Chapter 38

Daniella felt uneasy. She sensed Ralph’s concern for Abigail, triggering a sense of insecurity within her. Carefully, she spoke up, “Ralphie, Abby’s old enough to handle her own relationship. Maybe we shouldn’t interfere.”

Ralph’s expression froze slightly, his gaze landing heavily on Daniella with an unreadable intensity.

Daniella’s heartbeat quickened beneath his stare, and just as she opened her mouth to speak again, Ralph started the car without another word, driving her straight back to the Gibson Villa.

At the same moment, Abigail had just stepped out of the company. Checking her phone, she noticed missed calls blocked by her filtering settings.

She glanced at them but didn’t plan to call them back. Soon, her phone rang again, accompanied by a text: It’s Ralph, answer the call.

Puzzled, Abigail wondered, “Why does Ralph call me at this hour? Could it have something to do with Adam?”

Abigail dialed back, and Ralph answered swiftly.

“Where are you?” His voice was low, strained with suppressed emotion.

Confused, Abigail replied, “I just got off work. Did something happen?”

“Can’t I call without a reason?” Ralph’s voice had a slight edge.

Abigail suddenly remembered the card Ralph had slipped into her bag, and she still hadn’t found a chance to return it.

“Can we have dinner together? I’ll pick you up,” Ralph continued, his tone softening slightly.

Abigail hesitated for a few seconds and then agreed, thinking this might be the perfect chance to return the card. She asked, “Where should I meet you? I’ll take a taxi there.”

She preferred going by taxi over letting him pick her up directly.

Ralph didn’t insist and simply gave her the restaurant’s address.

No sooner had Abigail gotten into a taxi than her father called her.

Inside Gibson Villa, Bianca sat anxiously beside Daniella and gently asked, “Dani, tell me what Abby did to upset you?”

Gabriel sat opposite them, his expression thunderous. After a few unanswered rings, the call ended automatically. Fury surged within Gabriel, his chest rising and falling sharply. “That insolent brat! She dares ignore my call?”

Bianca pressed her temples in frustration, a hint of displeasure towards Abigail flickering through her mind.

“Dad, please don’t blame Abby. It’s understandable she’s resentful, but I’m worried she’s only approaching Ralphie to get back at me. If the Fletcher family finds out, how will it reflect on us? It could jeopardize our partnership and…” Daniella bit her lip, deliberately leaving her sentence unfinished.

Gabriel’s face darkened further, and he gritted his teeth to say, “If she dares do that, she’s no longer part of the Gibson family.”

Turning sharply to Bianca, he instructed, “When she returns, keep her calm. I’ll handle this myself.”

Bianca hesitated but eventually nodded.

Ralph was already waiting outside the restaurant when Abigail arrived. His sullen appearance…

“Hi,” Abigail replied curtly, her tone detached.

Seeming unaffected by her coldness, Ralph gestured toward the entrance. “I reserved a private room. Come on, let’s go.”

Inside the room, Ralph pushed the menu toward her. “Feel free to order anything you like.”

Having eaten heavily earlier when Leon had ordered an extravagant lunch, Abigail wasn’t particularly hungry. She selected just two simple dishes before sliding the menu back to Ralph.

Ralph shot her a brief glance before rattling off several more dishes to the waiter. Abigail frowned slightly upon hearing that. She thought he ordered too much food for just the two of them. Unwilling to engage further, she silently turned her gaze toward the window.

“That will be all,” Ralph concluded, handing the menu back to the waiter.

Once the waiter left, he asked Abigail, “Where are you working now?”

Abigail frowned and shot back, “Does it matter to you?”

Ralph’s brows knitted together. “Abigail, must you be so guarded with me?”

Abigail looked perplexed. “I’m like this with everyone.”

“Including that Robinson guy?” Ralph shot back.

The atmosphere instantly turned tense. Ralph stiffened, inhaling sharply to compose himself. He looked at Abigail and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. I just…”

“He’s different,” Abigail interrupted. To her, Clark was undeniably special.

To Ralph’s ears, it sounded like a declaration that she and Clark were already together.

Struggling to control his growing irritation, Ralph spoke carefully, “Abigail, the Robinson family is beyond the Gibson family’s reach. Families like theirs always seek suitable matches.”

Abigail took a moment before realizing Ralph had misunderstood her relationship with Clark.

She was about to clarify when Ralph’s phone suddenly rang.

Glancing at the screen, he rose and said, “Sorry, I have to take this call.”

“Alright,” Abigail replied.

It wasn’t until all their dishes arrived that Ralph returned, looking clearly irritated. He said, “Sorry, something urgent came up at the company. I’m afraid I can’t have dinner with you.”

Abigail had never wanted to dine with him anyway, so she said, “Go ahead. I’ll eat alone.”

Ralph studied her intently for a moment and nodded. “Alright.”

After Ralph left, Abigail called the waiter to pack up the meal.

Heading downstairs to pay, she learned Ralph had already settled the bill.

She couldn’t finish all the packed food, and since it was still early, she took a taxi to a small park near her company.

She discovered this place by chance, drawn here initially by a white stray cat. Abigail fed it a couple of times during lunch breaks, and the little cat quickly grew fond of her.