Chapter 281

“You’re looking for a new place, right? Something that suits Ms. Gibson’s way of living?” Ivy asked.

Sebastian gave a thoughtful nod.

“You know,” she continued, “this kind of thing, it’s best to talk to her directly. That’s the only way you’ll really get to know what she needs.”

She understood that Sebastian was asking her because of Abigail. But house-hunting wasn’t just about one person’s preferences. It concerned both people who’d be living there. Naturally, the person involved should be part of the decision-making.

And Sebastian had to admit what she said made perfect sense.

“Pick a few places you really like, shoot some video, send it to her,” Ivy suggested. “Let her weigh in. Then you can pass her feedback along to the agent. It’ll save you a lot of trouble.”

“Alright,” he said simply.

After lunch, the two parted ways, and Sebastian went on with his search for a place.

Abigail had just wrapped up a meeting with her colleagues from the R&D department and returned to her office when her phone rang.

The number was unfamiliar. She was about to decline when a message flashed across the screen: [It’s Blair. Pick up.]

She sighed and accepted the call.

“Ms. Gibson, are you free this evening?” Blair asked without preamble.

“I’m not. I’ve got work.” Truthfully, Abigail wasn’t sure whether she’d be pulling a late night. The R&D team’s project was floundering, and she had only just taken over operations at the company. Every day had been a whirlwind, barely time to catch her breath.

“I was hoping to invite you to a friend’s party. But I suppose now’s not a good time,” Blair said, her tone tinged with disappointment.

Abigail was leafing through a contract, but her words pulled her focus back. “I don’t think we know each other well enough for that.”

“Well, friendships have to start somewhere, don’t they?” Blair replied with an easy laugh, her tone casual and composed.

“I’ve got a full plate, and I imagine you’ve done your homework on that,” Abigail said. “Maybe another time.” She wasn’t sure what Blair’s real intentions were, and she doubted they moved in the same circles.

“You know,” Blair said, unbothered by the rejection, “a CEO steering her company through a rough patch could really benefit from staying visible in certain social circles. These gatherings can be… strategic. I figured you were someone who played the long game.”

Abigail let out a soft laugh. “You’re not wrong. But a CEO who’s stuck in back-to-back project meetings every night isn’t exactly free to play socialite.”

“Working late again?” Blair asked, her tone suddenly more intimate. “That sounds exhausting.”

“I manage,” Abigail said. “Anyway, I’ve got things to take care of. Let’s leave it here for now.”

Just then, Lila entered the office with a stack of files, and Blair ended the call.

Abigail tossed the phone aside and reached for the documents Lila handed her.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, and before she realized it, the end of the workday was near.

She picked up her phone again, found Sebastian’s name, and dialed.

He answered almost instantly.

“I’m about to get off work. Want to come pick me up?” she asked. “It’s been such a hectic day I don’t even feel like moving.”

It wasn’t so much that she was exhausted, more that, in that moment, he was the person she instinctively wanted to reach out to.

“This is the first time you’ve actually asked me to pick you up,” Sebastian said with a smile in his voice. “I’m already on my way.”

“Perfect. I’ll finish up here. See you soon,” she said.

“See you.”

When Sebastian arrived at Gibson Group, Abigail was already waiting, her things packed.

As they left the building, he spoke first. “I saw a few apartments today. Took some videos. You can check them out later. Maybe while I cook?”

“Let’s not go home tonight. Let’s eat at Judy’s instead. Up for it?” she asked, taking his arm with easy familiarity.

“Sure,” he said. He rather liked Judy’s pasta.

After all the rich food he’d been eating lately, something simple sounded refreshing.

“If you don’t actually enjoy it, just say so,” she told him, leading him toward the car. “You don’t have to go along with everything I like.”

He gave a small, amused smile. “It’s good. Judy’s pasta isn’t bad. And the mood’s different when we’re eating at her place. It changes the way things taste.”

“I have a feeling she’d really like you if she got the chance to talk to you more,” Abigail said, laughing.

He slipped an arm around her shoulders. “You’ve always earned well, but you’re never extravagant. Still doing charity work?”

“I am,” she said. “The orphanage closed three years ago. Most places wouldn’t take in the older kids. But they still needed a place to stay, needed money for school, for clothes, food… everything. I grew up there, so I help cover their college tuition.”

It was something she had never shared with anyone before. A significant part of her income went straight to those children.