“Oh,” the receptionist exclaimed in understanding. “She shares the room with a certain gentleman…”
“Mick Gooding, I presume?” Abigail said.
“You’re acquainted?” the receptionist asked–why else would she know their names?
“Yes,” Abigail replied, and the receptionist started to make the booking.
She then asked, “They are staying at the presidential suite, and it’s 2,500 dollars per night. Are you sure you want the room?”
“Yes,” Abigail said, and the receptionist quickly got her their keys.
“Come with me,” Abigail said, pulling Ricky along.
“Why would you take a suite, Abigail? That’s 2,500 dollars, y’know!” Ricky asked. “And who are the people you were talking about?”
“I have no idea.”
“Wait, you have no idea, but you’re stalking them?”
“It’s exactly because I have no idea that I need to find out,” Abigail told him.
Ricky was speechless, but since he had no idea what Abigail was doing, he had to stick with her for the time being.
hart–380
They had already paid for the suite anyway, and he should at least see what 2,500 dollars looked like.
He had never stayed in a luxury hotel like this, either!
And once they were inside, Ricky began to study everything, and the place was certainly worth the money. It was vast and spacious, and it was clear they spared no expense on every piece of furniture or decoration.
Abigail, however, had no interest in the room. She just wanted a chance to talk to the lady the next day, and to get close enough to unravel her secret.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
“Over here, Ricky.”
Ricky walked up to her. “We’re staying the night here, Abigail?”
Abigail was not in the mood for jokes. “Let’s pretend that we’re in a fight. Hit me-
“What are you talking about?!” Ricky almost flinched. “I can’t do that!”
“We’re just pretending,” Abigail told him seriously. “I’ll knock on the next door and act as if I’m calling for help, and I’ll get in easily.”
Ricky blinked as he considered her proposal.
So, she booked this room to spy on the woman next door?
“Alright.”
Acting was easy.
“Are you sure you can do this?‘ Abigail asked.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” Ricky said confidently.
Abigail smiled. “Fine. I feel assured now since you’re this confident.”
But how should they get started?
Glancing at a glass on the table just then, inspiration struck Abigail and she picked one up before throwing it at Ricky’s feet.
Ricky flinched. “What…?”
“I didn’t mean to…” Abigail said, and then quickly ran out of the room.
Ricky swiftly caught on, and began bellowing as he gave chase. “Where do you think you’re going, Abigail Bernstein?! I’ll kill you!”
Abigail almost wanted to flash a thumb up at him. He was such a great actor!
After hesitating for a moment, Abigail knocked on the next door, even as Ricky ran up to her.
“Don’t you run away from me!” Feeling like catching her wrist was not convincing, Ricky grabbed her ponytail instead, while telling her softly, “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”
Abigail, however, was too focused on the door to care about what he was saying.
Anticipation and nervousness seized her… and then, the door opened!
And Abigail saw her!
The woman who stood at the door had her long hair tied up elegantly, and was dressed in a white tailored dress. Though she only had a pair of pearl earrings on, she appeared graceful despite the simplicity.
“You are…?” she asked as she watched Abigail.
Abigail was left spacing out for a moment–the woman looked exactly like she did in the photo.
Still, she quickly came to her senses and cried, “Please, you have to help me…”
Behind her, Ricky kept up his act. “Get back here or I’ll kill you! Did you think you could run from me?!”
Abigail then looked pleadingly at Layla, saying, “He’ll kill me if I go with him–please, you have to help me!”
Fortunately, Layla was kind enough to stop the man behind Abigail. “Please let her go, or I’ll have to call the cops.”
“She’s my woman! I can do whatever I want! Mind your own business?!” Ricky snarled, really looking the part of a rogue just then, although he lacked the appearance to really look menacing.
He took after his mother, and was good looking but has a rather kidlike face, and was not really brutish.
Layla frowned. “There are cameras here. You are breaking the law, and I can call the hotel staff here right away.”
Ricky snorted, but caught the cue to release Abigail. “Call them all you want! I’ll be right next door–tell them to come any time!”
With that, he left, while Abigail kept pretending to be scared and said gratefully, “Thank you.”
“It’s fine,” Layla replied.
However, just as she was about to close the door, Abigail quickly stopped the door and asked, “May I stay here?”
Layla hesitated and said, “Okay.”
“Thank you,” Abigail said.
As Layla poured Abigail a cup of tea, she said, “Here, have a drink to calm down. Was that your boyfriend?”
“…Yes. He’s always had a bad temper. This time, he’s saying that I’m cheating on him and he’s trying to kill me,” Abigail said as she picked up the cup.
“You shouldn’t stay with men with violent tendencies,” Layla asked. “You should break up with him.”
Abigail nodded in agreement, and suddenly asked, “Are you married?”
She regretted it as soon as she asked it–what even was she asking? Of course she was, give her age!
Still, Layla smiled in amusement from her question. “Yes, my daughter is twenty this year, in fact.”
That left Abigail stunned–Layla has a daughter?
She could not recall Diarmuid having a sister, or him ever mentioning having one.
“What’s her name?” Abigail asked.
“Erin Gooding,” Lalya replied.
Abigail nodded, but she had never heard of that name. Moreover, the daughter’s last name was not Althoff, but Gooding like Mick.
Though she could not make heads or tails of their relationship, Abigail knew that she should not be asking too much or she would arouse suspicion.
“There’s this person I know, Diarmuid Althoff…” She mentioned Diarmuid out of nowhere.
However, Layla appeared unaffected as she asked, “Who is he?”
Seeing that she was not reacting at all, let alone surprised, Abigail decided that Layla clearly did not know Diarmuid.
But that only left Abigail confused.
What was going on here? Was she just confused?
But she clearly saw her photo on Diarmuid’s desk… It was such an enigma!
“Why did you suddenly mention that name?” Layla asked.
Abigail did not know how to explain just then. “I–It just came to mind.”
Then, Layla tried to tell her to leave politely. “Do you have other places to go? My husband will soon return, and he doesn’t like strangers.”
Abigail put down her cup. “Alright, I won’t impose… Thanks for helping me, or I’d definitely have been really hurt.”
“It’s fine.” Layla then walked Abigail out of the door, and that was when Mick arrived.
Seeing Abigail at the doorway, his face fell!
“Why are you here?!”
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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