Chapter 13
Abigail
28 BONUS
The robins outside my window chirped cheerfully as I got dot of bed and stretched my fired body, but I was fimmune to their happiness. It was as if ice had settled over my heart as I realized Conrad was still not home. My night had been full of restless sleep and scattered thoughts and now, as I padded toward the kitchen to make a cup of tea, the sharp ring of the study phone cut through the quiet.
It rang once, Twice. No one answered.
With a sigh, I turned toward the study. Conrad usually never left the house this early without checking in, but he wasn’t here now. Pushing the door open, I crossed the room and picked up the receiver.
“Hello?” I said, clearing my throat so I didn’t sound sleepy
The man on the other end exhaled audibly, relief clear in his tone. “Thank goodness, someone answered, This is Daniel. Are you Abigail? Do you know where Mr. Conrad Remington Is? I’ve been trying to reach Mr. Conrad all night on an urgent matter, but he hasn’t returned any of my calls to his mobile. Is he available?”
I hesitated. The fact that Daniel had called so many times without an answer did not sit right with me. like Conrad to ignore work calls or at least, it hadn’t been before. “This is Abigail. Conrad’s not home now,” I It wasn’t said finally. “What’s going on?”
“Yes,” Daniel said, seriousness filling his voice. “I’ve been trying to get his approval on an investment proposal Mr. Alexander was working on before his…demise. The Brackford deal. Mr. Conrad was supposed to finalize it this week, but he’s been difficult to reach. The proposal is time–sensitive, and we’re at risk of losing the deal if we delay any further.”
Difficult to reach. Of course.
As he spoke, it hit me. Conrad had promised that he wouldn’t let Susanna’s constant presence disrupt our lives and yet here we were. He was still circling Susanna like a moth to a flame, ignoring responsibilities that mattered, “Tell me what you need,” I said firmly. “Whatever the issue is, I’ll make sure it’s handled.”
There was a brief pause as Daniel seemed to consider my words. “Mrs. Remington, I don’t mean to overstep, but Mr. Remington has been hard to reach lately. If this happens again, would it be acceptable to contact you directly? You seem more… available.”
Available. The word sounded like a joke to me. I was always waiting, always putting Conrad first, always standing in the shadows while Susanna claimed his attention. And now his business was suffering for it too.
“I’ll meet you at the office,” I said firmly. “Let’s go over everything then and discuss the details in person.”
Daniel agreed without argument, clearly relieved someone was taking charge. After a polite exchange, I hung up the phone, staring at it as if it held all the answers. Daniel’s words had shined a light on something I couldn’t ignore: Conrad’s promises to prioritize me–our family, our marriage–had been nothing more than empty gestures.
Enough was enough. I was done being ignored.
I went back to my room, pulling out a suitcase and laying it open on the bed. My hands shook slightly as I begai folding clothes and stacking them neatly inside. I wasn’t going to beg for scraps of attention or settle for being an afterthought in my own life. Some distance would do Conrad and I some good. Maybe, when he saw I wasn’t always going to be around waiting for him and settling for promises that seemed to mean very little to him, he would learn to value me.
1/3
Chapter 13
++38 BONUS
The sound of the front door opening Interrupted my thoughs. I stiffened, my hands panting over a silk blouse as voices drifted up the stairs. Conrad’s volce, Liliana’s reply to whatever he was saying
They weren’t here long before Conrad found me. The moment he stepped into the room and saw the suitcase, he froze. My clothes were folded in neat stacks, and my toiletries were already packed away.
“Abigail,” he said, his voice uncertain. “What are you doing?” “Packing.” I replied without looking up.
“For what?” He stepped closer, his shadow looming over
I barely glanced at him, folding another blouse and placing
His confusion was immediate as his brows litted together
1 raised my brow at him. This wasn’t rocket science.
. “Where are you going?”
into my bag. “I’m leaving
“You’re leaving? Why?”
He only blinked at me. “Because I didn’t come home last night?”
A hollow laugh escaped me. I straightened, turning to face him fully. “No, Conrad. This isn’t just about last night. It’s about every night. Every moment where I’ve been second to Susanna’s whims, every promise you’ve made that you haven’t kept. It’s about how you’ve forgotten what it means to be my husband. I deserve better than this.”
His mouth opened, but before he could respond, Liliana appeared in the doorway then, Susanna closed behind. Her hands were raised in a calming gesture. “What’s going on?” she asked, gently but her tone didn’t fool me. I could hear the slyness in it.
“Abigail is leaving,” Conrad said, almost disbelieving.
Liliana stepped forward, carefully crafted concern on her face. “Abigail, I couldn’t help but overhear some of your conversation. Let’s not escalate things unnecessarily. Conrad’s under so much pressure lately. He has so much to handle, and it’s inevitable that he might neglect you. That’s not his fault, so please try to understand. If you’re feeling wronged, you can come to me anytime.”
I blinked at her, incredulous. “Come to you?”
I decided to ignore Liliana’s nonsense and quickly get away from Conrad and Susanna, so I grabbed my packed bag and headed out the door.
Liliana stopped Conrad from reaching for my hand and, looking concerned, said, “Maybe Abigail’s in a hurry because of something important. How about we let her go?
“Abigail,” Liliana kept giving me a fake smile. “You’ve always been so considerate of the bigger picture. If you’ve decided to leave, there must be a very important reason. But why don’t we focus on resolving the current matter first? Then, if you still feel this way after, at least you’ll be leaving the house knowing we put it behind us?”
“The current matter?” I asked, already tensing at the patronizing tone she was using on me.
“The jewelry, “Liliana said lightly. “If we can find the missing set, perhaps we can all put this behind us.‘ “The jewelry?” Conrad repeated, turning to her.
Liliana nodded gravely. “Yes, the missing set. Susanna mentioned it earlier, and I thought it best to address now. If we can find the jewelry, Abigail can at least leave peacefully.”
This was so absurd that I almost laughed. Who was she to insert herself into the matters of my house? But before I could say anything, she called for Marcy, the caregiver.
Chapter 13
+26 BONUS
Marcy arrived moments later, her expression hesitant. It was clear to see she was not comfortable here, eyes darting nervously between the four of us.
As we all stood in the room, Liliana turned to her. “Marcy,” Liliana said, her voice firm. “We need to clarify something. As you know, Susanna’s jewelry has gone missing, and we need to know, have you seen it?”
Marcy’s gaze see it.”
flickered to me, then to Conrad, before she swallowed hard. “Yes, ma’am,” she said quietly. “I did
“Did you take the jewelry?” Liliana pressed, her smile thin
Marcy hesitated, wringing her hands, and then, to my utter shock, she said, “Mrs. Remington… she asked me to take it.”
The words landed like a thunderclap.
Conrad’s gaze snapped to me, shock and a spark of anger widening his eyes. “What?” He turned to Marcy, his face tight with tension. “Marcy, are you sure about this?”
The caregiver nodded quickly, her eyes fixed on the floor. “Yes, sir. Mrs. Remington asked me to bring it to her. She said it was important.”
I took a step forward, my voice sharp and unwavering. “That’s a lie. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I won’t stand here and be accused of something I didn’t do.”
Marcy flinched, but Liliana stepped in smoothly, her expression one of feigned concern. “Abigail, there’s no need to be defensive. If you needed the jewelry for any reason, you could have just said so.
I glared at her, my patience rapidly dropping. “I never asked Marcy to take anything. This is absurd.”
