Worried about her, Lulu quickly went to her after Henry left, and helped her stand. “Are you alright?”
Abigail nodded.
“Yeah,” she replied, while trying to look her best. “Where’s Tommy? Is he still crying?”
“I’ve fed him and coaxed him to sleep,” Lulu replied.
Right now, she was worried that Henry had made things difficult for Abigail, especially after she saw the horrific look on his face as he left.
Abigail shook her head. “We have to go.”
“Go? Go where?” Lulu asked.
Abigail certainly had no idea… All she knew was that she must leave with Tommy, and she needed Lulu’s help again.
“Are you really fine?” Lulu could see that she looked terrible.
“I think I’ve made more than a few mistakes…” Abigail murmured darkly.
Henry’s visit made her aware of a great many things, and the worst of all was that she had allowed her sentiment to take control of her!
She was so deluded she believed she could stay with Diarmuid, when Tommy was the impassable rift between them–the Althoffs would never allow a child who was not of their blood!
For her part, she will not allow her son to suffer, and he most certainly would if she left him with the Althoffs!
“Mistakes? What are you talking about?” Lulu asked.
“I shouldn’t have brought Tommy here. Henry Althoff was being nice today for my grandfather’s sake, or we would have been thrown to the curb.”
She was the one who did not think things through, and Henry had every right!
Lulu sighed, and patted her on the shoulder to comfort her–Lulu certainly had no words to offer her here.
“I’m fine,” Abigail said, understanding that she was at fault, and she could not blame the old. man for his requests either.
She had not been thinking straight!
They left to stay at a nice hotel, and as Lulu helped her pack, she asked, “This won’t do. Have you thought about where you’ll settle down?”
They were adults and being constantly on the move was fine, but not for an infant like Tommy.
“I’ll buy a house after my father’s funeral, so that my mom and Tommy have somewhere to stay,” Abigail said, sitting beside the bed and staring at Tommy. “I won’t pursue a relationship when I have Tommy.”
“Don’t be silly. You can fall in love even if you have a child!” Lulu exclaimed, finding Abigail suddenly pessimistic.
She sat beside Abigail. “I’ve been worried at first since the Althoffs were a dynasty. That’s why I suggested that you keep Tommy a secret.
Like Abigail, she was being ousted by a dynasty, and therefore understood Abigail’s situation.
Still, thinking about that left Lulu depressed too.
“You’re much better off, y’know.” Abigail smiled. “Zachary earnestly loves you.”
In other words, Lulu was not facing the tribulations at hand alone.
As for herself…
Abigail took a deep breath and stopped thinking about that. She did not have the time, since Lionel’s funeral was not settled yet.
“Could you babysit Tommy over the next couple days?”
“Of course,” Lulu assured her. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.”
Lulu was Abigail’s only best friend, and Abigail trusted her enough to leave Tommy in her care.
“You should make things quick, but don’t forget to take care of yourself,” she told her.
Abigail nodded she must stay strong for her son.
“I’m worried my mom would be harassed back home. I should go now,” she said.
“Okay. Don’t worry, just do what you have to,” Lulu told her.
After leaving the hotel, Abigail headed straight to Bernstein Mansion.
The instant she entered, she found Samantha blustering at Sheryl.
“Lionel already dumped you! Who do you think you are, presiding over his funeral? I’m the rightful Mrs. Bernstein!”
Sheryl, however, was not enduring her nonsense in silence like before.
“Who do I think I am? I should be asking you that-Lionel never divorced me.” Sheryl spoke calmly and quietly, but it was enough to leave Samantha speechless!
The fact that Samantha was not legally married to Lionel would always be her Achilles‘ heel. Sheryl telling her that also hurt her even more than when Abigail had told her that. Coupled with Ricky’s injury, her frustrations piled and she flew into a rage.
However, just as she raised her hand, ready to slap Sheryl across the face, Abigail strode up and caught her hand. “My dad just died. Don’t act like a fishwife at his funeral.”
Samantha’s eyes were bulging when she turned and saw Abigail. “Well done! Neither of you were here to visit or care for Lionel when he’s sick, but you’re here to get a cut of his inheritance as soon as he dies?! I’m telling you, everything in this house belongs to Ricky!” Murderous intent showed in her eyes. “And you dared to hurt him! I’ll destroy you!”
“Just stop already!” Abigail snapped and shoved her aside, not bothered to argue–everything could wait until after the funeral.
Naturally, Samantha had to bear with it, since she could not beat Abigail and Sheryl by herself.
Still, she remembered her own son–as long as Ricky was around, she did not have to fear them.
Sheryl, however, was not inclined to keep arguing with Samantha.
Pulling Abigail to a corner, she asked softly, “Why are you here? Where’s Tommy?”
“I asked Lulu to babysit
”
“Abigail.” Sheryl cut her short before she could finish.
“What is it, Mom?” Abigail asked in confusion, and saw that Sheryl was staring fixedly behind her.
She turned, and found Diarmuid standing nearby, and exclaimed in surprise, “Why are you here?”
“To see you,” he replied.
Sheryl gave her a pat on the arm and told her, “I’ll take care of things. Go on.”
“Okay,” Abigail said, and saw Diarmuid walking up to her just as she was about to go to him.
“If you need anything, just ask,” he said, though it seemed like he was addressing it to both Sheryl and Abigail at once.
Sheryl was aware that their marriage was not one of love, and that her own daughter had to give birth to Tommy in secret.
But even if their marriage was troubled, she had no right to pull rank with Diarmuid, just as she had no intention to add to Abigail’s troubles.
As she turned to leave, Abigail pulled Diarmuid aside and asked, “What are you doing here?”
Diarmuid was actually puzzled by her question. “We’re married, and your father just passed away. Shouldn’t I be here as your husband?”
The mention of their marriage left Abigail’s heart clenching and her eyes watery.
“It’s going to be fine,” Diarmuid said as he pulled her into his arms, presuming that she was sad about Lionel’s passing. “I’ll take care of you now.”
Abigail closed her eyes in pain.
Lionel’s funeral was over after three days, and his lawyer called for a meeting of all family members at the living room.
Ricky’s head was still bandaged–he had yet to fully recover from his head wound.
He seemed uninterested in what the lawyer was going to say, even lethargic.
It was obvious from his face that he was still mourning his father.
“Mr. Bernstein left a will after learning about his illness-
“He’s giving everything to Ricky, isn’t he?” Samantha pressed.
“Please stay calm,” the lawyer said flatly, taking out a folder as he spoke. “Here it is…”
Before the lawyer could read the contents of Lionel’s will, Samantha snatched it away impatiently. There was joy and eagerness in her eyes as she opened the folder and scanned through it, because it meant she could get her hands on the Bernstein estate now…
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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