Chapter 158: Sympathy

Chapter 158: Sympathy Abigail’s mind was occupied as she tried to focus on work. Her thought was all over the place as her conversation with Genevieve replayed in her head, as did her conversation with Josh that morning, Ryan’s threat to marry her off, and Jamal’s letter. She was more than relieved when the clock struck five, indicating closing hour. She quickly organized her desk and rose, ready to call it a day. She was eager to see Josh and hear all about his first day at school. As she stepped out of her office, she saw Jamal busy on the phone with a scowl on his face, and she listened to him. "Well, Em has every right to be mad, don’t you think? I’d be upset too if I were in her shoes. You’re lucky she could handle herself and didn’t get hurt," Jamal said with displeasure. "Well, it shouldn’t happen again. Handle your business and try not to let this repeat itself. I can’t believe this happened on her first day there. And why the hell did you leave her alone in the house to begin with?" Jamal asked, and Abigail raised a brow, wondering what the issue was, and why he seemed so upset. Jamal turned when he sensed her presence, and Abigail’s heart quickened when their gaze met, and his brows which were furrowed smoothened as he smiled at her. "Whatever. Just do the right thing. And you should go to bed. Isn’t it way past midnight over there now?" Jamal asked, and Abigail watched as he listened for a while before hanging up. "Ready to leave?" He asked as he rose, and she nodded. "We will stop over at Royal Rose to pick up Genevieve. She went there a while ago for a business meeting," Jamal said as he organized his desk. They left the office together and once they got to the car, Jamal held open the passenger door for Abigail, making it clear he wanted her to sit in the back. Abigail got into the seat behind the driver’s seat, and immediately Jamal got into his seat and shut the door, Abigail spoke. "Do you really trust Genevieve?" "Hm. Sort of. We talked at the lounge and she said some stuff," Jamal said as he started the car and drove out. He did not want to be parked at the same spot for a long time so that whoever was watching wouldn’t report that to Ryan. "Stuff like?" Abigail asked, and Jamal told her about Genevieve’s feeling of guilt and what she said about why she was unable to apologize. "Hm," Abigail sighed softly when Jamal was done. "I also found out something else," he said, and she raised a brow. "How much do you know about her childhood? If you were made to believe you were Genevieve all these years, what did they say about your supposed mother?" Abigail shook her head. "I don’t know much. They only said she used to be a maid that drugged and seduced Ryan and then got pregnant hoping that would elevate her status but she died. The story never really made sense to me but I was never allowed to bring it up or ask any questions. I was so ashamed that such a woman gave birth to me," Abigail said in a bitter voice. "I’m sorry about that," Jamal said, looking at her through the rearview mirror. He couldn’t imagine how she must have felt about all of that growing up. "It’s okay. Why did you ask? What did you find?" She asked, wanting to focus on the present than the annoying past. "Someone is blackmailing Genevieve. I don’t know who. But the person seems to have known her since she was a kid. They sent a picture of her when she was no more than six standing naked between two fully grown naked men," Jamal said, and Abigail gasped. "Genevieve?" She asked, unable to believe what she was hearing. Jamal met her gaze in the rearview mirror and gave her a nod. Abigail blinked slowly, as if her mind needed time to catch up to what she had just heard. "No..." she whispered, shaking her head. "That can’t be right." Her voice was so soft, it was barely audible. She didn’t want to see the image Jamal had described. She didn’t want to imagine it. But she couldn’t stop the picture from forming in her head. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice now trembling. "Are you sure it was her?" Jamal kept his eyes on the road, "Yeah. It was." Abigail covered her mouth with one hand, her heart aching. "Oh God..." she murmured. "Six? She was just a child. Barely older than Josh." Jamal gave a small nod. "Yeah. A child." Silence filled the car for a moment. Abigail stared ahead, her eyes blank, her thoughts racing. She could feel the weight in her chest like a stone. Her stomach turned, and she felt a wave of coldness spread through her limbs. "How? Why? Who would do that to a kid? Ryan would do that to his own kid?" Abigail whispered. "I don’t think it has anything to do with it," Jamal replied. "He asked me to get the number to him. I think he knows who is behind it. I suspect it might be her mother." "Why would a mother do that to her own child?" Abigail asked, her voice cracking. Maybe her earlier conversation with Genevieve had softened her, or perhaps it was just her person and she didn’t hate Genevieve as much as she thought she did, but thinking that Genevieve had gone through something like that at such a young age made her heart to ache inexplicably. Jamal’s eyes flicked to the mirror, watching as a tear slipped down Abigail’s cheek, and she brushed it away quickly, her fingers trembling. He was glad to see that regardless of whatever way she felt about Genevieve, she still had this much sympathy left in her. "I was angry at her," she said, her voice breaking. "I’ve been angry at her for so long. I hated her for being so mean and hateful, and then I hated her for stealing my life. I’ve never once thought of the fact that maybe there was a slight chance that she was made to do it. Or that something might have led her to it. I mean, if her life was so bad before she became Dawn, then maybe she accepted the role easily because she’d rather be Dawn than who she was, right?" Jamal didn’t respond. He had not thought about it from that exact angle but he could see her point. He just let her talk, knowing there were things she needed to say, things she’d never had a reason to question until now. "That should be around the age she was when we met if I’m not mistaken," Abigail went on, her eyes now wet with tears. "If that’s what she lived through... oh, God!" She trailed off, her breath catching in her throat. She swallowed hard. "No child should ever..." Her voice faltered. "That’s not something a person walks away from whole." "No, they don’t," Jamal said quietly. Abigail looked up again, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "Do you think she remembers?" Jamal hesitated. "I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not clearly. But if they’ve been blackmailing her with it for a long time then I think she’s been carrying it around her whole life." Abigail turned to stare out the window again. The sky outside was a soft shade of blue, fading into evening. But all she could see was a little girl, small and afraid, trapped in something no child should ever be part of. "Do you think..." she began, her voice hesitant, "do you think maybe that’s why she became the way she was?" Abigail asked, thinking about Genevieve’s immoral lifestyle in the past. Jamal’s voice was low. "Maybe. You can’t go through something like that and not be affected one way or the other." Abigail sniffled and nodded slowly. All the things that used to confuse or hurt her regarding Genevieve’s behavior made better sense now even if that didn’t totally excuse or justify it. Abigail was quiet for a while, her mind spinning with a hundred thoughts. "If Ryan wasn’t involved in it, does that mean she has not always been with Ryan? Maybe she is not his daughter?" Abigail asked when it suddenly occurred to her. "Stefan thinks she might not be his biological daughter, and Tom also thinks we should look into where she was before living with Ryan," Jamal said, and Abigail nodded. "It’s possible. Is that why he wants to give everything back to me? I don’t understand what’s going on in Ryan’s head," she said with a sigh then shook her head, deciding to focus back on Genevieve. "I guess this is why you feel sorry for her?" She asked, and Jamal shrugged. "So what’s your plan? I believe you have one," Abigail said, and Jamal nodded. "I want to get a DNA test done to confirm that Genevieve isn’t Ryan’s biological daughter. Do you think you could find a way to get me samples? Both Genevieve’s and Ryan’s?" He asked, and she nodded. "That should be easy enough." "That’s such a relief. I’m going to try to get the number from her phone. I don’t know how yet but I’ll figure out something," Jamal said, and Abigail pursed her lips. "I think I might be able to get that for you more easily. I could get it when we pick her up," she said, and Jamal raised a brow. Jamal’s eyes flicked to the mirror again. "You can?" He asked, and she nodded. "Yes. I will. Earlier in the restroom she seemed different," Abigail said and told Jamal what Genevieve had said. "I would have preferred an apology from her, but maybe if she can’t give it now because she feels that way, I can wait until everything is over for it, right?" Abigail asked, and Jamal’s heart softened. "You’re going to give her a chance?" Jamal asked hopefully. Abigail shrugged. "I should. If she’s trying to change and become better, it only makes sense that we encourage her."