جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 1330

Abigail asked, "What do you expect me to tell you?" She was afraid that her words might deepen his pain. She recalled Ronan was also at Florivera University and they had even been together at the Groundbreaking Forum. Despite trying hard, she just could not remember anything else about him.Ronan, looking a bit hopeful, said, "Come on, we were university mates. Can't you say something nice for me to hear?"Abigail paused, searching for words. "Well, you're handsome, successful, and you come from a great family."'Who wants to hear such flattery?' Ronan looked at her with a mix of surrender and bitterness in his eyes. "You're really tough-hearted.""I'm tough-hearted?" Abigail thought, 'I'm simply being true to myself. If a guy I don't like chases after me, I have to turn him down clearly and decisively. Pretending to care or leading someone on when there's no love, that's something I can never do.'Just as Abigail was about to say more, Marlin, who had been largely ignored, chimed

Abigail instantly recognized the scent—a blend of mint and wood. It was so familiar that even after months, she could identify it in her sleep. 'I'm dreaming again,' she thought, 'about that man I shouldn't be dreaming of.' The dream felt unusually real. She could smell Xander's distinct scent and feel him massaging her feet. His touch was perfect, not too light or heavy, like he was professionally trained. It felt comforting and a bit ticklish.Asleep, Abigail instinctively withdrew her leg, whispering, "That tickles..." Yet, in an instant, a hand gently captured her foot once more. He carefully applied a cooling ointment to it. The ointment's chill brought relief to her swollen foot. Sighing in satisfaction, Abigail drifted back into a deep sleep.Sometime later, as Abigail remained in a deep sleep, she dimly sensed a hand gently placed on her belly, tenderly caressing. There were soft whispers. "Baby, you're doing great. Daddy knows you've been easy on Mommy. Mommy has been strong

Abigail was ready for any question thrown her way. "With the Blau family's solid support, I'm more than capable of raising a child on my own," she said confidently.She had spent enough time with the Blau family to get to know them. They valued their reputation, so she smartly played to that. Her words made them happy and the questions slowed down. Finally, Abigail could help Johann sort out all the gifts they got.Every New Year's, Johann used to receive so many gifts that he could not keep track of who sent them all. Some remained unopened in the storage room.This New Year's, Abigail also received her share of gifts. She had only a few friends, but their bonds were strong. Felix and Melody, as was their tradition, went back to their hometown for the holidays and sent her local treats. These included traditional New Year's delicacies like festive cookies and sparkling cider. Abigail, thrilled with these treats, savored them immediately. Stella's and Susie's gifts were more lavish,

Susie chimed in, "Stella, I totally get what you're saying. Let's just hope Mr. White and his sweetheart have a good life, so he leaves you alone."Abigail nodded, showing she agreed.Stella said, "Are all guys this unfair? When we were still married, I wanted him to join me for New Year at my family's place, but he said no and didn't let me go either. And now, even after we split up, he turned up at my house right before New Year."Susie said, "Wasn't he super into his sweetheart? He ditches her to see you. Does he even care if she's upset?"Stella shrugged. "Who can tell? But I know this much: guys who can't decide what they want are the worst."Susie said, "Yeah, guys like that are just awful. I always thought Xander was a great guy, especially with Abigail, but I guess I was wrong."The conversation unintentionally turned to Abigail. Stella quickly shot Susie a warning glance, hinting not to touch on Abigail's painful past. Abigail managed a small smile and stayed quiet. They

Abigail was unsure if she was reading too much into the situation. If her suspicions were correct, it was truly revolting. As Stella and Susie often remarked, a guy who's with one girl but fantasizing about another is just yucky, like having a really bad taste in your mouth.After a brief silence, Keith finally said, "You're misunderstanding things. I just thought of you over New Year and wanted to give you a call to check in.""Is that so? Well, then, Happy New Year to you and your family. It's late, and I need to get some sleep. Goodnight."After ending the call, Abigail gazed at her phone, deep in thought. Keith's extended silence during their conversation had validated her doubts. She pondered, 'Why does Xander act this way? Is it typical for guys to desire what they don't have?' Lost in these reflections, she scrolled to a number she knew well. She stared at it for a lengthy period, wrestling with herself, but ultimately, she could not bring herself to make the call.Keith, he