Lionel sighed then, but did not try to push her.
The rift between them had existed for far too long. It was impossible to desire more kinship ‘from her.
“Samantha will visit around five with dinner,” he said.
Abigail nodded.
Time flew by, and it was soon 5 PM.
“Lionel,” Samantha greeted him as she entered with a food jar.
Samantha was in a great mood since Abigail was gone, and was convinced that the Bernstein estate now was all her son’s to take.
Naturally, what belonged to her son was hers as well.
“As the doctor ordered, I made a blanched meal of meat and vegetables. You should eat more, and you’ll get better soon,” she told Lionel.
When Lionel tried to push himself up, she quickly came to help him, even putting a pillow behind him for him to lean on.
Then, as she poured him a bowl of broth, she said, “By the way, I heard that Abigail went missing.”
Lionel’s head jerked toward her right then, and the look in his eyes puzzled her.
“What’s with that look?” She smiled.
Lionel realized that he was overreacting too, and quickly tried to hide it so that she did not notice. “The broth looks good. It must have taken a while to cook it, right?”
“Yeah! I spent hours on it-have as much as you like.” Samantha handed him the bowl, and *quickly changed the subject. “Don’t you think Abigail would meet an accident, going missing like that?”
As Lionel stared at Samantha, he did not need Abigail to tell him that Samantha knew something he did not, given the way she was testing the waters.
Moreover, Samantha had never liked Abigail, but she was somehow eager to mention her today.
Abigail must have been telling the truth-Samantha had tried to harm her, or worse.
“She’ll be fine. Why would she get into an accident?” Lionel said, appearing calm but he was already turning cold inwardly. “She went missing for months last time too. Maybe she’s just hiding again–why panic?”
“I’m just worried.” Samantha kept probing. “You need to plan ahead if something really happened to her.”
“What are you talking about?” Lionel asked, glaring at her now.
“I mean, Ricky is your sole heir now, so you should focus on him. Don’t think about your daughter–she’s married and belongs to another family, and the Althoffs would never want for money..
Lionel could no longer stand it right then, and cut her short. “Did you do something to Abigail, Samantha White?!”
Samantha laughed. “No way-
That was when she heard a sound behind her, and turned to find Abigail standing there.
“No!” she cried out in panic and terror from guilt. “You should be dead! Don’t come near me!”
“That’s not what you said when you tried to kill me!” Abigail said as she strode toward
Samantha
Still panicking, Samantha cowered. “No, I didn’t kill you! You shouldn’t be haunting me!”
“Your men, your plan,” Abigail said, baiting Samantha to confess as she had already started recording their voices with her cellphone.
Once Samantha admitted it, it was proof enough that she tried to kill Abigail-even if she failed!
It was conspiracy to murder!
Nonetheless, Samantha kept shaking her head. “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me!”
Her near-manic state left Lionel glowering, and he barked, “Do you have a death wish, Samantha White? You actually attempted murder?!”
Samantha’s head seemed to clear up from his scolding, and she looked between Lionel and Abigail. “Y-You’re not dead?”
“You’ll be if she really was!” Lionel bellowed.
Finally coming back to reality, Samantha promptly denied it. “No! I’d never kill anyone! It’s all a misunderstanding!”
“A misunderstanding?” Abigail laughed. “Your goons tried to rape me and kill me, but I managed to escape. Did you think I’d let it go after all that?”
Samantha played dumb. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Your thugs tried to rape her?” Lionel asked, his voice turning quiet-he was less agitated, but furious nonetheless.
“Don’t listen to her! I’d never do that,” Samantha said fawningly. “Don’t you know what your own daughter is like?”
“I do that’s why I trust her,” Lionel replied.
Samantha tried to defend herself further, but Lionel cut her short. “I know you want Ricky to inherit the family estate, and I am death’s door. It is understandable that you would desire. that to happen, but do you think I’d forgive you for trying to murder Abigail, my daughter?”
“I’m not
“If you want Ricky to inherit the family fortune, surrender yourself at the precinct. Refuse, and Ricky won’t get a cent.”
It was not as if Lionel did not love his son, just as he was not cold enough to cut him out of his will
He had to do this to force Samantha to give in, because she was the only reason Abigail would refuse to acknowledge Ricky as a sibling
Abigail was older and had discipline, whereas Ricky had been spoiled too much by Samantha, and only ever caused trouble!
To entrust Ricky to Abigail’s care, he must punish Samantha!
Lionel was convinced that after he sided with Abigail on this one, she would not refuse him. should he ask her to look after Ricky in the future.
He had certainly thought of everything, and had already left a will dictating the distribution of his estates.
Everything Samantha did was in vain!
For her part, Samantha knew that Lionel never loved her.
However, she never expected him to side with Abigail, even going so far as to force her to surrender herself to the police by using his fortune as leverage!
“I’ve been with you for over twenty years Don’t you trust me at all? I said I didn’t
“Just stop already! Are you going to surrender yourself or not?!” Lionel promptly cut her short, because he was not in the mood for her nonsense
Samantha was left trembling even as she stood. While she did not love Lionel that much, they had been partners and he genuinely cared for her!
How could he be so heartless?
“”I’m the mother of your son!” she snapped.
Lionel remained calm despite her outburst and mania. “I never denied that.”
“Then why are you pushing me so far?” Samantha cried, unable to believe that Lionel would go so far for Abigail.
But it was now reality.
“I knew it… You still love your ex-wife and your daughter! Ricky and I were just spares… Fine! Ricky and I will leave!”
She stormed off, convinced that Lionel would ask her and Ricky to stay since they were together for so long… But Lionel did not, leaving her utterly disenchanted!
They had lived together for years, and were more than spouses even if they were not legitimate.
But Lionel insisted on being this cold toward her!
Bloodlust overflowed within Samantha’s heart just then, and before she left, she glared at Lionel pointedly!
“Dad…” Abigail began.
She was surprised by Lionel’s coldness towards Samantha too!
“Don’t worry. I’ll settle this for your sake!” Lionel insisted.
Seeing that he was determined, Abigail had nothing to say, and turned to leave. “I see, I’ll be leaving now.”
Lionel stopped her. “Do you think… Your mother will visit me?”
Abigail did not look back. “I told her about your condition, but she refused.”
With that, she left.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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