“No, you shouldn’t,” Erin turned to look at him with a serious look. “You have to help my dear brother.”
James pouted. “‘Dear brother?’”
Erin looked up to meet his gaze. “Of course. Even if we’re not related by blood, he acknowledges our siblinghood.”
“You only realize that now?” he teased.
James made a serious look then. “Stan Hill is back, so he has people to help him. On the other hand, it’s been a long while since I took leave, and everything’s more or less done on hand. Stan can take over anything I might have to do as well, so I could free up my schedule.”
Erin certainly knew that he wanted to spend more time with her, since she used to complain about how he was always too busy to keep her company.
Nonetheless, she held his hand and said, “It’s alright, really. You’d be bored hanging out with me instead of working. I have a job too, so we just have to keep in touch from time to time, and you can visit me when you actually have free time. I’ll do the same too, and that’s just fine, isn’t it?”
James was silent for a while before saying, “Yeah.”
“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Erin asked him then.
James leaned in, his lips hovering beside her ear, sprinkling his warm breath all over as he said tenderly, “I don’t think I can sleep. I’d rather you stay the night with me…”
“No,” Erin said, getting away from his embrace just then.
There was panic in her eyes, her knuckles were clenched, and there was sweat under her palm.
James realized in surprise that she was getting paranoid, and he whispered, “I won’t do anything, Erin.”
He certainly understood that Erin had yet to recover from her trauma before, but he was not about to make her uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry,” she said and started to run, but James caught her from behind and kept his arms around her.
“You did nothing wrong,” he assured her with a mild voice. “Sorry, I misspoke and caused a misunderstanding. I just missed you so much and I’m happy to see you, okay?”
Erin swallowed her bitterness and turned to look at him, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Eventually, they ended up on the couch in each other’s embrace as they both seemed to find refuge in each other that way.
“I should go,” Erin eventually said.
“It’s still early,” James replied.
“It’s midnight.”
“Then it’s too late. You don’t have to go.”
“No, I have to,” Erin insisted. “I promised to go back, and it’d be bad if I don’t…”
“Don’t worry,” James told her. “No one would badmouth you, especially since your brother and his wife have been there and can understand. It’s perfectly normal if you stay the night since we’ve been engaged before. They won’t talk.”
“That won’t do,” Erin said, believing that distance made the heart fonder.
Meeting once in a long while was more blissful, as they would appreciate each other’s presence more.
Having no choice, James said, “I’ll walk you out.”
“It’s fine,” Erin told him. “You’re drunk.”
Still, James walked her to the ground floor and waved her goodbye wistfully while she drove back to the hilltop mansion.
Erin was planning to sneak back to her room, but the lights were still on.
Diarmuid had already taken a shower and was sitting on the living room couch in his silk pajamas, reading a finance magazine.
Meanwhile, Abigail was still busy cleaning up in the kitchen.
“You’re still up?” Erin asked.
Diarmuid looked up. Slowly closing his magazine, he told Erin, “It’s late. You should go to bed!”
With that, he headed to the kitchen, where Abigail was still sorting the plates into the drawer.
“You’re not done yet?” he asked.
“I am now,” she replied, sorting the last stack into the drawer and stretching her arms—her back was actually starting to get sore.
Diarmuid walked up behind her.
“Good work,” he said, putting his arms around her waist. “I’ll give you a massage.”
It felt ticklish to Abigail instead, and she smiled as she pushed him away. “Buzz off. You don’t have to.”
“Buzz off to where?” Diarmuid asked.
Abigail was too tired to fool around with him. “I’m sleepy.”
“Let’s go to bed then,” Diarmuid said, giving her a peck on the lips. “You look pale.”
Abigail’s heart seemed to clench, but she feigned calmness as she rubbed her face. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Diarmuid replied.
“I think I’ve been tired recently,” she explained, pursing her lips and pushing him out of the kitchen. “Now, go already.”
“Abigail,” Erin called out to her just then—she had yet to go back to her room.
Abigail thought that Erin was unsure which room she was staying in, so Abigail pointed it out for Erin. “The one to the right—over there.”
“I know. I’m just not sure why you guys are still up. It’s almost 2 AM now.”
“I was cleaning the kitchen,” Abigail replied.
“You were? Where’s Mrs. Watson?”
“At the hospital,” Abigail replied simply.
“Oh! I would have come back sooner if I knew,” Erin said.
“I’m fine on my own,” Abigail replied. “I’m going to bed now. You should too.”
Erin nodded.
As she stepped out of the shower, Abigail saw the glass of cranberry juice on top of the bedside drawer.
Walking up to the bed, her eyes were fixed on the man lying on it as she asked, “You made that?”
“Yeah,” Diarmuid replied. “Drink it while it’s warm.”
Abigail sat on the bed and picked up the glass, but kept it in her hand as she asked, “Diarmuid, do you find it unfortunate that you can’t have a daughter?”
“I have two sons already,” Diarmuid said as he looked up. “Why would you ask that?”
Abigail simply chugged the cranberry juice and got into bed, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
“You’ve been a little passionate lately,” Diarmuid said lightly.
Abigail did not answer and she simply buried her head in his chest.
It was very late, so they soon fell asleep.
Abigail woke up at six in the morning.
Mrs. Watson was not around and Sheryl had to take care of the children, so it was up to Abigail herself to prepare breakfast.
Diarmuid quickly wrapped his arms around her waist. “You can sleep in.”
“You do that,” Abigail said, giving him a peck on the cheek. “I’m making breakfast, and I still have to see off Lulu at the train station before heading to the hospital. Erin is still staying with us and no one is getting any breakfast if I don’t cook.”
“I’ll order takeout…”
“Just let me cook,” Abigail said, getting out of bed and tucking him under the blanket. “You sleep.”
She got changed and headed downstairs when she noticed that Erin was up too.
“You’re early,” Abigail said.
“I was thinking about helping out with making breakfast since no one’s around,” Erin said.
As such, both women went to work together, and breakfast was ready soon enough.
After that, Abigail helped Tommy get changed, while Sheryl was already holding Abigail’s baby, who woke up early too.
Erin cleared the table after breakfast.
Abigail thought it was not ideal since Erin was supposed to be a guest, but Abigail did not have the time. As such, she left everything to Erin while she rushed to Lulu’s hotel.
After sending Lulu and Martin to the train station, Abigail bought breakfast and rushed to the hospital, telling Finn the instant she arrived, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Finn replied.
“Here, I bought you breakfast,” Abigail said as she placed the box on the table. “Eat something before you leave.”
Finn naturally accepted it while Abigail checked on Mrs. Watson.
“She’s fine,” Finn told her. “She was quite spirited and she slept after taking her meds.”
As Abigail nodded, Finn added, “Call me anytime if you’re too busy, director.”
Abigail naturally felt awkward bothering him all the time, and she said, “I’ll get a nurse today.”
Later, Finn left, only to rush back to Mrs. Watson’s ward after a while.
He must have been running since he was panting heavily.
Abigail poured him a glass of water while asking, “What happened? Catch your breath.”
“It’s big. It’s really big…” Finn gasped.
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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