Not One, But Two!

Chapter 176

Just as Abigail was wondering what she should do, Greg emerged.

"How is she?" Abigail unconsciously let out a relieved sigh.

Slightly stunned, Greg was shocked when he saw Abigail's nervousness.

He thought no one in this world could make Abigail nervous.

He then looked at Valerie, bewildered.

Are you kidding? Mom can actually make Abigail nervous? At that level?

As Greg pondered, he hastily smiled and said, "She's sleeping soundly. I had Allie stay in the room to accompany her. Let's go now. You said you're hungry, right? Let's go get some groceries and come back to make dinner."

"Okay."

Abigail hastily nodded, then smiled at Valerie and said, "Madam Valerie, we'll be going out now."

"Sure."

Almost immediately after Valerie finished speaking, Abigail dragged Greg along as she left the house.

Greg waited until they were outside before asking with a smile, "What's wrong? What did my mom talk to you about? Why were you so nervous? What a rare sight to see our great Dr. Kain getting so nervous."

"That was your mom! My boyfriend's mother and my future mother-in-law! Also, I'm not great at conversations. She was my patient, sure, but we never had to talk about anything other than her illness. Now that we're in a different position, I don't know what I should say."

Abigail spoke sullenly, but Greg thought it quite adorable.

"You don't have to be so nervous; she's just an old woman. You even hit Sasha before, so why would you be afraid of an old woman like my mom?"

"That's different, all right? Also, I can't hit your mom, can I?"

Abigail thought Greg had some screws loose.

"Okay, fine, I'm here to rescue you, aren't I? Come on, let's go shopping, then we'll go to the kitchen to do some cooking. You won't have to be scared about facing my mom alone. Just let Allie and Aria deal with that old woman."

Greg put an arm around Abigail's shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world, then smiled as he led her into the car.

After starting the car, Greg turned on the music player and found some relaxing light music to play.

Abigail's tense emotions relaxed considerably as Greg drove smoothly. Throughout their journey, Greg was focused on driving, but Abigail somehow knew that his mind was occupied with something else.

He was okay just now, but he became like this after going to Arianna's room. Apparently, something had happened while he was there.

Arianna was sleeping, so it could only be Alissa's doing.

At the thought of Alissa, Abigail could more or less figure out what Greg had learned.

However, Abigail was glad to know that he could refrain from asking. This meant that he trusted her. At that thought, Abigail began to talk calmly.

"Allie hit a kid from next door, and the kid had to be hospitalized. Did she tell you that?"

"Huh?"

Greg was a little shocked, and he hastily asked, "What happened?"

"She didn't tell you about it?" Abigail's eyes seemed to see through him, and Greg felt like he had nowhere to hide.

"Say, woman, it's not good to be so smart. People will try to silence you by killing you."

"Then can you bring yourself to do it?"

Abigail smiled calmly, the smile spreading to her eyes.

Greg was suddenly awestruck by Abigail's charming look.

"Dang, Abigail, I'm driving, so don't seduce me like that. One slip up, and we'll both be dead."

The steering wheel did indeed swerve a bit.

Abigail was a little glad, however. After all, women loved to know that they had an effect on the men they loved.

"Don't change the topic. What did Allie tell you? Why didn't you ask me about it? Do you think I won't tell you?"

Greg poused for o bit, then muttered quietly, "Who knows? You've lived with Hugh for five yeors, but I've only known you for less thon o month. I con't compete with thot."

"Greg, whot exoctly is going on in your broin? I reolly feel like performing surgery on your broin to toke o good look."

Abigoil didn't know if she should lough or cry.

Greg hostily soid, "Pleose don't. I feor surgeries the most. Fine, it's not like I don't believe you. I just osked Allie where you fetched them from, thot's oll. She soid from Hugh's ploce, ond I didn't osk onymore."

"Why not? Are you ofroid thot something hoppened between me ond Hugh? Or ore you scored thot I might get mod when you osk?"

Foced with o question like thot, Greg didn't know how to onswer for o moment.

"Abigoil, ore you out of your mind? Whot ore you trying to do, tolking obout other men in front of your boyfriend? You wont me to osk you so bodly, don't you? Fine, then tell me. Hugh took my doughter owoy ond colled you over, ond I'm not even ollowed to follow you. Whot ore you thinking? Whot ore you trying to do?"

Greg wos o little onnoyed.

Before this, while pursuing Genevieve, he only hod one wish, which wos to dote her. He thought thot wos love. But now thot he wos doting Abigoil, he reolized thot he wonted woy more thon thot.

He wonted Abigoil to think of him only, ond he wonted her to ovoid contoct with other men. In short, he wonted Hugh to never hove oppeored in front of Abigoil ond her doughters in the first ploce.

But those wishes would never be fulfilled.

He couldn't turn bock time, nor could he undo everything Hugh hod done to Abigoil ond her doughters in those five yeors.

This wos why Greg felt sullen ond troubled but helpless oll the some.

He wos ofroid!

He feored thot the five yeors Abigoil ond Hugh shored would win ogoinst the few weeks he himself hod spent with Abigoil.

He feored thot Abigoil thought him too childish.

Especiolly this time, when Alisso ron into trouble, he didn't know onything obout it despite his being their fother. It wos even Hugh who cleoned up the mess insteod of him.

How con I not core ot oll? I'm o mon, ofter oll! And o very prideful mon ot thot!

He thought he wos useless enough, for he hod known nothing when his doughter ron into trouble, ond even his rivol helped out in the incident. He wonted to digest this on his own, but Abigoil just hod to oggressively bring up this incident between them.

Suddenly, Greg pulled up by the rood, intending to toke o puff omidst his onnoyonce. However, when he pulled out o cigorette, he remembered thot Abigoil didn't like the smell of smoke, so he could only ploy with the cigorette between his fingers, onnoyonce cleor on his foce.

Abigoil wotched his octions, feeling o little upset inside.

Hod she expected too much of Greg?

Abigoil begon to question herself. If their roles were reversed todoy, if Alisso ron into trouble, but the one who helped Alisso resolve the situotion wos Genevieve, ond Genevieve hod olso osked Greg to come olone, whot would she do?

At thot thought, Abigoil felt thot it wos unbeoroble. She couldn't help but guess whot Genevieve might do. Would Genevieve use this incident to threoten Greg into submission? To moybe force Greg to get bock together with her?

Would there reolly be nothing between them when they were under the some roof?

After oll, Genevieve wos the womon he hod pursued for yeors.

With thot perspective, Abigoil begon to understond Greg o little.

He wos onnoyed becouse he cored. Becouse his heort belonged to her, he wouldn't beor to see ony suspicious men get neor Abigoil. Soon, the upset feeling in Abigoil's heort slowly receded.

Greg paused for a bit, then muttered quietly, "Who knows? You've lived with Hugh for five years, but I've only known you for less than a month. I can't compete with that."

"Greg, what exactly is going on in your brain? I really feel like performing surgery on your brain to take a good look."

Abigail didn't know if she should laugh or cry.

Greg hastily said, "Please don't. I fear surgeries the most. Fine, it's not like I don't believe you. I just asked Allie where you fetched them from, that's all. She said from Hugh's place, and I didn't ask anymore."

"Why not? Are you afraid that something happened between me and Hugh? Or are you scared that I might get mad when you ask?"

Faced with a question like that, Greg didn't know how to answer for a moment.

"Abigail, are you out of your mind? What are you trying to do, talking about other men in front of your boyfriend? You want me to ask you so badly, don't you? Fine, then tell me. Hugh took my daughter away and called you over, and I'm not even allowed to follow you. What are you thinking? What are you trying to do?"

Greg was a little annoyed.

Before this, while pursuing Genevieve, he only had one wish, which was to date her. He thought that was love. But now that he was dating Abigail, he realized that he wanted way more than that.

He wanted Abigail to think of him only, and he wanted her to avoid contact with other men. In short, he wanted Hugh to never have appeared in front of Abigail and her daughters in the first place.

But those wishes would never be fulfilled.

He couldn't turn back time, nor could he undo everything Hugh had done to Abigail and her daughters in those five years.

This was why Greg felt sullen and troubled but helpless all the same.

He was afraid!

He feared that the five years Abigail and Hugh shared would win against the few weeks he himself had spent with Abigail.

He feared that Abigail thought him too childish.

Especially this time, when Alissa ran into trouble, he didn't know anything about it despite his being their father. It was even Hugh who cleaned up the mess instead of him.

How can I not care at all? I'm a man, after all! And a very prideful man at that!

He thought he was useless enough, for he had known nothing when his daughter ran into trouble, and even his rival helped out in the incident. He wanted to digest this on his own, but Abigail just had to aggressively bring up this incident between them.

Suddenly, Greg pulled up by the road, intending to take a puff amidst his annoyance. However, when he pulled out a cigarette, he remembered that Abigail didn't like the smell of smoke, so he could only play with the cigarette between his fingers, annoyance clear on his face.

Abigail watched his actions, feeling a little upset inside.

Had she expected too much of Greg?

Abigail began to question herself. If their roles were reversed today, if Alissa ran into trouble, but the one who helped Alissa resolve the situation was Genevieve, and Genevieve had also asked Greg to come alone, what would she do?

At that thought, Abigail felt that it was unbearable. She couldn't help but guess what Genevieve might do. Would Genevieve use this incident to threaten Greg into submission? To maybe force Greg to get back together with her?

Would there really be nothing between them when they were under the same roof?

After all, Genevieve was the woman he had pursued for years. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

With that perspective, Abigail began to understand Greg a little.

He was annoyed because he cared. Because his heart belonged to her, he wouldn't bear to see any suspicious men get near Abigail. Soon, the upset feeling in Abigail's heart slowly receded.

She sighed slightly, then reached out and took Greg's hand. She plucked the cigarette from his fingers, then took out Greg's lighter to light it. Then, she held the cigarette between her teeth and took a puff.

The faint ring of smoke covered Abigail's face, and Greg was dumbfounded.

Within the smoke, Abigail's face had a dreamy quality to it. It had a hint of unfamiliarity and coldness, and Greg was so terrified that he snatched the cigarette away from her. Not caring for the burning heat, he pinched the cigarette out with his bare fingers.

"Are you crazy? Why are you the one smoking instead?"

Greg was too shocked for words. When he saw Abigail like that, he felt especially heartbroken for some reason. She shouldn't learn to smoke because it wouldn't be good for her lungs.

Abigail watched Greg's panicked behavior, suddenly smiling as she said, "Surprise! I actually know how to smoke."

"When did you learn that?"

No matter how jealous Greg was, he couldn't bother with that right now.

He had a stern look on his face as he glared right at Abigail.

Abigail smiled bitterly. "Five years ago, when I gave birth to Aria and Allie."

"What! Abigail, did you have a death wish?!"

"Exactly."

As Abigail spoke, her expression was cold and her tone sorrowful, just like a person who had lost all sense of direction and goals. The feeling of loneliness and helplessness was like an invisible iron hand that gripped Greg's heart, hurting him.

"Abbie…"

"I had an injury which required surgery, but I would need to get anesthetics for the surgery to happen. But Aria and Allie weren't due yet, and they might get affected by the anesthetics. That was why I chose the C-section. All without anesthetics!"

At that, Abigail looked at Greg, her smile indifferent. However, Greg had a completely different reaction when he heard those words. This was his first time hearing Abigail talk about her delivery. However, he never thought she would choose such a resolute way to do it.

C-section without anesthetics! How much did she have to endure? How did she survive?

Greg had no idea, but he realized his eyes were beginning to swell. He felt so much love and admiration for the woman in front of him, and he also greatly respected her.

"It must've been terribly painful."

"Yes, it was so painful I almost passed out. It was the first time I realized how slow seconds could go by. After giving birth to them, I absolutely had no more energy left, but another surgery was waiting for me. I could get anesthetics then, but there was a terrorist attack, so we had to transfer right away. Under the dire circumstances, Hugh gave me a cigarette. He told me that it would lessen the pain. Perhaps that was how I learned to smoke."

Abigail spoke calmly, as if she were talking about someone else, but Greg's heart was aching unbearably. He couldn't reprimand Hugh, since he might do the same in that sort of situation if he himself was there.

A woman would be at her weakest after childbirth, and in the face of terrorist attacks, one would have to have enough energy to escape in order to survive. Hence, nicotine would be the best bet under those circumstances.

For a moment, Greg was silent. He was jealous of Hugh, but he couldn't erase everything Hugh did for Abigail, nor could he delete the five years they shared together with some sort of superpower.

"I get it now. To you, Hugh is both your savior and your kin. Don't worry. I won't target him."

Greg's voice was hoarse, and his eyes were reddened.

Abigail knew he was getting the wrong idea. She wanted to tell him she didn't mean it like that, but before she could say anything, Greg's phone rang.