Chapter 76: Angry And Bitter

Chapter 76: Angry And Bitter "So, my mother got married to Ryan shortly after I was taken from the Hanks?" Abigail asked, and Jamal considered it for a moment. "Before then you didn’t go back to the house with your Mom directly. You stayed alone with your governess and nannies for a while," Jamal said, and Abigail paused when she remembered the dream she had where she always felt empty and lonely and was eating at a dining table alone with Lucy the panda. "Why?" Abigail asked, and Jamal shook his head. "I’m not sure, but Lucy and my Mom said they think your mom was still trying to convince her parents to accept you. So you were there until she suddenly got engaged to Ryan and got married to him within two weeks of the engagement," he said, and she narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "How did she go from announcing a relationship with Tom to being engaged to Ryan? Doesn’t that mean they weren’t in a relationship prior to then?" She asked with a frown. "That was what we figured. Everyone thought she did it because her parents asked her to do it. We don’t know. We were not there so we can’t exactly tell what happened. Lucy said your Mom didn’t exactly have friends," Jamal said and she sighed. "So she married him two weeks later, and then she had a mysterious accident with her family?" Abigail asked, unable to wrap her head around how it had all happened. Jamal nodded. "First she cut off our friendship and asked that the Hanks stay away from you. She said I should stop reaching out to you. It was so heartbreaking for me," Jamal said, feeling an ache in his heart at the memory. "And then a couple of months later I flew down with my grandfather after he arranged with your paternal grandfather so we could see you. We arrived at Westend that morning and were greeted with the news of the accident. We heard your mom and her parents were dead and you were in a critical condition. So, my grandfather took me to the hospital so we could see you and there we were told you were flown out of the country for surgery. We also found out your name was no longer Dawn but had been changed to Genevieve." Abigail frowned and cut in before he could continue. "How did the stuffed animal get to you?" "While we were at the hospital to see you, I saw the cleaner trying to discard it with the rest of the trash and I took it from her," he explained, and immediately Abigail remembered Genevieve’s reaction when she saw the stuffed animal with her five years ago. Genevieve had reacted that way because she recognized the panda. Genevieve wasn’t innocent. She knew very well what the panda meant hence she had discarded it. "The Hanks flew down when they heard about the accident to see you and get you. Desmond, Evelyn, aunt Jade since she’s a lawyer, and my uncle Harry accompanied them. But they wouldn’t even be allowed to get past the hospital door. Ryan filed a restraining order against them with proof of the phone conversation between Desmond and your maternal grandparents when he threatened them to come get you or he would put you on a flight alone and send you to them. He got full custody for you and was your sole guardian so the Hanks couldn’t come anywhere around you. He made it look like the Hanks wanted you now because of your inheritance. The Hanks had to back off," Jamal said and Abigail rose, turning her back on Jamal so he wouldn’t see her tears. "Just like that? He changed my entire life just like that?" She asked, her body begin to vibrate with anger. "To what end? Why didn’t he just kill me like he killed everyone else? If he so much wanted every damned thing that I had, why didn’t he get rid of me and take it all?" Surely it would all have been his since he would have been the next of kin. Why did he have to keep me alive and make me live this way?" she asked, her voice slightly raised, though it trembled. Jamal rose from where he sat and went to where she stood. "Then I would have been even more miserable," he said softly so she would know he was right behind her so she wouldn’t be too startled. He placed one arm on her shoulder first, "We should be thankful he didn’t hurt you or get rid of you. It is because you’re alive that we can make him pay for his crimes. If he got rid of you then he would never pay," he said, wrapping both arms around her in a back hug. Abigail stood still as she felt his warmth seep into her. Her heart was pounding, her mind racing, but Jamal’s presence somehow calmed her. His hug was more comforting than sensual and she found herself relaxing in his arm. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting his words settle in. He was right. She was here. She had survived. And now, she could fight. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned in his embrace to face him. Jamal’s arms loosened slightly but didn’t fall away. His brown eyes studied her face, filled with concern, but also filled with love for her. Abigail swallowed the lump in her throat. "I’m upset, Jamal. I feel very angry and sad at the same time. All these years I felt grateful to him. I was thankful that he was raising me— the mute daughter of a shameless maid who had dared to seduce her boss and get pregnant for him. All this while I was grateful that he let me go to the same schools with Genevieve and I wore her hand me downs with gratitude. I took her exams and did all her assignments, thinking it was the least I could do for all they were doing for me. I was grateful for every penny he gave me, and if he so much as smiled at me and said he was proud of me, I was happy. I had no idea that he was giving me crumbs from what is mine. I had no idea that Genevieve was living my life! That witch always found new ways to make my life hell when she should have been grateful to me that she is living my life. She was living so comfortably thanks to me, yet she treated me like I was beneath her. I’m filled with so much hatred and bitterness right now and it pains me so much more to know I had people who cared for me and who would have taken care of me, yet I was stuck with such a bastard and his evil coldhearted daughter. My life would have been so much different if my mother had not made so many bad decisions. I want to scream. I just want to yell and cuss and cry so badly right now," she confessed, her voice breathless. Jamal nodded understanding her pain. "You can cry if you want to. I’m here to comfort you," he said, patting her back. Abigail shook her head and stepped back, "Not now. I do not have the luxury of time to cry now. Until I’ve taken it all back I won’t give in to tears. I’m just relieved to know I have people to fall back on if I need help. The Hanks... they will come to my aid if I ask, right?" "Every single one of them. I could call Tom now if you want me to," he said, but she shook her head. "No. Not yet. I’m not ready for that yet," she said, knowing she would have to tell Jamal about Josh first before that.