Chapter 31
Abigail
The muffled knock on the front door early the next morning startled me, reminding me that even in Conrad’s secure hideaway, the kidnapping had really affected my nerves.
I moved towards the door quickly and unlocked it. Conrad stood on the other side, holding two paper bags of takeout, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and buttery pastries wafting into the air.
“Good morning,” he greeted me with a soft smile, his voice careful. His eyes swept over me, searching for any visible wounds that might have escaped his eyes the night before. “Did you sleep well?”
I leaned against the doorframe, looking at the bags in his hands. “I think anyone who could sleep peacefully after what happened might be more terrifying than the kidnappers,” I replied, my voice tired.
With a small smile, he stepped inside when I moved out of the way. He placed the bags on the small living room table and turned to me, his hand finding my shoulder and rubbing it gently to give me some comfort. “That’s why I came as soon as I could. I know you said you needed space, and I was trying to respect that, but I couldn’t just leave you alone. Not after…” His voice trailed off, thick with emotion. “No, let’s not talk about that.”
I didn’t reply, watching as he gestured to the takeout. “I brought some of your favorites. If you still need time alone, I’ll leave right after you eat. I just needed to make sure you were okay.”
The easy affection in his voice was strange to hear, but this caring side of his was stranger to see. It unsettled me more than it soothed me. I nodded, forcing myself to mumble a quiet “thank you.”
He shook his head firmly. “You don’t need to thank me, Abigail. This is what I’m supposed to do as your husband.”
The word “husband” struck a bitter chord inside me, reminding me of how many times his actions had failed to match that title. I swallowed hard, taking the plate he handed me. The food was still hot.
I sat on the sofa, poking at the breakfast he’d chosen so thoughtfully. The pastries were flaky, and the eggs were cooked just how I liked them, but no matter how much I tried, my appetite refused to return. I forced down a few bites for his sake, the unspoken expectation in his gaze pushing me to eat more than I wanted.
“I can’t eat much more,” I admitted after finishing half the plate.
“That’s okay,” he said gently, standing to take the plate from me. “You’ve been through a lot.”
I got up too, intending to help clean up, but he placed a hand over mine. “Let me,” he insisted. “You should be resting.” I followed him into the small kitchen despite his protests, the silence between us thick and uncomfortable. As he placed the dishes in the sink, he turned to me, his expression eager.
“Will you come home, Abigail?”
The question hit me like a sudden gust of wind. I didn’t answer immediately, and when I finally spoke, my voice sounded robotic even to my ears. “Come home?”
“Yes,” he said eagerly, his enthusiasm clear to see. “I’ve been thinking about it all night. This kidnapping. It made me realize how much I can’t stand the thought of losing you. If anything had happened to you, Abigail-” His voice cracked, and he took a steadying breath before continuing. “I wouldn’t have forgiven myself. I wouldn’t have survived it.”
I stared at him, his words swirling in my mind. He wanted me to come back, but was he going to listen to me now? Or did he want reliable Abigail to sit in that big house while he ran off to do everything for Susanna?
Chapter 31
“At least If you’re home,” he pressed on, “I know you’ll be safe. I’ll double the security–guards, cameras, whatever it takes. Just come back.”
+25 BONUS
The desperation in his voice was undeniable, and for a moment, I almost let it sway me. But the bitterness that had taken root in my heart refused to let me forget how far apart we’d grown. I didn’t look at him, focusing instead on dropping the takeout containers into the trash. The silence stretched until it was unbearable, and I finally turned to face him.
“You know what made me leave, Conrad,” I said softly, my voice strong even though I didn’t look him in the eyes. “You know who made me leave. We haven’t resolved anything about her. Nothing has changed.”
Before I could say more, he closed the distance between us in a single move, his hands cradling my jaw with a tenderness that would have once made me melt. His thumb brushed over my cheekbone, and he tilted my head so that I couldn’t avoid his gaze any longer.
“You don’t have to worry about any of that,” he murmured, his voice low and pleading, as if he could just make my doubts disappear with only his determination. “All you have to do is come back home. We’ll start over, like, newlyweds.”
The words hit me like a splash of cold water. His eyes were hopeful, as if this grand promise could erase everything that had happened and driven me away.
But it didn’t
It only solidified the truth that had been growing in my heart: Conrad hadn’t learned anything. He was making empty promises again, the kind that were meant to soothe me in the moment, not to address the root of our problems.
I had learned, though. Our time apart had taught me more than I ever wanted to know about who we were. And in that moment, staring into his hopeful eyes, I realized that I couldn’t do this anymore.
Conrad might still be clinging to the idea of us, but I wasn
“Well?” he pressed, his thumbs grazing my cheeks as he leaned closer. “What do you say?”
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. He had sidestepped my question entirely, the one thing I had needed him to address. Susanna. He hadn’t said a word about whether she would still be in our home, whether he would draw boundaries or choose me. And in that silence, he gave me his answer.
If he couldn’t face the truth, then I would
I reached up, gently patting the hand that cradled my face. His skin was warm against mine, his grip loosening slightly at the touch. “You’re right,” I said quietly, my voice softer than I expected. “I’ll be safer at home.”
His eyes lit up with relief. “So you’ll come back?”
I nodded, managing a small, careful smile. “Yes, Conrad. I’ll come back.”
The smile that broke across his face was so bright it almost hurt to look at. Before I could say anything more, he pressed a kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering as though he could seal this moment.
“You won’t regret this,” he said, his voice full of promise. I swear, Abigail, I’ll make this right.”
I didn’t answer, swallowing the lump in my throat as I stepped back, gently disentangling myself from his hold.
I would go back, yes. But not to repair this relationship. I would go back to end this chapter of my life with the grace it deserved. 1 would sort everything out, ensure my child’s future was secure, and then I would walk away. I was going to divorce Conrad.
Chapter 31
+25 BONUS
As he began tidying up, humming softly to himself, I watched him with a sense of detachment, already pulling away in my mind. He might have thought this was a new beginning for us, but for me, it was the beginning of the
end.
“Thank you,” I said finally, as I walked away to pack the little things I had here.
“For what?” he called after me.
“For breakfast,” I said, closing the kitchen door behind me. And for reminding me why I left in the first place, I added silently.
