Chapter 250 – Second Chance Love of the Missing Groom Novel

Abigail nodded-such auctions were a pastime for the wealthy.

They happened to arrive at the auction center just then, and they saw the many luxury cars parked outside.

Abigail was almost able to recognize most, since many of them were limited editions which Diarmuid owned as well.

He never drove them much, however, but it was probably the same principle as women buying more clothes than they needed.

Mick led Abigail towards the checkpoint at the entrance. Since he had been a frequent guest, he entered easily.

He told them that Abigail was his daughter, and since he brought his own daughter here before as well, the people at the checkpoints were respectful toward Mick.

They were clearly acquainted, too..

“You could have made it in without me, couldn’t you?” Abigail was certain of it despite asking.

“Guess the cat’s out of the bag,” Mick chuckled. “Sorry, but you looked like you were tired, so I’m bringing you out to get some rest and relaxation. Erin really went abroad, though… I asked her to look for the place where Yvaine was buried.”

Abigail told him, “You won’t ever find her if he doesn’t want you to, y’know.”

Mick turned to raise a brow at her. “You really know him, I see.’

“More or less-especially that temper of his,” she replied.

Soon, they arrived at their seats.

Many people had already arrived.

Then, Mick suddenly said, “Erin isn’t my biological daughter.”

Abigail was certainly stunned as he told her that out of the blue, her bright eyes widening over her face mask as she stared at him, blinking.

Mick sighed. “It’s perhaps my greatest regret in life, but we couldn’t have a child. She’s sick, and I have a missing kidney.”

While the doctors had told him that he could have a child, Yvaine’s body could not.

“We adopted Erin from an orphanage and raised her like our own,” Mick finished.

Abigail did remember Yvaine telling her that her daughter, Erin Gooding, was already twenty, even though she was with Mick for less time than that.

The numbers did not match… but it was because Erin was adopted.

Mick then said, “Since she left to find Yvaine’s grave, there’s a chance he might run into Diarmuid. Aren’t you afraid?”

Abigail knew what he was getting at. “He has the right to choose his own lover.”

She reared her head-she had her pride too.She loved him, and it hurt her to leave him.

However, she did not want him to give him so much because of Tommy.

Since he did not love her, she was willing to give him freedom instead of using their son to coerce him.It was one of the reasons she left him.

Mick looked at her admiringly then. “You’re as stubborn as you’re strong.”

Abigail smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is… But I guess I was different,” Mick sighed. “I seized what I loved because I was possessive, even if she didn’t love me.”

Abigail, who actually knew how Yvaine felt, said, “Maybe she did.”

Mick smiled and simply dismissed it as Abigail trying to sweet-talk him.

While they were conversing, the auction was now fully seated.

That was when Abigail unwitting looked ahead, and saw the man sitting in Seat 33.Her face fell right then!

Abigail panicked and quickly turned away, fearful that she would be recognized.

Mick noticed that, and shifted his body to keep her hidden, while asking quietly, “What’s wrong?’

“A familiar face,” Abigail replied softly, even as she slid another peek at the man.

There was no mistaking it-that was Harvey Gooding.

She never expected him to show up there!

Nonetheless, Mick told her, “Don’t worry. He’s not going to notice-the hall is quite dimly lit and you’re wearing a mask.”

Abigail was actually just too surprised to see Harvey there and became nervous. Still, she quickly calmed down, and thought to herself that he would not notice her since she was sitting behind him.

Moreover, he probably would not recognize her after what had happened to her face anyway.

Soon, the auction began, with the host giving a simple speech before proceeding to the auction proper.

Most items auctioned for the day could be categorized into an assortment of antiques and jewelry, with the first one being a tapestry.

It was a regular auction, but there was no assurance offered that the auctioned items were genuine-the attendants had to rely on their abilities for appraisals and prior experience.

Mick appeared calm, seemingly uninterested in the tapestry.

Abigail did not know how this stuff worked, but she was here anyway, and simply watched how things went.

Mick then told her, “Most of the items they lead with tend to be trinkets not even worth collecting, since they would save the best for last. Moreover, I’ve attended enough auctions to know that there will always be a couple of irreplaceable treasures, and I heard through the grapevine that there’s a castle to be sold too.”

Abigail raised a brow and whispered, “They auction buildings too?”

“Of course!” Mick chuckled. “It’s supposedly the estate of a Fraconican noble’s heir, and he’s selling it to cover his losses.”

Their voices somehow drew Harvey’s attention just then.

He turned around, and frowned when he saw the woman wearing a face mask.

What was all the mystery about?

He actually became curious.

On the other hand, Abigail quickly looked downward when she spotted Harvey looking at her, and then turned away, using the excuse of looking at the auctioneer as he accepted a bid.

The second item was soon brought forward: an emerald brooch of significant clarity.

Mick was clearly interested, but did not make a bid.

That was when the attendants sitting near the entrance became restless, seemingly because someone important just arrived.

Abigail turned to find a towering figure striding through the path between the seats.

It was him

He was here.

Abigail actually forgot to breathe.

The host had saved the best seat for him, and was fawningly leading him to it.

Mick saw him too, and turned to find Abigail getting so nervous her entire body had turned stiff.

Nudging her on the arm, he told her, “If you’re worried about being noticed, we can leave right now.”

Abigail’s gaze, however, was already locked in his direction.

His face was rather blurred under the dim lights overhead, and she could not actually see him since he was very far.

She could not help wanting to see him, and so quietly replied, “We’re already here. Let’s leave when the auction is over.”

It had been six months-over 200 days-since she last saw him, the man who appeared in her dreams so many times.

There might be no other chance.

Meanwhile, Mick did not make a bid for the emerald brooch either, and they proceeded to the third item: an antique vase.

The crowd was whispering to each other as most of them appeared interested.

At the same time, Harvey was glancing at Diarmuid from time to time.

It actually looked as if he was not attending the auction to get anything, but just to keep an eye on Diarmuid.

As for Abigail, all her heart and eyes were fixed upon that face she had not seen for so long.She worked hard to restrain herself, but there was no hiding the look of love.

Halfway through the auction, she got up and said, “I need the ladies’ room.”

She quietly left, heading into the washroom and splashing her face repeatedly with cold water to calm herself and clear her head.

It was after a long while that she calmed down a little.

However, the instant she stepped out, she found Diarmuid standing near the glass wall of the lobby, conversing with a foreigner.

She was too far away to hear what they were talking about, and she could only see that his expression was impassive, even cold-which stopped her from discerning his mood.

Still, he seemingly sensed someone watching him and he turned toward her direction.

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