Recognizing Abigail's concern about money, Xander suggested, "Then why don't you accompany me a little longer? I've got a few more items to buy.""Sure."Abigail had always known Xander never bothered about price tags. If he liked something, he would buy it no matter the cost. But she had not anticipated that even grocery shopping could follow the same principle.He proceeded to the aisles, placing one of each item in the cart. The large shopping cart was filled to the brim in no time.He then said, "Abigail, money is but a worldly possession. We earn it so we can spend it. Don't let a few thousand bucks dampen your spirit."Abigail chose not to respond. A few thousand dollars might be insignificant to Xander, but it was a few months' worth of living expenses for her. It was a substantial amount.Once one cart was filled, Xander motioned for the staff to bring over two more. Within moments, all three carts were filled to capacity with fresh beef, lamb, chicken, and a variety of c
Esther had not wanted to leave Abigail on her own, but her brother's instructions were something she could not dismiss lightly. "Abigail, I didn't mean to leave you," Esther said, her voice ringing sincere. "I was on the phone for too long and forgot about our shopping trip. It wasn't intentional.""Sure seems like it was to me," Abigail retorted.Esther's heart skipped a beat, wondering if Abigail had picked up on something. "Why would you think I left you on purpose?""Woman's intuition," Abigail replied simply.With no solid evidence to back up Abigail's claim, Esther relaxed. "A woman's intuition can be accurate but not always. Trust me, I didn't intentionally leave you to go shopping with my brother. Can you forgive me? I promise it won't happen again.""I'm not so sure I want to forgive you," Abigail said, a teasing glint in her eyes.Esther's heart stumbled in her chest. "Why won't you forgive me? Don't you like me anymore?"Hearing the tremble in Esther's voice, Abigail
Abigail promptly tucked her phone away. "Mr. Zane, are you coming down with a cold? If you're not feeling well to drive, let's swap. I can take the wheel."Silently, Xander protested in his mind, 'I'm not sick! I don't have a headache! I'm driving this slow because I want you to talk to me, not glued to your phone chatting with Esther.' He voiced none of his thoughts, only saying, "I'm not sick." He cast a glance at her. "Why are you so fond of Esther?"Abigail responded, "Essy is beautiful, adorable, and she has a good, straightforward heart. Any of those qualities are lovable. It would be more surprising if I didn't like her."Xander, finding himself jealous even of his own sister, could hardly contain his bitterness. "Esther is cunning. She's an expert at using her cute exterior to fool people. Don't let her fool you too."Abigail, puzzled by his negativity toward his sister, had to ask, "Mr. Zane, is Essy really your sister?"He responded, "She's my blood sister, born of the s
"Y-You like me, Abigail?" Xander stammered, sounding as nervous as a love-struck teenager. It was strange to see him like this, the man who could dominate any situation with his sheer presence now stumbling over words. "Could you, um, repeat what you just said?""Of course. I like you, Mr. Zane." Abigail's words washed over Xander like a wave of elation, the pure joy overwhelming him. But he barely had a moment to bask in this delight before Abigail added more. "Mr. Zane, I'm not sure how the other employees view you, but to Mr. Jackman and me, you're a great boss. You treat us well, ensure our salaries are paid on time, and give various rewards. You always stand up for your team. I started working at Zane Corporation right after graduating, so I haven't experienced other bosses, but I'm confident you're the best out there. How could I not like such a wonderful boss? Mr. Jackman often says he likes you a lot too."Xander was left speechless. 'I don't want to be just your boss forever
He often forgot that Abigail could sometimes be stubborn, refusing to accept anything that was not her own. His attempts to shower her with gifts felt like an insult to her.Abigail simply smiled. "It's okay."Despite the journey being a few miles, Xander, driving Abigail, took over half an hour to reach home. The purchases they had made had beaten them there. Upon their arrival, the housekeeper, a middle-aged woman from Francovia, was busy sorting things out. During Xander's absence, she oversaw the house. Not very familiar with the groceries, she was making a muddle out of the bounty.Abigail, removing her outerwear upon entering, rushed to assist. "I can handle these."The housekeeper said, "Ms. Renee, these are my duties. I can't allow you to help."Before Abigail could respond, Xander interjected, "Luce, focus on your work. We can handle this."Knowing Xander's temperament, the housekeeper glanced at them and complied. "Very well."Once the housekeeper departed, Xander, she
Feeling buoyed by Abigail's praise, Xander doubled his efforts, and the dough was kneaded to perfection in no time.A quick scout around the kitchen left Abigail empty-handed—no rolling pin in sight. Given Xander's predilection for Francovian cuisine in Paridale, it was likely such a tool was not a staple in his kitchen. She remembered her childhood, when in the absence of a rolling pin, her grandmother would use a wine bottle to roll out the ravioli dough."Mr. Zane, do we have an empty wine bottle?" she asked."We have wine, but I'm not sure about an empty bottle." Xander exited the kitchen, returning with an unopened bottle of red wine. He passed it to Abigail. "Pour out the wine, and voila, you have an empty bottle."Assuming it was a generic bottle of red, Abigail was about to pour out the wine. But upon seeing the vintage on the label, she hurriedly returned the bottle to Xander. "Mr. Zane, this isn't something to joke about." The market value of this particular vintage was i
"But will he still be willing as time goes on?" Abigail asked."Always," Xander affirmed. He wished Abigail would spend more of Nathan's money; it seemed the best way he could please her."You're not him. You can't possibly know what's going on in his mind," Abigail retorted, leaving Xander not knowing how to respond.Having seen her fair share of failed relationships, Abigail had little room for idealistic notions. To her, blissful love stories belonged to novels and films. "Mr. Zane, I don't mean to dampen your spirits, but a marital relationship is the closest, yet most fragile, bond. Look around, couples are deeply in love one day and filing for divorce the next. And if financial squabbles land them in court, they spill each other's secrets, making an enemy out of their once intimate partner. I can't bear the thought of Nathan and I reaching such a bitter end."Abigail held onto hope that if they ever had to part ways, it would be amicable, without a trace of bitterness. And sh
Abigail calmly said, "I want to spend the rest of my life with Nathan too. But no one knows what'll happen in the future. What if Nathan falls for another woman before I return to the country?"Perhaps because she experienced too many bad things, Abigail unconsciously allowed herself to have options. No matter what may happen to her marriage with Nathan in the future, she could also continue to live her life according to her own ideas."He won't fall for another woman. He'll be loyal to your marriage to him forever. Please believe him." Xander's voice was low and deep. He sounded sweet and particularly serious. It seemed like he was making her a promise.Abigail did not know why Xander insisted on making a promise on behalf of Nathan. She thought Nathan might not even be as sure as Xander. She said, "Mr. Zane, I've told you, you're you. You aren't him. What you say on his behalf doesn't count."Xander responded, "Every word I say counts."Abigail did not want to continue talking t