Chapter 4
Abigail didnโt want to see Bianca and Daniella putting on their sweet mother-daughter act.
Just as Abigail walked past them, she saw Stephen coming from the other direction. He seemed to notice Bianca crying and quickened his pace, his tone sharp with anger. โAbigail, what did you say to Mom?โ
Abigail stared at him expressionlessly and asked calmly, โMr. Gibson, maybe you should ask your mother what she said to me. I only said one thing to her.โ
Stephen looked at Abigail with clear disbelief. He was about to say something when Bianca spoke up, โStevie, be nicer to Abby. Iโm fine. Iโm just really happy to see her again.โ
Stephen was scolded by Bianca and gave Abigail an annoyed look, but didnโt say anything more.
โAbby, I got you new clothes and shoes. Why are you wearing something that doesnโt even fit?โ Bianca glanced at Abigail, frowning slightly.
Abigail looked up, her tone still laced with impatience. โNo need. This is fine. Iโm going to see Grandpa.โ
She was about to leave, but Stephen reached out to block her and said, โGrandpaโs already sleeping.โ
โNo way. Ralph is still with him, isnโt he?โ Abigailโs voice grew anxious. She hadnโt seen Wyatt in three years, and now she was desperate to see him.
โRalph already left,โ Stephen replied, clearly annoyed. He thought, โIf it werenโt for her, Ralph wouldโve stayed for dinner.โ
โAbby, donโt worry. You can see Grandpa tomorrow,โ Bianca said gently, trying to soothe Abigail.
Abigail lowered her eyes in frustration. If it werenโt for them, she wouldโve made it in time to see Wyatt. She stayed quiet and turned to go inside.
โAbby, your roomโs all ready. Now that youโre back, I really want to make things right,โ Bianca remarked softly.
Abigail didnโt react. She never planned to stay here in the first place. She just hadnโt seen Wyatt yet.
โOkay,โ Abigail replied with a nod.
Bianca was overjoyed. Her eyes swept over the backpack in Abigailโs hand, and a flash of pain crossed her expression. โStevie, is Abbyโs room all set up? Let her get some rest first.โ
Stephen looked a little uneasy. He answered, โThe roomโs not ready yet. Just let her stay in the maidโs room for now.โ
โStevie, what did you just say?โ Bianca looked like she couldnโt believe what she was hearing. Stephen didnโt say another word.
Abigail spoke up, โWhereโs the maidโs room?โ
She didnโt want to argue with them anymore. After getting an answer, she picked up her backpack and walked into the room on the first floor.
Bianca looked like she still wanted to say something, but when she thought of what Stephen had done, she stayed quiet.
Abigail shut the door. The maidโs room was simply furnished, but it had everything she needed. The Gibson family was wealthy, and even the maidโs room wasnโt small.
Abigail wasnโt picky about where she lived. Sheโd stayed in solitary confinement in prison before. In fact, the conditions here werenโt bad at all.
She unpacked a little, took out her phone to charge it, and replied to a few messages. Then she heard a knock at the door.
โAbby, Mom asked me to call you for dinner.โ Daniella stood at the door with a bright smile.
But Abigail clearly saw the hostility hidden in Daniellaโs eyes. She replied, โGot it. Letโs go.โ
Chapter 4
At the dinner table, Bianca enthusiastically placed food onto Abigailโs plate. Abigail instinctively shielded her own plate and pulled away. A piece of broccoli fell onto the table.
Stephenโs voice was low and laced with anger. โAbigail, what are you dodging for? Momโs just trying to serve you.โ
โSorry. Itโs a habit,โ Abigail said.
She really had gotten used to it. In prison, anytime someone reached over during meals, it was either to steal food from her plate or to throw trash onto it. If she didnโt move fast enough, she wouldnโt be able to eat at all.
Stephen let out a sharp laugh out of anger. โAbigail, youโre such a bad liar. You think weโre actually going to believe that?โ
Abigail put down her utensils and looked straight at him. โWhether you believe it or not is up to you.โ
Bianca quickly stepped in. โStevie, Abby didnโt mean anything by it. Come on, letโs eat before the food gets cold.โ
Stephen held back his anger and stayed quiet, but the way he looked at Abigail felt like he was throwing knives at her.
Abigail pretended not to notice. Sheโd seen worseโcrueler, darker stares than his. Compared to them, Stephen was nothing.
โAbby, why arenโt you eating? Is the food not to your taste?โ Bianca looked at her, concerned.
Abigail didnโt know why Bianca was paying so much attention to her today. If this had been three years ago, she wouldโve been thrilled, thinking Bianca had finally seen her, finally cared, finally wanted to be gentle with her.
Three years ago, Abigail wouldโve needed Biancaโs attention. But now, she didnโt.
โNo, itโs just a bit too heavy. I canโt handle it,โ Abigail said.
The food on the table wasnโt greasy, but everything had that sweet-and-spicy flavor Daniella liked.
Stephen couldnโt help himself and sneered, โDidnโt you eat just fine before? Now suddenly you canโt?โ
Abigail looked up at him, her voice flat. โBack then I hadnโt starved myself sick. After three years in prison, being hungry became normal, eating fast became normal. And getting stomach problems became normal, too.โ
Stephen froze. Biancaโs eyes turned red as she asked, โAbby, why didnโt you call us and say something? I always thought you were doing fine in there.โ
Abigail only found it ironic. โHow could prison life ever be fine?โ she thought. They were the ones who sent her in, and after that, they didnโt lift a finger to help.
Prison was the kind of place where the strong thrived and the weak got crushed. Abigail had no money, no power. Getting pushed around was her everyday reality.
As for the phone calls, Abigail could only let out a cold laugh at the thought. โI did call,โ she said.
โThatโs impossible,โ Stephen blurted out. โNo one at home ever got a call from you.โ As he spoke, he suddenly stopped.
A trace of mockery appeared in Abigailโs eyes. โTwo months after I went in, I called home. A maid answered. She told me you all said I should focus on serving my sentence and not call again.โ
The atmosphere at the table froze instantly.
Chapter 5