She smiled at the male judge. “Thank you. You’ve helped me a lot today.”
“It’s nothing,” he smiled back. “This gentleman is…”
“My husband,” Abigail replied.
Diarmuid had been keeping a profile, which left the male judge thinking that he was an average Joe.
He couldn’t resist sizing up Diarmuid at that–deciding that Diarmuid was just a little taller and handsome, but nothing else, and certainly was not as gentlemanly as him.
Those cold eyes were also a clear sign of Diarmuid’s bad temper.
“Miss Bernstein-”
The male judge tried to say more, but Diarmuid quickly put a hand around Abigail’s waist and cut him short. “We should go.”
Abigail glanced at Diarmuid but said nothing, and left with him.
It was only until they got in his car and drove off that she finally asked, “Why do I have a feeling you’re annoyed? Even a little hostile towards that male judge?”
Diarmuid kept driving silently. Knowing his temper, Abigail did not press him since he wasn’t going to answer.
Changing the topic, she decided to dissect the current situation. “I’m sure Robin was the one who tried to hurt Tommy, but there’s another mastermind. Without help, Robin wouldn’t be able to do much on her own. She couldn’t have gotten Samantha out of prison. -the only people who can do that are lan, your uncle, and your grandfather.”
It was her theory, especially since Robin had a motive.
Diarmuid agreed with Abigail’s opinion–he wouldn’t be surprised with whatever they tried to do now.
“They want control over Sky Group,” he said. “Always have a bodyguard with you when leave the house.”
Abigail nodded. “But what about you…?”
you
“I’m fine,” Diarmuid said, and suddenly stopped the car on the side of the road.
“Why are you stopping?” Abigail asked in curiosity. “Do you have something to do?”
Diarmuid did not answer, and was simply staring at her.
“Is there something on my face? Why are you just staring?” Abigail even reached up to feel her own cheeks.
Diarmuid suddenly leaned in and kissed her, leaving her eyes widening and her curled lashes twitching.
His kiss was firm but brief, though the single instant almost left Abigail’s heart leaping out of her chest!
“What’s gotten into you?”
Why the sudden passion?
Diarmuid was still staring at her.
She rarely dressed alluringly, and wouldn’t put on makeup unless she had to.
As such, seeing her dance for the first time was especially bewitching for Diarmuid.
“You looked so beautiful on the dance floor,” he confessed quietly.
Abigail was speechless.
Was that the reason?
“You have a lot of hobbies, don’t you?” Diarmuid asked–she always seemed to surprise her, shining bright like a star and was capable of charming any man.
Abigail smiled feebly. “My father forced me into it.”
“He loved you,” Diarmuid started as he started the car.
Abigail stared at him for a while, and said, “If I told you that my father had me learn all that to seduce you, would you still think better of him?
Screech-
Diarmuid jammed his foot on the brakes. Once the car stopped, he asked, “What was that?”
*Bernstein Holdings was never in a crisis–my dad was lying. It was an excuse to have me marry you. In fact, he had me learn so many arts: dancing, piano, painting, and even swimming… Just to groom me as this multi–talented maiden to earn your favor. He keeps insisting there’s no future to being a doctor, and I should just get married instead.”
Abigail sighed lengthily as she remembered Lionel Bernstein.
She slowly came to believe that he wasn’t as terrible as she assumed, and that he actually wanted the best for her in his own strange way.
Even if things had been unpleasant between them, remembering him hurt her somewhat; and she actually thought she missed him.
Meanwhile, Diarmuid kept staring at Abigail. Then, he laughed.
As Diarmuid kept laughing, Abigail was left mystified. “What are you laughing about? Me?”
“No,” Diarmuid replied. “I’m laughing at myself for falling for your dad’s ploy.”
Abigail was silent for a while, and laughed as well when she came to a realization.
“You like that about me?” she asked.
“I do,” Diarmuid said, composing himself as he continued, ” And I like that it’s you.”
Even if Abigail knew none of that, he would have fallen for her anyway. Knowing that simply made her a more colorful personality.
Abigail naturally did not try to nitpick, since it was her either way.
“She may have been foiled this time,” she said, returning the conversation to Robin. “There’s no telling what she’ll be up to next.”
“I’ll have Stan keep an eye on the Althoffs,” Diarmuid replied calmly and quietly-as if they didn’t matter to him.
Abigail knew she couldn’t be of help when it came to work. “I’ll do my best to not get in the way.”
“Right, I should go to the hospital,” she added, since she had yet to check on Ricky. “I know you hate him because he poisoned Tommy, and I do too. But my father entrusted his care to me, so I can’t abandon him.”
Diarmuid didn’t respond, but drove her to the hospital anyway.
They soon arrived. Knowing that Diarmuid would not want to see Ricky, Abigail said, “I might stay for a while. You should go.”
Diarmuid certainly didn’t want to see Ricky, and so said, “I’ll tell Jimmy to come take you home.”
“Okay,” Abigail replied, and stayed at the entrance, watching as Diarmuid drove off before heading inside.
Abigail called Sheryl, and quickly found Ricky’s ward. When she entered and found him lying in bed, she saw that his face was still swollen, his right eye purple, and his arms and feet were all bandaged.
Abigail certainly knows Diarmuid’s methods-she was once his victim, after all.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
He was awake, and when he saw her, he quickly asked, Did you know?”
Abigail knew he was referring to Diarmuid sending his people to beat him up.
“I didn’t,” she admitted.
Ricky scowled anyone would feel miserable after getting beaten up.
Walking up beside his bed and pulling out a chair to sit, Abigail asked, “How bad is it? What did the doctors say?”
Ricky didn’t answer, and instead held her gaze and asked, “Would you have stopped him if you knew?”
Abigail turned quiet, because she had no idea.
However, Ricky didn’t seem to blame her since her son came first.
“One broken arm, while the other are just bumps and bruises. I guess Diarmuid just wanted to rough me up a little as reprisal for Tommy. He wasn’t trying to kill me.”
“Alright,” Abigail said and helped him pull his blanket up to his shoulders. “I’ll keep things together at Bernstein
Holdings for now.”
Ricky nodded. “Okay.”
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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