Chapter 319
Timothy said, “The company will reimburse you, alright? Just get going now. I’ll transfer the money to you later. Let’s settle the final amount, okay?”
Hearing that, Abigail finally exhaled in relief. Her tone softened considerably. “Thank you, Mr. Newman. I’ll go to the airport right away.”
Arriving at the airport, she found a seat in the waiting area. It was still early, but the place was already bustling with people.
After sitting for a while, a message from Timothy arrived. Abigail glanced at her phone, and her brows furrowed unconsciously.
Timothy told her that there would be someone waiting for Abigail in Chesterwick. Everything she needed would be arranged. Of course, Abigail believed that a large corporation wouldn’t skimp on money, but she also heard that reimbursements in big companies took forever to process. That probably meant she’d have to cover her own expenses for toiletries and daily items upfront.
She sighed inwardly, “I don’t have much money to begin with. What if I can’t even afford a full set of clothes when I get there?”
Then another thought crossed her mind. If I start pestering Timothy about this now, he’ll probably think I’m being difficult.
“Ms. Gibson?” A male voice rang out from behind.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Abigail stood up and turned to face the speaker.
The man wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and stood around 5’11". He was dressed in a well-fitted suit and had a refined, scholarly look.
Abigail eyed the man cautiously, her tone tinged with a subtle wariness. “May I know your name?”
The man seemed to see right through her hesitation. He put on a faint smile that didn’t quite reveal his thoughts as he replied, “My name is Jackson Whitt. I’m Mr. Robinson’s personal assistant. Come with me.”
Whatever tension Abigail felt instantly eased. Part of her had hoped that the man in prison would come, but at the same time, she told herself that he was just another man with the same surname. She didn’t believe that there could be something so coincidental.
Jackson led Abigail through security. To her surprise, they hadn’t even purchased a commercial ticket. Abigail soon realized that they would take a private plane.
“A business trip via a private plane? As far as I know, applying for personal flight routes isn’t easy at all," she thought, already piecing together how powerful the company might actually be.
They soon boarded the plane. Jackson guided Abigail through a pair of ornately curved doors. As the doors opened, an expansive lounge came into view, with plush sofas on both sides, coffee tables, and a wide aisle in the center.
The Gibson family could be considered wealthy in Cobridge. Though Abigail was never treated kindly in her family, she had flown first class before. But this level of luxury still stunned her.
“You can rest here,” Jackson said before walking further down the cabin.
As he approached another set of doors, they slid open automatically. Once he stepped inside, an engraved metal panel slid shut.
Abigail figured it must be a small meeting room. The design looked simple and business-like. But when she caught sight of the man sitting at the desk inside, she froze.
‘So Mr. Robinson is already on board,’ she thought, surprised.
She leaned slightly, trying to glimpse the man’s face through the intricately carved divider. Unfortunately, he was turned to the side, facing away.
All she could see was an elegant hand holding a black fountain pen and a pair of long legs under the table, clad in black leather shoes.
Even without seeing his face, she could feel the quiet magnetism radiating from him.
Abigail stared at the man for a few seconds. She then backed up slightly and sat down on the nearest couch, her hands nervously clutching her purse.
“Mr. Robinson, she’s outside now," Jackson’s voice came from the inner cabin.
Hearing Jackson mention her, Abigail instinctively sat up straighter.
She figured anyone who could afford such a luxurious plane must be running a highly successful business. She thought to herself, "I need to make a good impression. If I want to stay with Halden Group, this is my chance!"
A deep, magnetic voice responded from within, “Mm. Have the flight attendant bring her something to eat. Also, ask her what she needs for the trip. Make a list and send it to Jeremiah. Have him prepare everything in Chesterwick.”
Abigail’s face flushed immediately after hearing those words, and she wished she could crawl into a crack in the floor. She could hardly sit still now. Jackson soon exited the inner cabin. His gaze lingered on Abigail for a second, a little deeper than before.
Yet he quickly put on a friendly smile and said, “You’re free to move around here. I’ll go take care of a few things. By the way, you can make a rough plan for your work during this trip.”
Abigail opened her mouth to ask, trying to get instructions for her work, but Jackson had already walked off, giving her no opportunity to speak.
Abigail sat for a while, unsure what to do, until flight attendants started entering the lounge. Some brought trays of breakfast, while others carried blankets.
“Ms. Gibson, we have milk, juice, and red wine. Which would you like?” one of them asked in a polite tone, her face adorned with a pleasant smile.
Abigail felt awkward and answered, “Milk, please. For breakfast, I’d like to have steak and pasta. Just leave the blanket to the side, please. I’ll help myself with it later.”
She blurted it all out so quickly that the attendant blinked in surprise. Then she replied with a smile, “Certainly.”
After they left, Abigail finally relaxed a little. After finishing her food, she leaned back on the couch, pulled the blanket over, and dozed off.
In the middle of her nap, she felt the seat beside her sink, like someone sitting down there. The sensation lingered for quite a long while.
Later, a voice called out, “Ms. Gibson.”
The voice jolted Abigail awake. She opened her eyes, only to see Jackson’s face looming a bit too close for comfort, and her heart skipped a beat. Before she could fully regain her senses, he added, “Get ready. We’re about to get off.”