nonchalant glance before heading back to his driver's seat, ready to hit the road.

Xander spoke up, "Hold up, I'm going to have one more smoke."

Paxton did not get why Xander needed to stop the car to light up, but he went along with it. Xander sparked a cigarette, not actually smoking it, resting his hand on the window while casually tapping it.

Seeing Xander still there, Abigail figured he needed something. Fighting her queasiness, she asked, "Mr. Zane, is there anything else you need?"

Xander raised an eyebrow. "Your ride hasn't shown up yet?"

Abigail replied, "There's been some traffic tonight. He's been stuck for a bit but should be here soon." As she spoke, a modest sedan pulled up in the opposite lane. Her eyes lit up. "Mr. Zane, my ride is here. Catch you later!" Excited, she walked toward the budget-friendly car, her sweet voice echoing through the quiet night. "Fee, I'm over here!"

Xander glanced briefly at the driver's seat of the affordable car, but the darkness made it impossible to see the man's face. He snapped the cigarette in his hand and instructed Paxton. "Let's roll."

As Paxton drove away, he caught a glimpse of the man picking up Abigail in the rearview mirror. His back was turned, and it looked like he was embracing her.

Paxton remarked. "Mr. Zane, Ms. Renee and her hubby seem like they're really tight."

Xander closed his eyes, not responding, but every word Paxton said echoed in his mind. He could not help but hear Abigail's tender voice as she spoke to her husband, so unlike the strictly professional tone she reserved for him.

"Heh..." he scoffed.

Paxton, feeling puzzled, stole a quick glance at Xander through the rearview mirror, but his expression revealed nothing.

Over with Abigail, Felix gently patted her back. "You big goof, just let it out if you need to hurl. You'll feel better once you do."

Feeling dizzy and barely able to stand, Abigail leaned on Felix. "Has my boss taken off yet?"

"He's gone." Felix poked her forehead, clearly annoyed. "You're such a silly girl, pushing yourself to the limit for that double salary."

"It's because money gives me a sense of security," Abigail said, grinning at him. But as she smiled, tears unexpectedly welled up in her eyes.