When she felt that she had recovered enough, she pushed herself up and noticed the notebook on the desk.
She walked over and picked it up, and noticed that it was covered in Diarmuid’s handwriting.
He kept a diary?
Was that not a little childish, even out of character for him?
She was curious, and started reading… and found that it was not a diary, just some notes about work.
Still, she was just about to put it down when a photo slid out from it!
As the photo landed on the floor, Abigail looked down on it.
She did a double take when she saw the face in the photo, and was left staring blankly for a long while.
Why was Diarmuid keeping a photo of her in his notebook?
Abigail picked it up and double-checked, but there was no mistaking it.
Nonetheless, she quickly stopped staring and returned the photo into the notebook, then put it back on the desk.
Turing and leaving the study, she was in such a hurry that she did not notice Sheryl standing by the door.
‘What’s wrong, Abigail?” she asked in concern. “What’s the hurry?”
‘N-Nothing.” Abigail quickly composed herself when she saw Sheryl.
“Oh… Anyway, there’s someone asking for you.”
Abigail was going to ask who it was when she found Zachary standing in the living room. He said, “I left work early, so I came immediately.”
Abigail told Sheryl to take Mrs. Watson and Tommy on a stroll around the block. “I need to talk to Zachary alone.”
Sheryl did so, and after everyone left, Abigail took a seat on the living room couch. “Sit.”
They traded glances in silence, and Abigail spoke first, “You have to change hospitals for James Cross, but do it quietly so that no one knows.”
“Why? I thought Central Hospital was good enough…”
“I’m afraid that someone is after his life, so changing hospitals is necessary. I can ask Stephen Carr if you can’t think of any place, but the important part is to keep him somewhere hidden. He probably won’t have any issue-”
‘I can do it,” Zachary said, cutting her short as he stared at her seriously.’ Anyway, I wanted to meet you because of Lulu.”
“You found her? Where has she been? I have to see her-] mean, Ricky basically burned through the Bernstein family fortune just to find her. She’s definitely getting an earful from me… Honestly, why would she hide herself? We’re all so worried!” Abigail was at once thrilled and accusative.
“The Bernstein family fortune?” Zachary repeated.
He knew that Bernstein Holdings had gone bankrupt, but Ricky threw away his family fortune as well?
“Yes-he sold everything our father left US that’s worth anything.” Abigail explained.
She did not actually want to tell how much losses the Bernstein family had suffered or just how much Ricky had put on the line.
While she thought that a relationship between Ricky and Lulu was unrealistic before given the age gap between them, she saw now how far Ricky would go for her.
She was therefore willing to support her half-brother if he wanted to pursue a relationship with her when she returned.
As for Zachary, Abigail only found disappointment in his behavior.
Zachary slowly hung his head-he certainly did a lot less than Ricky had, and blamed himself for indirectly causing Lulu’s death.
If only he refrained from constantly seeking her after she left her…
At the very least, he would have avoided that tragedy.
“Lulu… Lulu is…”
He tried to speak but kept choking on his own words, while his eyes welled with tears.
Abigail felt an ominous sensation right then.
Keeping her eyes on him, he asked, “What are you trying to say?”
“S-She’s not coming back…” Zachary eventually rasped.
“Don’t lie to me!” Abigail snapped in denial.
Zachary kept his head down. “I’d never… I wish it was a lie too, but it’s real.” Bang!
One of the bedrooms suddenly opened violently and Abigail turned toward the racket, her eyes widening.
“R-Ricky? I thought you left!”
I would still be in the dark if I did!”
Ricky was glaring furiously at Zachary, his eyes opened so wide they were bulging as if they would pop out.
In a split second, he rushed forward, grabbed Zachary by the collar, and launched a lightning quick jab on his face!
Pow!
There was a dull thud and Zachary tasted blood on his lips.
Ricky did not loosen his grip, however, and shoved Zachary to the floor as he kept clobbering him.
Stunned for a moment, Abigail quickly came to her senses and ran up to pull him away. “Calm down!”
‘How could I?!’ Ricky bellowed in rage. “He’s a married man, but he had to keep bugging Lulu! That’s why she was killed. It’s him. It’s all because of him…”
He had lost all rationality right then. All he wanted to do was to murder Zachary!
‘Get off mel” he cried and shook Abigail off.
As she lost her balance and fell on the couch, she grimaced in pain as she felt a pull on the scar over her belly.
Ricky did not notice her discomfort, however, and was still punching Zachary relentlessly.
Zachary did not resist-he actually thought that Ricky was right.
After all, if he had stayed away from Lulu after getting married, Ember would not have set her sights on Lulu, and this tragedy could have been avoided.
He admitted as much, too. “You’re right. I did kill her.”
“You think that look of regret would get you off the hook! Absolutely not!” Ricky cried even as he throttled Zachary. “If you want penance, I’ll send you to her right now. Kneel and beg her for forgiveness!”
Abigail finally got to her feet despite much difficulty just then, and snapped,’ That’s enough, Ricky! Killing him won’t change a thing!
What you should be doing is to find the real culprit!”
Ricky froze as Abigail’s words brought him to his senses.
‘The real culprit? As in the people who killed Lulu?”
Yes.” Abigail walked up to him, ignoring the pain in her belly as she placed a gentle hand over Ricky’s back. “No matter what
Zachary did, he wasn’t the one who killed Lulu. It’s those murderers.”
Zachary stared at them for a while before he said, “You’re looking at him.’
After all, his mother had ordered Lulu’s death. How was it different from him doing it himself?
‘Don’t think I wouldn’t touch you!” Ricky snapped, convinced that Zachary was just provoking him.
“I know you would, but give me time,” Zachary said calmly. “There’s something I must do, and you can do anything you want to me once I’m done.”
Abigail pulled Ricky away just then. “Yeah. We are all in grief, but that is all the more reason we must work together to destroy Lulu’s murderers.”
Ricky stared at Abigail for a moment.
He gradually calmed down, giving Zachary one last glare before releasing him.
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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