Abigail was speechless.
Clearing her throat, she said, “I’ll resign.”
She simply had to resolve the trouble at hand first.
Diarmuid held her hand, his thumb gently brushing over the back of her hand as he said quietly, “He wants me to spare Ian Althoff, but I refused. The agitation caused a heart attack, and they could not revive him in time.”
“Ian Althoff?” Abigail frowned slightly. “Wasn’t he drugged out of his mind?”
“I’m not sure how he recovered, but he’s the one who did it.”
Diarmuid had suspected Ian from the start, but he did not have any evidence.
As such, he arranged for his men to watch Ian at Althoff Manor, and as time went by, he got the evidence he needed!
When he headed over to recapture Ian, Henry stopped him, and in the ensuing confrontation, Henry had a heart attack!
As Abigail realized what happened, she sprang to her feet, furious and indignant. “It was him? He was the mastermind, and the reason Erin…”
Abigail hated herself even more then—she should not have been soft and suggested the drug, sparing his life!
Her mercy had caused this tragedy!
“Abigail.”
Diarmuid tugged on her hand. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Abigail looked into Diarmuid’s eyes as she said, “I know you’re trying to comfort me.”
She could not help blaming herself because she was not the one who suffered.
But as a fellow woman, she understood what Erin was going through.
Nonetheless, Diarmuid said mildly, “Erin Gooding and James Cross made up. They’re both doing well now, so don’t shoulder the blame.”
Abigail raised a brow. How was she unaware that they made up?
However, it was good news that Erin could come around and start over with James.
Making a serious face, she asked, “Where’s Ian Althoff now?”
“Locked up,” Diarmuid said darkly. “He’s hanging by a thread.”
Even though everything was now in the past, Ian had hurt him and the people around him.
And that was unforgivable.
That was why Diarmuid did not relent despite Henry’s relentless pleading.
He beat Ian half to death and kept the latter locked up in Althoff Manor.
“Your grandfather’s funeral—”
“His son will handle it. I just need to show my face for appearances sake,” Diarmuid said, cutting Abigail short.
He knew what Abigail wanted to say, but Greg Althoff was still alive although he was paralyzed.
Rumor even had it that he was now the sugar daddy of a young, pretty face.
He had always been a pervert, and since he was completely entranced by his lover, he did not ask a thing about Ian.
Abigail nodded. “Good.”
She was worried that Diarmuid would just ignore everything, making him a target for scorn—what happened in the family stayed in the family, after all!
Diarmuid laughed, his voice rising in pitch as he did. “Everyone knows that the old man and I were at odds, even mortal enemies, don’t they?”
Abigail was speechless, but cleared her throat. “Whatever happens, you should at least look the part now that he’s gone.”
She certainly did not want the public to think him cold, disrespecting even his own grandfather!
Even if the Althoffs had always been hurting Diarmuid, he should at least present a gesture in this matter.
Diarmuid chuckled. “As you wish.”
“Be serious.” Abigail shot him an unhappy look. “I’m being real with you. I don’t want people to call you disrespectful or what not. I know you don’t care about your reputation, but you have to maintain it because you are a father. You don’t want your children to grow up hearing stories of your terrible behavior, right? Your image as a lofty father would be ruined.”
“You’re right,” Diarmuid said, rubbing his sore neck.
“Is your neck uncomfortable?’
“No…”
“Here. I can give you a message.”
Abigail got on the bed, kneeling behind him to make massaging his shoulders more convenient.
“Didn’t think that your hands would be that strong when you’re so scrawny.”
“It’s not my strength, but the pressure points,” Abigail explained. “I know how to relieve exhaustion and bring comfort, so be careful when I tell you to be nice to me for the rest of our lives. Cheat on me, and I can kill you without leaving a mark.”
Diarmuid’s lips twitched. He slowly smiled and said adoringly, “I know you can do it, but you’d become a widow yourself..”
“I’ll just get me some pretty boy.”
“No one’s prettier than me.”
“Then I’d get a ugly one. As long as it’s a man…”
Diarmuid abruptly wheeled on her, staring darkly at her.
Abigail met his stifling gaze and reared her chin. “Cheat on me, and I’ll cheat on you—”
Diarmuid pinned her beneath himself just then.
Abigail tried to slide out from the side, but Diarmuid stopped her with his arms and said pointedly from above, “Uglies don’t deserve you.”
Abigail looked Diarmuid straight in the eye. “Uglies don’t cheat.”
Diarmuid raised a brow, his visage alluring. “Did I cheat?’
“…Not at the moment, but I wouldn’t know. In the future…”
Diarmuid leaned in and bit her nose. “I won’t.”
“Ow.” Abigail grunted, pushing him away.
Diarmuid beamed at her, his eyes twinkling beneath his thick lashes. “Where does it hurt?”
Abigail was speechless.
Getting frisky again, huh?
“Stop it, I’m not in the mood,” she said sternly.
“Yeah,” Diarmuid tamely got off her, while both of them composed themselves and straightened their clothes.
“By the way, did you go to my office to look for me?” Diarmuid asked.
“Yeah,” Abigail replied. “I had something to talk to you about, but it’s resolved now.”
“Hmm.” Diarmuid frowned. “What could be resolved so quickly?”
“I was sued,” Abigail admitted. “That’s why I wanted your help looking for a good lawyer. You weren’t there, so James introduced me to a member of your legal team. The man looked formidable, even agreeing to help me resolve it.”
She did not want to trouble Diarmuid, but James would have told Diarmuid even if she did not. And since she was not resolving the issue herself, she had to ask for help.
“Yeah,” Diarmuid said. “You can trust the legal team.”
Abigail nodded. “Yeah, so just properly deal with Ian Althoff and that funeral. I’ll consult my lawyer about the lawsuit.”
Diarmuid nodded as well. “I’ll talk to them too.
…
All of Cloud City was astonished once word of Henry’s death got out!
They held influence despite their recent decline, and since Diarmuid’s influence now surpassed them at their peak, it naturally garnered considerable attention.
Still, Diarmuid kept things quiet by having Greg preside over the funeral on the surface.
All the people who attended the funeral were either Henry’s friends or close relatives of the family.
None of Diarmuid’s friends came, however, because he did not let them.
Regardless, the funeral was quite grand, since Henry was an important person himself in his younger years.
It was only when he got old and senile that he left Diarmuid disillusioned, leaving his own family in pieces!
As his granddaughter-in-law, Abigail should be showing up at the funeral as well out of obligation.
Abigail did not, however, because she had a court summons to answer, while Dennis Turner remained unconscious and was still hanging by a thread.
Neil Turner sued her not for the money, but to have her admit her mistake in this issue.
She would have to take responsibility if Dennis died, and paying damages would be inevitable.
Throughout the court session, her lawyer answered every question.
The lawyer was certainly prepared, having investigated the entire incident as well as the people present.
Hotmesh Research employees were all taking Abigail’s side too, because they understood that Abigail really wanted to save Dennis.
Hence, Abigail’s lawyer could argue righteously and earnestly. “Mr. Turner, I would be thanking Ms. Bernstein if I were you. She’s the reason your father is alive, and she even withstood the pressure and risk to perform that surgery.”
“That is not the point. She broke regulations when she performed that surgery. She isn’t Dennis Turner’s family, and she does not have the authority to make the call.”
“No, she isn’t Mr. Turner’s family, but she’s close enough to be one. Moreover, your logic seems to postulate that if we find a patient lying on the street, about to die, we’d need their family’s consent before performing emergency resuscitation. Are you sure there’s always time to follow procedure? Or would you sue regardless, this time accusing the defendant of not helping when she could? Or perhaps regulations are more important than a person’s life?”
“Regulations are there to enforce discipline, not to take a person’s life!”
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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