"Whitney Marshall," Abi asked at the counter. She was sweating profusely and Leo was visibly angry. He had told her to calm down, but she didn't listen to him. She even ran into the hospital.
"Her mom, Leo," Cedric told him, but a glare from Leo made him shut up. Matilda was hopping from one foot to another. Cedric was still not talking to her. Both men were not on good terms with her, so she could just look around the hospital and sigh.
"Do you want to die?" Leo asked coldly.
"Of course not," Matilda replied immediately with a scoff.
"Don't make any silly noise beside me," he hissed and marched forward to pick up a call.
Ava raised her head from her mother's bed and hugged her sister tightly. She moved back when she saw her sister's little bulge.
"Oh," Ava said softly. She just realized her sister was pregnant.
"It's fine," Abi smiled and looked at her mother on the bed. She looked so sick, and Abi felt guilty.
'But she wasn't looking like this the last time we met,' Abi thought and began to think of many things.
"What did the doctor say?" Abi asked her sister.
"He didn't tell me anything. He just said she was fine and he would like to speak to you," Ava replied.
"Oh," Abi realized why the doctor did that. She began to get nervous about what the doctor would say.
"I'll go and see the doctor now. I'll be back soon," Abi consoled her sister and walked out of her mother's ward. She walked up to one of the nurses and inquired about the doctor. She prayed silently and knocked on the door.
"Come in," someone said, and she opened the door to go in.
"I'm the elder daughter of Whitney Marshall," Abi said to the doctor.
"Oh, the woman with stage three cancer," the doctor said. Abi felt her blood dry up instantly when she heard that.
"Whitney Marshall, doctor," she corrected the doctor.
"Yes," the doctor confirmed.
"I was going to scold the family for not taking care of their mother who has stomach cancer, but with this reaction of yours, it seems like you're ignorant of it."
"Stomach cancer?" Abi cried and looked at the doctor in shock.
"You must be mistaken. My mother doesn't have stomach cancer," Abi began to laugh hysterically.
"Calm down, miss—"
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Abi yelled and broke down in tears.
"My mother has stage three cancer, and you're telling me to calm down! What if this never happened, and she just dropped down and—no! That can't happen!" Abi threw away the evil thought and glared at the doctor.
"You should spend more time with her. She doesn't have much time left," the doctor advised Abi.
"You don't tell me what to do, doctor," Abi became violent and slammed her hand on the doctor's table.
"My mom can't die yet. She has to live and see my achievements—our achievements. My mom has lived to see many terrible things in life, so she can't go without seeing the good things of life too!" Abi cried out and fell to the floor.
"I can help your mother," the doctor said and comforted Abi.
"How?" Abi asked.
"You said it yourself that it's stage three,"
"Yes, I did," the doctor admitted.
"Your mother has to set an appointment with us twice a week until we decide on the fairness of her health. Your mother is a strong woman. She's just forty-eight," the doctor smiled.
"Why are you smiling because of that?" Abi was suspicious.
"It's nothing. It would be a pity if such a beautiful woman succumbed to cancer without seeing the good things of life, like you said. Your mother is very beautiful for her age. I thought she was still single," the doctor remarked.
"Ah! She's happy with her children," Abi laughed gently.
"But that's not meant to be. I feel your mom would be happier if there's a man with her. You know it's not companionship a man is there for in a woman's life," the doctor smirked.
Abi became tense when she heard that. What was the doctor trying to tell her?
"What else do men do in a woman's life apart from companionship, doctor?" Abi asked purposely.
"Oh, come on, beautiful," the doctor began with a smirk.
"Stop. You're making me uncomfortable," Abi interrupted.
"Your mother has the perfect features in a woman. I am a married man, but I'm still drawn to your mother's beauty. I want to save her life so much, and I don't want her to leave without seeing her children's achievements in life," the doctor concluded.
"Don't twist my words. She's beautiful, but it's only her children who get to call her that. As a doctor, whether a person is beautiful or not, it's not up to you to declare that, even if you want to. Your job is to save lives, not stare at people's moms like a pervert. Are you one?" Abi raised her brow.
"Of course not!" the doctor denied quickly and sat up.
"I'm a married man," he added.
"I would appreciate it if you found another doctor to take care of my mom from now on. I'm not okay with having you tend to her. I'm sorry if you find my words offensive and insulting," Abi apologized.
"It's fine. I'm not in that field of medicine," the doctor replied.
"That's great news," Abi smiled and asked, "Would you mind if I feed my mom when she wakes up? I'll be with her throughout."
"I don't mind," the doctor smiled, and a frown settled on his face again.
"I'm a married man, miss," he repeated.
"I never asked, doctor," Abi replied and walked out of the room.
Her heart was heavy as she walked back to her mother's ward. She was surprised to see her three friends at the ward. She was more surprised to see the last friend.
"Junho," she ran into his arms, and Leo's face darkened all of a sudden. He rolled his eyes and hissed.
"What's the matter?" Cedric asked him purposely.
"Shut up!" Leo hissed.
"She had plans," Leo remembered his wife's words and rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat noisily. Junho quickly broke the hug and apologized for the contact.
"It's fine. He's not who you think he is," Abi smiled at him.
"Oh! I thought he was your husband—Leonardo Grey," Junho smirked.
"Watch it, Korean guy," Leo hissed.
The two were always at each other's throats, ever since they set eyes on each other. They met when they were teenagers at an event. They were both ambitious and wanted the same thing in life. Junho became an actor, while Leo became a businessman. They sent crazy gifts and horrible messages to each other on important events in their lives.
"She was my close friend before she became your wife. I don't even think she loves someone like you," Junho tainted him.
Jessica and Abi exchanged glances. Riley sighed, while Matilda bit her lip. It was Cedric's turn to answer a call.
"That's none of your business," Leo hissed.
Abi wanted to ask if they were enemies, but it was so obvious.
"Get ready by eight, Abi. We're going clubbing tonight!" Riley announced.
"She's not going. You take my permission before you conclude," Leo spoke up angrily.
"And you are?" Riley asked purposely.
"Are you blind?" Leo asked arrogantly.
"I will go if Junho comes to pick me up," Abi said purposely and added, "Let's all go out. We're suffocating my poor mother."
"I'll watch over her," Ava smiled. She wanted the quiet too. She wanted to stay back and call her boyfriend. He had been dodging her calls, and she was worried.
"Sure. You can come and join us when you're done, but you're not going clubbing," Abi said strictly.
"Fine," Ava pouted and took out her phone.
"Don't you have an office to run?" Abi asked Leo with a frown.
"Why?" Leo asked.
"You want to be with another man?"
"That's not your…," Abi had to swallow the next word because he was so close to her. In fact, their lips were inches from each other. Abi was surprised by that distance and pulled away, but he was faster. His hands were snaked around her waist, and he stared into her eyes. She quickly held her breath and maintained eye contact.
'Why is he this good-looking?' she asked herself and realized her heart was beating faster than usual.
'It can't be…,' she further thought.
"Business?" he completed her sentence.
"I don't like you, Leo," she said confidently.
An evil smile found its way to Leo's lips.
"Get ready for your punishment today. I've been too lenient on you as my wife," Leo said, and Abi scoffed.
"Punishment, my ass," Abi rolled her eyes.
"Abi?" Riley turned around, and Abi quickly pushed Leo away.
Leo was glad he had an effect on her. He saw her blush when she was caught by her friend.
"What club are we going to?" Abi asked when she caught up with them.
"Oh! That's not yet…" Riley trailed off.
****
Spain:
"I'm going to sing at the Grand Lauren Cathedral next week," a little girl said excitedly.
"Really?" Darcy asked, looking at the girl with pride.
"Yes," the girl affirmed.
"You should come, Daddy. My teacher wants you to come. You haven't been coming to many occasions, so I told her you would come," Darcy heaved a sigh and carried his daughter in his arms. He was speechless, thinking of how to respond without upsetting her.
"Come early, Daddy," the little girl instructed.
"Sapphire," Darcy called softly, rubbing her ginger hair.
"You're not coming?!" The girl widened her eyes in anger.
"That's what you say all the time. I know that voice," she said.
"What voice?" Darcy laughed.
"That voice—Sapphire," she mimicked her father's voice. Darcy laughed when he heard her voice.
"Then you go: Don't worry. Tell your teacher to call me when you're about to begin," Sapphire pouted.
"You will buy me a lot of toys, but I want you to come, not the toys," she said.
"My friends are going to laugh at me," she began to cry.
"Why? Why?" Darcy frowned.
"They said I don't have parents," she continued crying.
"But I'm your father. I'm still alive, Sapphire," Darcy said, about to kiss her cheeks, but she turned her face away in anger.
"You're not my father, Daddy," Sapphire sniffed. Darcy laughed; she had declared he wasn't her father but still called him Dad.
"Okay. I'll come to watch you perform at the cathedral, Sapphire," Darcy promised.
"If you don't come," Sapphire began with a grin, "you have to eat pineapple for a week."
"A week?" Darcy was shocked. His daughter had decided to blackmail him, knowing he hated pineapple because it irritated his tongue.
"And you get to eat five big slices of onions if I come," Darcy decided to play along.
"Daddy!" Sapphire cried out.
"I'm not your princess. Put me down now. A princess can walk on her own," she pouted.
"Onions are best for eyesight, princess," Darcy smiled, putting her down.
"And pineapple is the best fruit for you, Dad," Sapphire returned the smile. They laughed after holding eye contact for two minutes.
"Come and see me on that day, Daddy," Sapphire pleaded.
"I will," Darcy held her hand and walked into the house with her.
"Grandma wants you to take me to the park today!" she exclaimed.
"Oh," Darcy replied, "change into more suitable clothes while I talk with Grandma."
"Okay," Sapphire ran to her room to change.
"Why are you looking at me, Dominic?" Logan asked with irritation. He had noticed Dominic staring without saying anything.
"Haven't you guys noticed it?" Dominic asked, frowning.
"Noticed what?" Benjamin asked.
"Leo's attitude toward Abi, of course!" Dominic exclaimed.
Logan hissed, while Benjamin rolled his eyes.
"What's there to notice?" Benjamin asked.
"Ah! I can see why you both don't have girlfriends yet, since you don't know what we call feelings," Dominic laughed.
"You're finally running mad, Dominic. I should hurry up and admit you to a psychiatric hospital for our safety," Benjamin said, and Logan laughed.
"Leo is always jealous when he hears a man is around Abi. He was even jealous of a female dog today," Dominic pointed out.
"What do you want us to do with that information?" Logan asked.
"Leo finally cares for a girl, idiots!" Dominic hissed, standing up.
"I'm going out this evening. Junho invited me to the club with his friends, and guess who the friends include," Benjamin said with a grin.
"Don't let me guess. Leo would be there," Logan laughed.
"Leo and Junho in a room. Let me come along, Benjamin. I have matters to discuss with Abi," Dominic said seriously.
"What matters?" Benjamin asked.
"Why must you know about that? I will help her seduce Leo. He's just like me, anyway," Dominic said proudly.
"He's nothing like you, Dominic," Logan said quickly.
"What do you mean?" Dominic asked, frowning.
"See," Logan continued, "Leo has a wife he's beginning to have feelings for after eternity. He has a child on the way, and his business is booming. He just broke up with Ophelia officially, and I'm happy for him."
"He broke up with his fiancée?" Dominic cut in.
"She's his ex," Benjamin corrected.
Dominic took out his phone and began browsing the internet, searching for confirmation of the news.
"It's true," Dominic exclaimed with surprise.
"Why did he break up with her? Did he finally realize she was after his money?" Benjamin asked.
"Ask him when you see him," Logan replied nonchalantly, crossing his leg.
"We should help Leo get closer to Abi," Dominic stated.
"Who's 'we'?" Logan raised an eyebrow.
"I've always known you as a bastard, so you're out of this," Dominic said, playing with his silver chain.
"When are you losing those chains that are fighting with your brain from working?" Logan asked.
"You mean my braids. I'm not losing them anytime soon, so get used to it," Dominic stuck his tongue out.
"I miss Darcy," Benjamin said wistfully.
"I'm happy that bastard is not here," Dominic laughed triumphantly.
"That bastard has a brighter future than you," Benjamin defended Darcy.
"You!" Dominic was hurt.
Benjamin got up from his chair and began running around the room.
"Have some pride, you too," Logan snapped irritably.
Logan thought about what Dominic said. It was true; Leo had changed since meeting Abi. He was happy for his friend, who finally found someone special.
Leo's past relationships were mere distractions, especially Ophelia. She was a means to an end, a way to silence rumors and scandals. But Abi was different. She was the one person who could tame Leo's cold heart.