"What?", The two sisters chorused with shock on their faces.
Me? How? When?", Abi asked in shock.
She was disgusted that that happened to her. Why would she be involved in a scandal with that cold fool?! Ava took the phone from Jessica when her sister didn't collect it. Ava's eyes were fixed on the screen. She watched the news from the beginning to the end.
"I would have believed the news if you weren't my sister, Abi", Ava laughed and Abi glared at her. What was that supposed to mean?
"I mean, they sound so convincing and it all looks true. It's like something is really going on between you two. Look at the way he's touching your hand and- why would he place his hand around your waist? It's so…romantic", Ava drooled.
Jessica took her phone back from Ava. She hissed after hearing all Ava had to say. She looked at Abi who looked like she had seen a ghost. Ava looked at her sister with a suspicious expression. Abi ignored her and looked at Jessica.
"You can have all the cake. She'll get you something on her way back", Jessica pushed Ava out of the kitchen.
"We need to talk", Jessica told Abi and held her hand. Abi just walked with Jessica. She was thinking but she wanted to say anything. Jessica would look at Abi too but she kept quiet.
"So, are you still traumatized by the news?", Jessica asked.
"You know this was all your fault, Jessica. I won't have been caught up in all this if you didn't take me to the club then", Abi hates herself for getting involved with that man.
"What? Oh! You blame me now. I never told you to drink three bottles of alcohol and walk into a room full of lustful men", Jessica replied angrily.
"Oh please. Nothing happened to me", Abi said.
"Yes", Jessica replied. "Because there was a man named Leonardo Grey that rescued you from those men"
"Really?", Abi raised her brow.
"C'mon Eve. What was he doing to your hand out there? After that picture of you both in the club", Jessica wanted to know.
"I'm fired!", Abi exclaimed and rubbed her sweaty palm.
"Okay", Jessica said calmly.
"Okay?", Abi looked at her with a frown.
"Okay?", She repeated and shook her head.
"I lost my job because of that bastard and all you have to say is 'okay'?", Abi was furious.
"Don't be like this, bestie. It's bad for the baby", Jessica said with a low voice causing Abi to look at her in shock.
"What?", Abi gasped.
"I know, Abigail. It's fine", Jessica said. "I might have seen your test result when you came to my house three weeks ago for a sleepover. I've been waiting for you to tell me but it seems like pigs would grow horns before you do so"
"Jessica", Abi heaved a sigh and stopped talking. She stopped walking too and paused to sit on a rock.
"I-I don't know what to do", Tears began to run down her beautiful face.
"I…I had a one night stand with him", Abi cried and sniffed. Jessica rubbed her back and told her to let it all out.
"This is all my fault", Jessica said softly as she patted Abi's back.
"I shouldn't have left your side for a second. You wanted to go to a club so badly that day to ease your pain and look at what happened. That bastard ended up taking your sweet innocence and gave you a mini him", Jessica tightened her fists in anger.
"What do I do?", Abi cried. "I'm the only one my family has. They are banking on me so much that if my mother hears of this-"
"You'll be fine, Abi. I would have advised you to terminate this baby if you don't want to keep it. But first, what did he say?", Jessica asked and Abi stared at her.
"What? You didn't tell him?", Jessica scoffed.
"What if he doesn't believe me?", Abi wept.
"Then, I'll kick his disgusting balls till he believes you", Jessica said with seriousness.
"How will I see him again? I'm fired from Rhyte Taste and how do I know the day he's gonna come again?", Abi asked. "Don't you know the name of his company?", Jessica asked her.
"Of course I do. But he's so rich and powerful, why would anyone allow him to see someone like me directly?", Abi sniffed.
"What's wrong with you? You're so pretty and all. There's nothing a little seduction can't change", Jessica hissed and cleaned her tears.
"Don't worry. If the bastard doesn't want the baby, we would take care of it together if that's what you want. God won't be happy with us if we go ahead with an abortion. What if-"
"Please don't tell anyone yet. You're the only one that knows this. No one in my family knows yet either", Abi blinked her long lashes many times.
"It's fine, baby", Jessica hugged Abi and walked into a shopping mall to get her some things.
*****
"Where the fuck have you been, man?", Dominic frowned as he walked into Leo's office with two other men. Leonardo raised his head and hissed. He was not in the mood for any of them that day. So, when they're tired, they would find their way to the door.
"I saw one pretty peach on the last floor. Man, you should have come to pick us when we asked you to", Logan added.
"I should have left my work to pick you up in order to see a woman," Leo scoffed.
"She's not just a woman. She's a pretty young girl. So clean and perfect. She's quite short though. I think she's of this height." Logan moved to a wall to measure the height of the woman they saw.
"Should I say 'congratulations' in advance or not?" Benjamin spoke dryly.
The three were childhood friends with Leo. They had many things in common, and of course, Leo was the coldest among them all.
"Hold your greetings to yourself. Why would I marry such a person? She's not my type at all. It's clear that she's just one of those many women that wants me to be their baby daddy," Leo retorted.
"But to be honest, Leo, is she really not your type? I like her since she's not your type. If we weren't blind, she was the one we're talking about now," Dominic uttered with a laugh.
The door opened, and Leo's assistant walked in hurriedly. He greeted the three childhood friends and whispered some things into Leo's ear.
"C'mon, Darcy. We're not strangers. What's up?" Dominic laughed.
"She's really here," Leo smiled evilly.
"What enfrontry does she have to come here? Tell the guards to throw her out. Tell them to prevent her from coming into this company or any branch anymore! She's not welcomed here, and I don't want to see her again," he declared with sternness and authority. The three friends exchanged glances and looked at Leo.
"That's harsh, man. I don't think she's happy with this scandal from the way she looked too. You should go and hear her out. What if she's here to apologize for your mistake?" Benjamin articulated, and the two nodded.
"What do you mean? I never make mistakes, so she's the one at fault. Of course she's here to apologize, but I don't want to hear it. She should go to the press to apologize for making me lose deals and almost making me go bankrupt overnight," Leo spoke with pride.
"Not that, idiot," Dominic laughed. He was actually finding all of this fun when he was supposed to take it seriously.
"You made the mistake of seducing her to do something that must have happened from the way you both were captured. But I need to see that photographer. He's such a good man. But who takes a shot of a man that just had a nice time with a beauty goddess?" Benjamin was also having his fun.
"You all should go home since you're here for nothing," Leo said, taking off his glasses.
"See! That's what we're all talking about. Sexy god of seduction!" It was Logan's time to chuckle now.
"Okay, fine. I admit we did something, but it can never result in something serious." Leo was back to his workaholic beast mode.
The three friends looked at each other and kept shut because it was true if they were to be honest. Abi was tired of waiting. She continued to look and wait. Her legs began to hurt, and she realized that he didn't want to see her. The receptionist didn't tell her anything either, so she doesn't know whether she should go or wait a little more.
Besides, waiting for more than an hour without hearing anything from him would be nothing but foolishness. It was almost an hour when she saw two men in black approaching her with a very serious face. They were so hefty and tall. They were well built and smart in their corporate uniform.
Abi was feeling intimidated by their presence, even though they were still far away from her. But when they came so close to her, she began to feel inferior. They grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her out. Abi was so embarrassed and angry.
"What are you doing?!" she yelled at them, but they didn't pay a listening ear to her.
"Drop me now. I'm not crippled!" She further yelled, and they listened to her this time.
She continued walking in the front and looked back to check if they were tagging behind. She continued walking till she was out of the company. She stared at the company in disgust and began to flag a cab. The security men looked at her like she was a clown.
One of them walked to her and said, "Ma'am, you can't get any cab here if that's what you're trying to do." Abi looked at him like he just told her a funny joke.
"But a cab dropped me here," Abi pouted.
"Yes, ma'am. Cabs and cars are allowed to come here, but cabs and other public transport are prohibited from this vicinity. They can only come in to drop passengers and leave. This is private property, so you should save your strength and walk to the next bus stop," the hefty man said.
"What?!" Abi widened her eyes. How the hell was she supposed to walk that long distance?
For how many minutes is she supposed to stay under the scorching sun? For an hour?! Or more?! She's going to fuckwalk. As she was about to start the journey, she heard a man clear his throat behind her. She turned back and saw five men behind her. They all had this aura that had Abi feeling intimidated.
"You were trying to get a cab?" The man with dirty blonde hair laughed.
"Leave her alone, Dominic," Leo said sternly.
"What's with the hardness, Leo? You're going to scare the pretty girl away." Another man scolded Leo.
Leo returned his advice with a long grin. "Where are you going? Maybe we would drop you off," the third man said.
"I'm fine. I'll wait for my friend," Abi stammered. Why was their aura this much? And why was she still feeling intimidated? She was supposed to speak up!
"Don't worry. He won't bite," Dominic held Leo's hand. Abi locked eyes with Leo and broke the gaze immediately. He didn't want to see her and kept her waiting for so long. But he was with his friends, having fun?!
"Or maybe you would join us. We're going to a club," the third man said.
"What are you doing, Logan?" Leo stared hard at him.
"Oh! Shut up, Leo," the second man said.
"Come with me, Dracy. They can do whatever they can with her." Leo spoke nonchalantly and pushed Abi away.
Logan caught Abi in his arms and prevented her from falling to the ground. She smiled at him and thanked him. She knows why Leo was acting that way, but how was it her fault? "
Okay. You're riding with me," Dominic held her hand. Abi just bit her lips and smiled.
"For the record, I like you already," she heard him say and smiled at her.
She returned the smile and received the princess treatment when they got to his car. She was impressed, but she pretended not to be swayed by those things.
Most girls would, but she was enjoying her moments. He had opened the passenger's door for her and watched her get in before going around to drive. He began to make small talks with her as they continued the ride.
"I'm sorry for what my friend did to you. Lately, I can't deny that he's a dick," Dominic said, and she laughed.
He glanced at her and continued, "You must be affected by the scandal too. Unfortunately, the scandal has affected him a lot. This scandal is worse than the previous one he's always involved in." Abigail just listened with her ears to the words he was saying. His voice was so clear and confident. Of course, he was powerful, so what should she expect?
"You know me, don't you?" He paused when he noticed her unusual calmness.
"Don't blame me for not knowing. You see, I try to be social, but I'm not." Abi laughed, but he frowned.
"I'm hurt. A pretty girl like you don't know me. Well, I'm Dominic. Dominic Barker, the CEO of nicB. Okay, you know that company?" he interrogated, and she nodded.
"My little sister is in love with your products. She would freak out and probably envy me if I told her I ran into you," Abi mused.
"Nah! I ran into you, not you running into me," Dominic said, and she raised her brow before chuckling.
"That's literally the same thing," Abi pointed out, but he shook his head in disagreement.
"So, how old are you?" Dominic asked.
Abi was suspicious. Why was he asking her that? Why does he want to know more about her? Is the scandal she was going through not enough?
"Don't get me wrong? I just want to know. Besides, it's not like I'm part of the people that's responsible for your scandal," he spoke.
Abi bit her lips and decided not to answer. She changed her mind because he was doing her a favor. He was driving her. He was more considerate than that fool who doesn't even know what he has done to her.
"I'm twenty-six," Abi answered honestly.
"Why are you lying to me? It's fine. I'm meant to be older than you," Dominic frowned, but she frowned more.
"It's also fine. You're free to believe what you want to believe. You can drop me off at that hospital by the roadside. That's my destination," Abi declared, and he furrowed his brows.
His frown became deeper. He pulled over and asked before she got down, "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" He wanted to touch her forehead to feel her temperature, but she moved back and stared at him.
"I'm fine. It's just a medical checkup for somebody. It's not me," she lied.
"Oh! Then, I'll see you around?" he asked because he wanted to see her again.
"No." She retorted firmly, making him laugh.
"That's fast. Then, at least tell me your real age and name," Dominic pressured her.
"Abigail," she muttered with a low voice.
"Age?" He smirked.
"Twenty-six. Thanks for dropping me," she said and closed his door gently.
Dominic watched her walk into the hospital elegantly. He smirked and drove away after seeing Leo's missed call.
**
"What took you so long?" Logan asked Dominic as he entered the lounge. They all sat together with some girls around them.
"Why did you call?" Dominic asked Leo.
"You were delaying, so I had to cut your date short," Leo said dryly.
"We didn't go on a date," Dominic corrected him.
"Whatever. I don't care. You're here now, and that's what matters. I'm spending an hour here, so you guys should make it count." Leo was nonchalant again.
"So, did you get her number?" Benjamin asked.
Benjamin was the blonde one among the five men. He was the one that looked like an anime character and had girls swooning over him because, to them, he was the definition of 'beautiful.'
Leo was the male god of handsomeness. He was many things. He is a cold bastard that doesn't care about anything, including his own parents.
He's filthy rich with lots of businesses and underground companies everywhere. He has the perfect height girls would love in their partner. He has the perfect body any woman would worship. He has the perfect black eyes that match with his cold eyes.
His was always looking so cold and soulless, while that of Abi's was warm and gentle. It was obvious that the two are different. Leo usually gets what he wants, even though he has to pass through hell to get it.
He's a ruthless businessman who doesn't mix business with pleasure, but of course, his dick has to function when he's in the mood to fuck. But a month ago, his dick rose at the wrong time.
He had gone to the club alone to have fun and just spend some money to feel better after getting a big contract he managed to hold. Abi was the drunk poor girl that walked into his room begging him to fuck her. Yes, he knew she was drunk, but she turned him on.
She was the one that climbed on his body on the bed and kissed him like they'd been couples since centuries ago. She was the one that went ahead to unbuckle his belt and allow him to have his way with her. He wouldn't have done it, but she was so fucking drunk that she was feeling hot within her.
She wasn't even dressed properly when she barged into his room. A large amount of her boobs were exposed for his eyes to feed on. Her face was looking flushed but still perfect to seduce him. He had no choice but to steal her virginity after she made him to.
The part she might not know was that they made love more than two times. Yes, he enjoyed his night with her that night because it was her and someone else. But he didn't harbor any feelings for her. He just enjoyed the sex he had with her, and that's all.
In fact, nothing called 'feelings' is inside his dictionary for any woman. So, he doesn't have any romantic feelings for Abi. And if she likes him romantically, good for her. That's good too, because nobody spends a second with him and doesn't fall in love.
Dominic is a lesser version of Leo. He also loves having fun, but his own fun comes from buying expensive things with girls' money. They would end up giving him their property because they love him. He doesn't tell them, but they say actions speak louder than words; they should know.
He's just playing with their fragile hearts. Some of that money goes into investment, while most of it buys his stuff. Like cars, houses, islands, and even clothes—designers.
Logan was the grandmaster of fun among them. He was the only one with curly hair along them. He built a game company himself due to his love for technology. He believes in true love but gives second chances since he does love. He's patient and would be the first one to start a family if he gets the chance to.
"Follow me, Leo. I have disturbing news that may seem to be a miracle for your ears." Dominic was in his serious mode.