Chapter 77 – Second Chance Love of the Missing Groom Novel

But why was she being tense? She wanted a divorce, did she not?

Still, she found herself heinous when she considered how nice Diarmuid had been lately. However, she soop perished the thought, hating herself to even think it.

This was not right. How could she fall in love with the man who had indirectly killed one of her children?

Be that as it may, she knew very well by now that she had become attracted to Diarmuid.

Perhaps that was never in her control in the first place.

Meanwhile, Henry was waiting by the time Diarmuid arrived at Althoff Manor.

“Come, sit,” he beckoned.

Diarmuid politely refused, and asked directly, “What is it?”

“Well…” Henry sighed. “I’ve been mistaken to think that Abigail would be a loyal, upstanding person like her grandfather. I wanted her to care for you, but I’ve now realized my mistake- she was never the right person for you.”

Diarmuid felt a foreboding sensation right then. “What do you mean?”

“You never wanted this marriage. It’s time for a divorce.” Henry said.

In fact, Henry had been increasingly unhappy with Abigail.

First, she went missing for months-how could a married woman do something as scandalous as that?

And then there were the shady rumors that she had a man before marrying Diarmuid, and became pregnant as a result!

Naturally, a woman like her did not deserve Diarmuid.

Moreover, Lionel had visited Henry, begging for him to get Diarmuid to divorce her!

It was like an apple falling right into his lap-he naturally agreed to do it.

“Did she come to you? Did she tell you that she wants a divorce?” Diarmuid growled, maintaining a stoic expression although the air around him was suddenly icy.

“No, it was her father,” Henry replied. “He was on knees, begging for my help. I’m sure Abigail must have talked him into it too-do you remember how much he wanted to have her marry you before? I know the man, and she must have been obstinate enough to actually make him desperate enough and regret his choice. That’s the only reason he came to ask me for help ” Pausing to sigh, Henry added, “You never loved her anyway-”

“Grandfather,” Diarmuid said, suddenly cutting him short, “it doesn’t matter why we got married we’re married now, and she’s my wife. I’d never agree to a divorce even if she wants it!” With that, he rose to his feet and strode outside.

Then, pausing by the door while keeping his back to Henry, he added, “Also, I hope you won’t meddle in my affairs ever again.”

With that, he left.

Moneypenny walked up to Henry. “Sir, don’t you think Master Diarmuid looks a little upset?”

Henry sighed. “What, can’t you tell?”

Diarmuid’s stance was only too obvious!

Moneypenny then offered a theory.

“Perhaps he is refusing because he fell in love?”

Henry naturally picked up on it too. “This is all on me. I never did check on Abigail Bernstein thoroughly before I arranged for her to marry Diarmuid. And now, it’s going to be difficult to get him to divorce her.”

“You know his temper,” Moneypenny pointed out. “Things will only get difficult if he really doesn’t want a divorce.”

“Not exactly,” Henry countered. “Did you forget that he has an Achilles’ heel?”

Moneypenny was puzzled. “Are you referring to that?”

“Yes. He had always been obsessed with it-the silver crucifix of the girl who had saved him when he was ten, when he fell in the pool. He tried looking for her, and I helped too, but we never could because there were too many people visiting our house on that day.”

“But if we can’t find her after so many years, there’s surely no reason we’re able to do so now?

Moneypenny asked.

”

Henry gave him a look. “That’s not the point. The point is to get Diarmuid to believe it.”

Moneypenny appeared confused.

“Old fool,” Henry chuckled. “We just have to find a girl we can count on, and have her tell him that she’s the one he was looking for.”

Moneypenny was worried. “But would Master Diarmuid buy it?”

Henry was miffed that his butler was so slow just then. “He was just ten-how many details. can he remember? We just have to tell our girl every detail we know, and Diarmuid will buy it once she gives him the same story.”

Nonetheless, Moneypenny was prudent enough to catch on to a little detail. “Yes, but if she showed up out of the blue, Master Diarmuid would be sharp enough to catch on. Just think about it —why is she showing up now, just as you’re trying to get him to divorce Abigail Bernstein? Doesn’t, that look suspicious?”

Henry suddenly realized that it was true. “What do you think we should do, then?”

“Well, it’s not that difficult,” Moneypenny replied. “First, we embed a girl you appreciate in Master Diarmuid’s orbit, and have her inadvertently reveal that she had been here in the past and saved a boy. That way, Master Diarmuid will connect the dots on his own, without getting suspicious of anything”

Henry gave Moneypenny a look of approval-it was a good idea, but the question now was: who was the right girl?

“Plenty of fish in the sea, sir,” Moneypenny replied when Henry asked. “You can take your time”

Meanwhile, Abigail was sitting in a private booth opposite Zachary. He had been drinking himself silly for a while now, as he was still hung up on Lulu.

He came to the mansion looking for her soon after Diarmuid left. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but could not find the right words, and simply gave him company as he got drunk again.

“You women are liars-all of you.” His shirt was unkempt, and he burped a mouthful of alcoholic gas, and pushed himself off the couch, wobbling for a while and grabbing himself another bottle. As he sat, he missed the couch and dropped on the floor on his posterior, but simply leaned against the couch and stayed on the floor.

As he drank, he asked, “Tell me, Abigail… What’s Lulu’s husband like?”

Abigail pursed her lips. “I don’t know,”

How could she, after all? Lulu was never in another relationship after Zachary.

As she took a sip as well, Zachary was mumbling blankly while misery showed in his eyes. She betrayed me… married another man and even had a child. Have you met the kid?”

“He was just a tiny button,” he rasped as he gestured with his hands. “If only the kid were mine…”

Abigail listened to him ramble in silence, suddenly able to understand Zachary’s pain.

She knew that Diarmuid might divorce her soon, and actually felt a sense of loss.

She knew she should not feel that way-to harbor such unnecessary feelings.

”

Finishing her drink, she said, “That’s enough. No more juice for you-get up, it’s time to go home.”

“No…” Zachary waved her off.

Unable to move him by herself, Abigail asked Jimmy the chauffeur to help carry him to the car and drove him home, after which they returned to the mansion.

She was feeling tipsy and wanted to take a short nap, but dozed off instead.

She was sleeping soundly and did not wake up even though the door opened.

It took a while when she woke up with a groggy head. Night had fallen outside, but since no one turped on the lights in her room, it seemed even darker inside.

She rubbed her eyes, but noticed a shadow standing by the bed just as she got up.

“Is that you,

Diarmuid?” she asked tentatively.

There was no response!

As she reached out to the shadow, however… she was suddenly pushed down!

“Kyah!” she yelped as she felt as if she was pushed into the mattress, and pinned down violently!

Amidst the confusion, Abigail saw that Diarmuid was on top of her.

“W-What’s wrong?” she asked, but it was as if he was unable to hear her as he violently shredded her clothes.

He was no different from a rampaging beast-violent and unreasonable.

Abigail struggled, but her strength was insignificant to him, and she felt chills all over as her clothes were torn off, leaving her naked right before him.

Her eyes welling with tears, she rasped, “Why are you doing this?!”

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