Chapter 70

The farce came to an abrupt halt after Gabriel’s slap.

Shortly after, a knock sounded on the door. Abigail set her phone aside and rose to open it.

“Stevie got into that huge fight with your dad because of you, and you’re not even going to check on him?” Bianca stood in the doorway, her voice laced with both irritation and blame.

“I didn’t ask him to fight my battles with Dad,” Abigail said.

Abigail had never felt grateful for Stephen’s intervention. If anything, Bianca’s words now felt like empty posturing.

Bianca recoiled at Abigail’s blunt response, her eyes flickering with shock before welling up. “Don’t you have any sense of gratitude?” she snapped.

Abigail stepped closer, her face contorted with disgust. “Do me a favor. Stop doing things I never asked for and then demanding thanks. All you do is guilt-trip people. Can you ever do anything decent?”

Stephen’s actions hadn’t helped. They’d only made her situation in this house untenable. She’d endured their relentless cruelty for Wyatt’s sake, but now there was no point in enduring.

With that, Abigail slammed the door shut.

Bianca stood frozen, reeling. The pure disdain in Abigail’s eyes had pierced her like a needle, a sharp, aching pain spreading through her chest and leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

Abigail barely slept that night.

At daybreak, shouting and Bianca’s intermittent sniffles floated up from downstairs.

After getting ready, Abigail went downstairs.

Stephen was struggling with two oversized suitcases and was stopped by the door, Ralph hovering nearby. Bianca was tearfully tugging at Stephen to stop him from leaving, while Daniella pleaded with Gabriel beside him.

Abigail walked past them like a stranger, indifferent. She was about to step outside when Gabriel boomed, “Did I give you permission to leave?”

“Dad, Abby and I both work at Halden Group. You don’t have to push for a partnership with Celestial Group. Just let Abby talk to Mr. Robinson. You could join as an investor instead,” Daniella said, grabbing his arm and using a soft, coaxing tone.

But Ralph spoke up then. “Mr. Gibson, if your company’s really struggling, I can offer financial help. Please don’t make things hard on Stevie and Abby.”

Daniella immediately protested, “That’s not okay. This is a family issue. We have to sort it out ourselves, no matter how tough it gets. Ralphie, can you comfort Stevie first? Let Dad and Abby talk in private. I really don’t want the family falling apart because of Abby.”

She turned to Abigail, took her hand, and pleaded, “Abby, go talk to Dad in his study–for your sake and Grandpa’s.” The last part was a whisper only Abigail could hear.

Abigail brushed her hand off and said to Gabriel, “Fine, let’s talk in the study.”

“Mom, stay with Stevie. I’ll go to the study with them in case they start arguing,” Daniella said, then helped Gabriel into the study.

As soon as the three were inside, she blurted out, “Abby, just help Dad this once. I’ll talk to him about bringing Grandpa home and hiring the best nurses from the sanatorium. How does that sound?”

All the while, Gabriel kept his eyes locked on Abigail’s face, his hands at his sides tightly clenched.

“If the family really can’t afford Grandpa’s care, I’ll pay for the sanatorium myself. I can even get him better care,” Abigail said, looking at Daniella with open scorn. “I’ll make it work.”

Daniella sighed, “Abby, look at what’s happening to our family. This is all your fault. None of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t helped outsiders take the project Dad wanted. You need to make it up to him.”

Gabriel cut in sharply. “I should’ve let you die in jail if I’d known you were this selfish.”

Abigail scoffed at his words. “I didn’t die in jail because I fought to survive. What’s that got to do with you?”

“You want to wash your hands of this family? Fine, then you’ll never see Grandpa again."

“He belongs to us. If you don’t acknowledge your parents or lift a finger to help, why should Grandpa be any exception?” Daniella stared at Abigail, her face a mask of weary resignation.

Gabriel nodded fiercely. “Dani’s right. If you don’t consider us family, get out now. Don’t you dare breathe a word about being related to us once you’re gone, and you’ll never lay eyes on your grandpa again.”