Chapter 282

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sebastian’s voice had grown noticeably lower, touched with something harder to name.

“Because I could handle it. The Hearth Table’s done well. We’ve opened several new locations. Revenue’s more than enough to cover their college tuition.”

Abigail had always been the sort who preferred handling things on her own. Even Wyatt had never heard a word about it, not because she didn’t trust him, but because she didn’t want him thinking she was weighed down, or struggling. More importantly, she had always believed this was her own responsibility to bear.

“You tell people I’m going to be your husband,” Sebastian said, the displeasure in his tone no longer veiled, “and yet when it comes to something like this, you keep me in the dark?”

Abigail flushed as the word “husband” left his mouth.

“That was just to shut the shareholders up,” she muttered, almost defensively.

“That’s not the issue,” Sebastian said. “The issue is that this isn’t just about money. I get that you care about those kids, I really do. But funding something like this isn’t as simple as writing a check and hoping for the best.”

Abigail turned her head, met his gaze. “So what should I be doing?”

“Well, for one, it should be formalized. You’re not just helping a few kids. You’re supporting an entire group. In that case, there needs to be structure, oversight, proper process.” He let go of her as he spoke, walking briskly to the car and opening the passenger side door.

Sliding in, Abigail replied, “I know each of those kids personally. And Judy’s been helping me keep an eye on things. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

Sebastian didn’t press the point.

Later, after they arrived at The Hearth Table and ordered, he brought it up again, more gently this time.

“Do you have records of the donations? I could help you go over the numbers.”

“They’re with Judy,” Abigail replied. She’d always focused on earning the money, and Judy had handled the logistics, from disbursement to receipts. Abigail had only skimmed the ledgers in passing, never with real scrutiny.

Now that Sebastian had mentioned it, she worried that if she suddenly asked Judy for detailed accounts, it might come across the wrong way.

Sensing her hesitation, Sebastian began to wonder if he was overstepping. This was her initiative and her commitment. He had no right to interfere, not really. His concerns came from a good place, but even so, he hadn’t taken the time to truly understand how her system worked.

“If now’s not the right time, we can put a pin in it,” he said, his tone softening.

Abigail was silent for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll talk to Judy after dinner. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I’m not trying to make this difficult,” Sebastian said. “But when it comes to something as important as a child’s future, it’s worth being meticulous.”

After all, not every orphan possessed the same sense of responsibility and drive that Abigail did.

Chapter 283

“You’re right,” she said quietly. “If I want to keep doing this long-term, I need to make sure it’s being done right.”

He wasn’t trying to take control. He only wanted to make sure she wouldn’t be blindsided. These kids hadn’t grown up in stable homes. They came with emotional scars, and every one of them had a different temperament. When money was involved, especially over time, things had to be handled with care.

When Judy brought out their pasta, Abigail said, “Judy, once we finish eating, I’d like to talk to you about the sponsorships. Gibson Group’s finally in a stable place, and I’ve been thinking it might be time to turn this into a proper foundation. But I need to understand how everything works first.”

“Of course,” Judy said brightly, without hesitation.

Abigail nodded. “By the way, remember I asked them to send me their report cards regularly? Since I’ve been away these past few years… have they been doing that?”

“The first couple of years, sure, most of them did, except a few who were tough to manage,” Judy replied. “Now it’s just three who send updates. I’ve followed up countless times, but it hasn’t helped much.”

And now, Abigail understood what Sebastian meant by structure. Teenagers, especially ones with unstable backgrounds, needed boundaries.

“I see,” she said calmly. “Alright, go ahead with what you were doing.”

After Judy left, Abigail frowned and said, “You were right. They probably think I’ve been out of the picture for too long, that I’ve stopped caring. That’s why they’ve stopped taking it seriously.”

“People naturally need boundaries, especially children with special circumstances,” Sebastian said in a serious tone.

The children at the orphanage had no parents and often faced discrimination at school. Lacking love, they were even more difficult to treat like ordinary children.

Abigail sighed. “It seems formalizing things is inevitable. The other orphanages should have taken them in from the start, but they had connections. Judy, a few uncles, and I tried our best, but we still couldn’t make it happen, and it just ended there.”

She remembered the panic in the children’s voices when they called her back then. Thinking of how the director had protected her for so long, she had promised them that she would never let them end up on the streets and that she’d ensure they finished college.