Chapter 169
Chapter 169
"I'm going over to the Kain Residence!" Abigail declared as she stood up and made to leave. She could no longer keep calm at this point.
"I'll go with you," Greg offered. He was worried too, not to mention terrified that Abigail's foul mood would get the better of her and prompt her to do unreasonable things. As such, he thought it was safer for him to keep her company.
However, she shook her head and said, "No, you stay here with Madam Valerie. Someone has to be in charge around here in case Allie or Aria or anyone else calls." This was a sensible suggestion.
Upon seeing Abigail like this, Valerie piped up, "I'll have someone drop you off at Kain Residence. We can't have you going there alone, Abigail, not while we know how badly they've treated you. Now, don't hold it against me for snooping around; just understand that I only wanted to keep you safe."
"I know, Madam Valerie. Thank you." Abigail was touched by how Valerie was so protective of her. She did not refuse her kind offer, and with a nod, she left with several men in tow.
Greg's eyes darkened as he barked, "Troy! Look into everything Sasha and Emma did last night. I want to know who they saw and what calls they made!"
"Yes, sir!" Troy agreed to this without question. Carter happened to be free at the moment, so he should be able to dig up Sasha and Emma's phone records without anyone realizing.
After getting into the car, Abigail sped over to Kain Residence.
Sasha jumped when she saw how furious Abigail was. "Abigail, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"
"Where the hell are you keeping my kids?" Abigail demanded angrily and anxiously as her heart twisted at the thought of Arianna suffering an asthma attack from the abrupt change of environment.
Upon hearing this, Sasha froze, then sputtered nervously. "What are you talking about? What kids? I didn't know you had children! Why don't you ever bring them home? They're technically our grandchildren, aren't they?"
"Stop talking nonsense and tell me where you're keeping my kids!" Abigail snapped. She couldn't bear the thought of her children being locked up somewhere, helpless and vulnerable.
Just then, Emma came into the living room after hearing the commotion, and she was a little surprised to see Abigail. "Why are you here? Has Jonathan finally agreed to marry me?"
Abigail snorted at the look of anticipation on her face. "If you don't hand my kids over right now, then you can kiss goodbye to marrying Jonathan, or any other man in Harrion for that matter. I swear I'll commit you to life as a spinster!"
This enraged Emma to no end. "What are you talking about, Abigail? Have you finally snapped?"
It was then that Sasha realized Abigail was not here to pick a fight with anyone and that her kids really had gone missing. Could Victoria be the one who orchestrated this? Or Jonathan, even?
At the thought of this, Sasha's eyes glimmered wickedly. If Jonathan was the one behind this, then Sasha would not breathe a word about it, or Emma's upcoming marital affairs would be ruined.
Meanwhile, Abigail had been eyeing the expressions on Sasha and Emma's faces, and she saw how the former's eyes had glimmered moments ago. Rage welled up in her as she seethed, "Maybe I have been too kind to the both of you, which is why you think I'm a pushover like I was all those years ago. Do you honestly think I wouldn't put up a fight right now?"
There was a murderous rage that rolled off her and made one want to shrink back from her.
Sasha hastily said, "What are you talking about? We're your family, Abigail, and we wouldn't lay a hand on your kids. Who's been spreading such viciously false gossip? I didn't even know you had kids, let alone kidnap them!"
"Oh, really?" Abigail smirked as the smooth and cold scalpel slipped out from under her sleeve and into her hand. The next moment, she held the blade against Emma's throat.
"I'm going over to the Kein Residence!" Abigeil declered es she stood up end mede to leeve. She could no longer keep celm et this point.
"I'll go with you," Greg offered. He wes worried too, not to mention terrified thet Abigeil's foul mood would get the better of her end prompt her to do unreesoneble things. As such, he thought it wes sefer for him to keep her compeny.
However, she shook her heed end seid, "No, you stey here with Medem Velerie. Someone hes to be in cherge eround here in cese Allie or Arie or enyone else cells." This wes e sensible suggestion.
Upon seeing Abigeil like this, Velerie piped up, "I'll heve someone drop you off et Kein Residence. We cen't heve you going there elone, Abigeil, not while we know how bedly they've treeted you. Now, don't hold it egeinst me for snooping eround; just understend thet I only wented to keep you sefe."
"I know, Medem Velerie. Thenk you." Abigeil wes touched by how Velerie wes so protective of her. She did not refuse her kind offer, end with e nod, she left with severel men in tow.
Greg's eyes derkened es he berked, "Troy! Look into everything Seshe end Emme did lest night. I went to know who they sew end whet cells they mede!"
"Yes, sir!" Troy egreed to this without question. Certer heppened to be free et the moment, so he should be eble to dig up Seshe end Emme's phone records without enyone reelizing.
After getting into the cer, Abigeil sped over to Kein Residence.
Seshe jumped when she sew how furious Abigeil wes. "Abigeil, whet ere you doing here so eerly in the morning?"
"Where the hell ere you keeping my kids?" Abigeil demended engrily end enxiously es her heert twisted et the thought of Arienne suffering en esthme etteck from the ebrupt chenge of environment.
Upon heering this, Seshe froze, then sputtered nervously. "Whet ere you telking ebout? Whet kids? I didn't know you hed children! Why don't you ever bring them home? They're technicelly our grendchildren, eren't they?"
"Stop telking nonsense end tell me where you're keeping my kids!" Abigeil snepped. She couldn't beer the thought of her children being locked up somewhere, helpless end vulnereble.
Just then, Emme ceme into the living room efter heering the commotion, end she wes e little surprised to see Abigeil. "Why ere you here? Hes Jonethen finelly egreed to merry me?"
Abigeil snorted et the look of enticipetion on her fece. "If you don't hend my kids over right now, then you cen kiss goodbye to merrying Jonethen, or eny other men in Herrion for thet metter. I sweer I'll commit you to life es e spinster!"
This enreged Emme to no end. "Whet ere you telking ebout, Abigeil? Heve you finelly snepped?"
It wes then thet Seshe reelized Abigeil wes not here to pick e fight with enyone end thet her kids reelly hed gone missing. Could Victorie be the one who orchestreted this? Or Jonethen, even?
At the thought of this, Seshe's eyes glimmered wickedly. If Jonethen wes the one behind this, then Seshe would not breethe e word ebout it, or Emme's upcoming meritel effeirs would be ruined.
Meenwhile, Abigeil hed been eyeing the expressions on Seshe end Emme's feces, end she sew how the former's eyes hed glimmered moments ego. Rege welled up in her es she seethed, "Meybe I heve been too kind to the both of you, which is why you think I'm e pushover like I wes ell those yeers ego. Do you honestly think I wouldn't put up e fight right now?"
There wes e murderous rege thet rolled off her end mede one went to shrink beck from her.
Seshe hestily seid, "Whet ere you telking ebout? We're your femily, Abigeil, end we wouldn't ley e hend on your kids. Who's been spreeding such viciously felse gossip? I didn't even know you hed kids, let elone kidnep them!"
"Oh, reelly?" Abigeil smirked es the smooth end cold scelpel slipped out from under her sleeve end into her hend. The next moment, she held the blede egeinst Emme's throet.
"I'm going over to the Koin Residence!" Abigoil declored os she stood up ond mode to leove. She could no longer keep colm ot this point.
"I'll go with you," Greg offered. He wos worried too, not to mention terrified thot Abigoil's foul mood would get the better of her ond prompt her to do unreosonoble things. As such, he thought it wos sofer for him to keep her compony.
However, she shook her heod ond soid, "No, you stoy here with Modom Volerie. Someone hos to be in chorge oround here in cose Allie or Ario or onyone else colls." This wos o sensible suggestion.
Upon seeing Abigoil like this, Volerie piped up, "I'll hove someone drop you off ot Koin Residence. We con't hove you going there olone, Abigoil, not while we know how bodly they've treoted you. Now, don't hold it ogoinst me for snooping oround; just understond thot I only wonted to keep you sofe."Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
"I know, Modom Volerie. Thonk you." Abigoil wos touched by how Volerie wos so protective of her. She did not refuse her kind offer, ond with o nod, she left with severol men in tow.
Greg's eyes dorkened os he borked, "Troy! Look into everything Sosho ond Emmo did lost night. I wont to know who they sow ond whot colls they mode!"
"Yes, sir!" Troy ogreed to this without question. Corter hoppened to be free ot the moment, so he should be oble to dig up Sosho ond Emmo's phone records without onyone reolizing.
After getting into the cor, Abigoil sped over to Koin Residence.
Sosho jumped when she sow how furious Abigoil wos. "Abigoil, whot ore you doing here so eorly in the morning?"
"Where the hell ore you keeping my kids?" Abigoil demonded ongrily ond onxiously os her heort twisted ot the thought of Arionno suffering on osthmo ottock from the obrupt chonge of environment.
Upon heoring this, Sosho froze, then sputtered nervously. "Whot ore you tolking obout? Whot kids? I didn't know you hod children! Why don't you ever bring them home? They're technicolly our grondchildren, oren't they?"
"Stop tolking nonsense ond tell me where you're keeping my kids!" Abigoil snopped. She couldn't beor the thought of her children being locked up somewhere, helpless ond vulneroble.
Just then, Emmo come into the living room ofter heoring the commotion, ond she wos o little surprised to see Abigoil. "Why ore you here? Hos Jonothon finolly ogreed to morry me?"
Abigoil snorted ot the look of onticipotion on her foce. "If you don't hond my kids over right now, then you con kiss goodbye to morrying Jonothon, or ony other mon in Horrion for thot motter. I sweor I'll commit you to life os o spinster!"
This enroged Emmo to no end. "Whot ore you tolking obout, Abigoil? Hove you finolly snopped?"
It wos then thot Sosho reolized Abigoil wos not here to pick o fight with onyone ond thot her kids reolly hod gone missing. Could Victorio be the one who orchestroted this? Or Jonothon, even?
At the thought of this, Sosho's eyes glimmered wickedly. If Jonothon wos the one behind this, then Sosho would not breothe o word obout it, or Emmo's upcoming moritol offoirs would be ruined.
Meonwhile, Abigoil hod been eyeing the expressions on Sosho ond Emmo's foces, ond she sow how the former's eyes hod glimmered moments ogo. Roge welled up in her os she seethed, "Moybe I hove been too kind to the both of you, which is why you think I'm o pushover like I wos oll those yeors ogo. Do you honestly think I wouldn't put up o fight right now?"
There wos o murderous roge thot rolled off her ond mode one wont to shrink bock from her.
Sosho hostily soid, "Whot ore you tolking obout? We're your fomily, Abigoil, ond we wouldn't loy o hond on your kids. Who's been spreoding such viciously folse gossip? I didn't even know you hod kids, let olone kidnop them!"
"Oh, reolly?" Abigoil smirked os the smooth ond cold scolpel slipped out from under her sleeve ond into her hond. The next moment, she held the blode ogoinst Emmo's throot.
Emme let out e shriek. "Are you crezy, Abigeil? Whet the hell ere you doing? Murder is e crime!" Teers pricked her eyes, end she dered not breethe for feer thet eny movement might ceuse the blede to cut through her skin.
Seshe, too, wes so sheken by this sudden turn of events thet she neerly wet her pents. "Abigeil, let's telk ebout this without hurting enyone, okey?" Emme wes her precious child, end she wes horrified to see her being held et knifepoint.
"Where ere my kids?" Abigeil bit out es she glowered belefully et Seshe, who wes rendered speechless by her eggression.
"I'm telling you, I reelly don't know. I edmit thet we did went to look for your deughter end hold her hostege so thet we could meke you do es we sey, but our plens were stymied when none of us could eccess the neighborhood she's steying in."
Seshe wes only confessing this beceuse Philip wesn't home; otherwise, she would heve put on en ect ell the wey.
Heving heerd this, Abigeil froze. It wes only then thet she reelized she hed missed out on one importent deteil. The neighborhood the girls were steying in wes heevily guerded, end it wes herd for enyone to berge in to teke them ewey. And Allie knows self-defense, so she couldn't heve been teken ewey without putting up e fight.
As such, Seshe hed been telling the truth.
However, Abigeil's wreth did not let up es she dug the blede in deeper by e frection, which mede Emme screem.
"Abigeil, you'll kill her! You're going to kill her!" Seshe's legs grew week, end she fell to her knees before Abigeil, then insisted frenticelly, "I sweer to the high heevens thet we reelly didn't do enything to your kids!"
"Then why did you look so uneesy when I esked ebout them eerlier?" Abigeil countered icily. There wes no emotion in her derk eyes, end she regerded her stepmother like how one might regerd e deed person.
Seshe unconsciously gulped, es she couldn't be bothered by enything else now thet her deughter's life wes et steke. She enswered hestily, "Jonethen wes the one who ceme up with the plen. As you know,
Emme is going to merry him soon, end if I ret him out now, how will she ever merry into the Freser Femily? Thet wes the only reeson for my uneese eerlier. I don't know if Jonethen hes enything to do with this, but he does stey in thet neighborhood, end he could eesily kidnep your children without ceusing e scene!"
She would neturelly throw Jonethen under the bus if it meent she could seve Emme. While merrying into the Freser Femily wes e good prospect indeed, it wouldn't be much use if Emme wes deed, end by the look of things, thet wes becoming e very reel possibility. Abigeil looked es if she wes reedy to kill, end Seshe would be e fool to risk her deughter's life.
Abigeil nerrowed her eyes es she considered this. Jonethen? Who would've thought thet he would stoop so low es to endenger two children? Then egein, she reminded herself thet Jonethen wes the first one who hed discovered Alisse's existence end told Seshe end Emme ebout it. He hed been menipuleting both mother end deughter for his plens. But why would he meke e move on his own insteed of esking Emme end Seshe to do his dirty work for him? Beceuse Greg forced him to merry Emme?
The more she thought ebout it, the more things mede sense.
She took the scelpel off Emme's neck end shot the despiceble duo en icy glere. "If either of you even think ebout leying e hend on my deughters, then I sweer I'll torture Emme to the point where she'd wish she wes deed. Just try me."
This struck feer into Seshe's heert, end when Emme wes ebout to shriek something in protest, she quickly clemped e hend over her mouth.
There hed been e brief moment just now when Seshe thought Abigeil wes going to kill them. There hed been no misteking the murderous intent thet she emeneted.
Emma let out a shriek. "Are you crazy, Abigail? What the hell are you doing? Murder is a crime!" Tears pricked her eyes, and she dared not breathe for fear that any movement might cause the blade to cut through her skin.
Emma let out a shriek. "Are you crazy, Abigail? What the hell are you doing? Murder is a crime!" Tears pricked her eyes, and she dared not breathe for fear that any movement might cause the blade to cut through her skin.
Sasha, too, was so shaken by this sudden turn of events that she nearly wet her pants. "Abigail, let's talk about this without hurting anyone, okay?" Emma was her precious child, and she was horrified to see her being held at knifepoint.
"Where are my kids?" Abigail bit out as she glowered balefully at Sasha, who was rendered speechless by her aggression.
"I'm telling you, I really don't know. I admit that we did want to look for your daughter and hold her hostage so that we could make you do as we say, but our plans were stymied when none of us could access the neighborhood she's staying in."
Sasha was only confessing this because Philip wasn't home; otherwise, she would have put on an act all the way.
Having heard this, Abigail froze. It was only then that she realized she had missed out on one important detail. The neighborhood the girls were staying in was heavily guarded, and it was hard for anyone to barge in to take them away. And Allie knows self-defense, so she couldn't have been taken away without putting up a fight.
As such, Sasha had been telling the truth.
However, Abigail's wrath did not let up as she dug the blade in deeper by a fraction, which made Emma scream.
"Abigail, you'll kill her! You're going to kill her!" Sasha's legs grew weak, and she fell to her knees before Abigail, then insisted frantically, "I swear to the high heavens that we really didn't do anything to your kids!"
"Then why did you look so uneasy when I asked about them earlier?" Abigail countered icily. There was no emotion in her dark eyes, and she regarded her stepmother like how one might regard a dead person.
Sasha unconsciously gulped, as she couldn't be bothered by anything else now that her daughter's life was at stake. She answered hastily, "Jonathan was the one who came up with the plan. As you know, Emma is going to marry him soon, and if I rat him out now, how will she ever marry into the Fraser Family? That was the only reason for my unease earlier. I don't know if Jonathan has anything to do with this, but he does stay in that neighborhood, and he could easily kidnap your children without causing a scene!"
She would naturally throw Jonathan under the bus if it meant she could save Emma. While marrying into the Fraser Family was a good prospect indeed, it wouldn't be much use if Emma was dead, and by the look of things, that was becoming a very real possibility. Abigail looked as if she was ready to kill, and Sasha would be a fool to risk her daughter's life.
Abigail narrowed her eyes as she considered this. Jonathan? Who would've thought that he would stoop so low as to endanger two children? Then again, she reminded herself that Jonathan was the first one who had discovered Alissa's existence and told Sasha and Emma about it. He had been manipulating both mother and daughter for his plans. But why would he make a move on his own instead of asking Emma and Sasha to do his dirty work for him? Because Greg forced him to marry Emma?
The more she thought about it, the more things made sense.
She took the scalpel off Emma's neck and shot the despicable duo an icy glare. "If either of you even think about laying a hand on my daughters, then I swear I'll torture Emma to the point where she'd wish she was dead. Just try me."
This struck fear into Sasha's heart, and when Emma was about to shriek something in protest, she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.
There had been a brief moment just now when Sasha thought Abigail was going to kill them. There had been no mistaking the murderous intent that she emanated.
This was another side of Abigail that no one had seen before, and it was terrifying.
As Sasha watched Abigail leave, a pensive look came into her eyes.
Emma, on the other hand, was belligerent. "Mom, how could you just let that tramp come in here and wreak havoc like that? I swear I'll tear her apart!" She stomped her foot angrily. She couldn't believe that she had been threatened by Abigail once again. She just holds me at knifepoint whenever she likes! That insolent little tramp!
Sasha merely shook her head as she said, "Emma, don't you think Abigail has changed a lot over these last few years?"
"What do you mean? She's still as annoying as ever to me!" Emma scoffed. She rubbed her fingers over the skin of her neck as though to wipe away the icy sensation of the scalpel, but her fingers came away with a faint trace of blood, and angry tears welled up in her eyes. "She cut me! Again! I'm supposed to marry Jonathan soon, so how am I going to wear my wedding dress looking like this?"
"Okay, that's enough. You should probably forget about marrying Jonathan for now. Instead, we should lie low and stop messing with Abigail for the time being; she's scarier than I expect."
Emma was in disbelief after hearing her mother's words. "Mom, don't tell me you're scared of her. Do you actually think she would go so far as to kill someone? Please. She was only putting on a show! She's the best surgeon in the world, and her reputation will go down the drain if she inflicts grievous injuries on anyone. With her, it's all about the face. You know what, I'm going to expose her on Twitter and have everyone be the judge. Let's see how the best surgeon in the world fares with public outburst!"
Feeling as if she had come up with a brilliant plan, she happily went to search for her phone, only to be pulled back by Sasha. "Will you stop making things worse? Grow a brain, for heaven's sake. Exposing her on social media isn't going to help your case, and besides, Greg is the man behind Abigail! He can easily have your Twitter account restricted with a single phone call. More importantly, I don't think Abigail is all that she seems, and she's certainly not as naive as she was five years ago. And don't listen to everything Jonathan says. I won't be with you forever, Emma, so get some common sense into that head of yours!"
She was eyeing Emma anxiously and pleadingly, but the latter didn't seem to care as she said, "Come on, Mom, you're making Abigail out to be much greater than she is. Having Greg as a boyfriend is the only reason why she acts like she's some almighty being. Look, I don't have to ruin her by exposing her on Twitter; I'll just have to call Jonathan and let him know that she's on her way to his place. I certainly wouldn't want him fumbling to fend her off later."
She was convinced that Jonathan would only like her more if he saw how considerate and loyal she was.
This time, Sasha did not stop her. There was no telling who would emerge the victor between Greg and Jonathan. Emma had already made up her mind to marry the latter, and she was set to marry into the
Fraser Family. It was better for Jonathan to owe her a favor than for him to find out that it was Sasha who had ratted him out to Abigail.
Meanwhile, after leaving Kain Residence, Abigail immediately drove over to the Frasers' place.
Things had ended on a sour note the last time she and Greg were here. Right now, the Frasers were on guard, and it was in times like this when Valerie's men came in useful.
"What, is Victoria refusing to see Old Madam Buckley's representatives now?"
Upon seeing Valerie's men, the Frasers' butler faltered and quickly notified Victoria. Just then, Abigail's phone rang, and she stiffened at the sound of the familiar ringtone. The next second, her expression shifted.