Chapter 20

On a night this beautiful, probably everyone in the city was in a great mood. It seemed almost impossible to be upset. The weather was great, the stars shimmered, and the full moon danced along the horizon of the glistening water.

Yet, even with everything, Abigail was a nervous wreck, and nothing Najay said could soothe her. With Theodore being gone, Abigail had been more on edge than usual, and now with this dinner with Seymour, she didn’t know what to expect.

Was it a promotion? Was it an official proposal to work with them full time once she completes her studies? Abigail couldn’t tell, and being fifteen minutes late to pick her up wasn’t helping either.

She had insisted that she meet him at the restaurant, but Seymour wouldn’t have a lady take a cab when he could drive her there himself. But now, he was late, and the shoes on her feet grew uncomfortable.

“Abigail, relax. You’ll be fine,” Najay said for the umpteenth time. “It’s not a date.”

“I know,” Abigail mumbled with a sigh. “It’s just that . . . I don’t know, okay? He’s my boss, so I couldn’t tell him no. But I’ve never been alone with a man other than Theodore. Let alone a dinner!”

Najay hummed. “Does he know? Theodore, I mean. Does he know about the dinner?”

“No. I don’t think he’d been okay with the idea. He doesn’t trust anyone.”

“And do you?”

“He’s my boss.” She shrugged. “I mean, he has been kind to me for over a year, and he has never shown me a side of him that can’t be trusted, so I do trust him. I just—”

“Don’t trust men, overall.” Najay hit the nail right on the head.

Abigail nodded with guilty eyes. “I shouldn’t put every man in the same box because of Nicholas, right? I mean, Seymour is a great guy and—”

“Seymour?” Najay questioned with raised eyebrows. “Are you on a first-name basis?”

“Well, no. Sometimes it slips, and he doesn’t correct me. I think he likes it. But for the most part, it’s Mr Hansic.”

Najay raised a sceptical brow. “Hhmm. Seems like Seymour really likes you.”

“What do you mean?” Abigail wrapped the coat tighter around her body as the evening breeze crawled through the crevices of her dress.

“I—uh— I just think this is a bit too formal, you know? It’s as if he knew you’re with Theodore and knew he’d be out of the city this week. And if you ask me, dinner is quite intimate if it is just the both of you.”

“Business people have dinner all the time,” she dismissed. Abigail didn’t want to overthink it. Because if she did, she’d end up running back upstairs and locking herself inside for the entire night.

“That’s true.” Najay shrugged. “Just keep your phone close by. Just in case.”

Abigail laughed nervously as she waved her phone in front of her face. “All charged and ready for calling.”

“Good.”

A few more minutes dwindled until Seymour finally arrived. Abigail thought it would’ve been best to get ready at her and Najay’s apartment because she knew the doorman and Theodore’s driver was keeping tabs on her.

And it wasn’t that she wanted to hide it from Theodore. She had planned to tell him. But unlike he promised, they’d barely gotten a chance to talk this week, and it would only be best to hear it from her instead of someone else. Besides, it would be quite disrespectful to have a man pick her up from another man’s house. People would be watching and probably think she was making a fool of Theodore. Abigail knew she would’ve thought the same if the situation had been reversed.

But this was just a harmless dinner. Or so she hoped.

“Abigail!” Seymour beamed as he crossed the parking lot to her. Even though his eyes were on her, he keenly took in his surroundings and the building where she lived. He evidently disapproved. He had grown quite fond of Abigail and wished for her to live somewhere far better. But he wouldn’t tell her that tonight.

“Mr Hansic,” Abigail greeted just as enthusiastically—, or she hoped that’s what she sounded like.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. I got caught up in traffic, and I kept turning into the wrong apartment complexes. I had no idea this was the one.” His eyes flashed across the building again before meeting Abigail’s eyes and roaming down her length. “You look absolutely gorgeous.” His voice fell deeper as he said this.

Abigail forced a smile. His gaze made her uncomfortable indeed. She knew it was only the nature of men to admire beauty, but this felt too much. She had asked Najay repeatedly if her dress was too sexy, and Najay assured her that it was simply business formal.

“Hello, I’m Najay.” Najay stepped in front of Abigail and darted her hand forward. She had always respected Seymour Hansic, especially for being understanding when it came to Abigail. But tonight, she was simply sceptical of his intentions.

The last thing she wanted was for him to make Abigail uncomfortable.

“Najay,” he beamed politely as he shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. Are you a friend of Abigail’s?”

“Wife,” Najay declared, shocking both Seymour and Abigail.

Seymour stumbled back a bit as the smile dropped from his face. “I had no idea that Abigail was . . .”

“Me either,” Abigail mumbled under her breath as she threw Najay a glare.

“Theodore isn’t here, so I’ll do it,” she whispered.

“That isn’t what this dinner is about. It’s not a date.”

“So you think,” she whispered back. “Look at his suit, and did you catch a whiff of that cologne?”

Abigail rolled her eyes, deciding that she wouldn’t prolong this anymore. Seymour’s mood had been completely wrecked. It was evident that he was second-guessing the night.

“I suppose it is time to go?” Abigail asked, stepping forward but still keeping distance between them.

Seymour nodded with a strained smile. “It would be a waste of a perfect reservation. Especially since I had to call so many times to excuse my lateness.”

“Bye, Najay,” Abigail snapped, but only Najay noticed.

Najay resisted a smile as she waved. “Bye, sweetheart.”

Abigail got as fast away from her friend as possible to the car she recognised as Seymour’s. The drive was silent for a while. Seymour drummed his fingers against the steering wheel with sweat running down his face every now and then. Abigail’s legs shook, and without realising, she snuggled herself to the far end of the passenger side, putting as much distance between them as possible.

Abigail understood her own discomfort, but she didn’t understand Seymour’s. Then, she realised what Najay said might’ve confused him more than she thought.

She cleared her throat. “Um . . . About what Najay said, it wasn’t true. She was just teasing,” Abigail said, filling the car with sound for the first time since they drove off.

Seymour glanced at her quickly before refocusing on the road. “Really?” He laughed, suddenly calm again. “She got me there.”

Abigail chuckled. “Me too.”

The silence that followed was comfortable, and Abigail noticed that each time they stopped at a red light, he’d stare at her until it flashed to green. It was utter relief when they pulled into the restaurant, but Abigail gasped when she saw where she was.

“This is like the most expensive restaurant in the city!” She gasped. Abigail knew this because Theodore took her to lunch one day, and she almost fainted when she saw the prices.

“Oh, no worries,” Seymour said with a beam. He held the door open for her as he led her inside. The instant chatter of diners and the warm, expensive ambience provided comfort yet anxiety.

Abigail waited a few feet behind as Seymour spoke to the receptionist as she searched through an extensive list. Her face then lit, and she glanced behind Seymour where Abigail stood.

“Ah yes.” She beamed. “Right this way Mr Hansic.”

Unlike what Abigail expected, the woman led them past the dining room and towards a staircase. Seymour offered his hand for Abigail to take but swiftly retreated when he remembered. However, he did notice that he had accidentally brushed her shoulder earlier, and she didn’t flinch or scream. This only boosted his confidence even more, thinking Abigail was finally comfortable with him after a year.

Each time Abigail thought they’d stop, the receptionist led them even further up the building until they were at the highest floor. They were led to a corner with the most beautiful view of the city and coast. She could only see one side of the city from Theodore’s penthouse. But here provided a different perspective.

“Wow,” Abigail mumbled as Seymour held her chair for her.

He smiled. “I know, right? The view is beautiful.” But as he said this, he wasn’t staring at the lights below but at Abigail. She almost bumped her head against his when she turned around. He hovered over the table close to her face.

Seymour smiled apologetically and took his seat across from hers. There were only five other tables on this floor, and it seemed like the most intimate. The lights were dimmed, the background music was classy and soothing, and even the tables were set differently.

Abigail was never a woman to live in denial. She knew that Najay was right. This dinner barely had anything to do with business. This was personal. Seymour admired her on numerous occasions when she made an outstanding presentation or proposed a strategy that always sent their profits through the roof. But now, this admiration was different, and all she wanted to do was run for the hills.

Abigail shifted in her chair and dropped her gaze to the centrepiece. “So, um . . . is this a business dinner? I mean, that was implied, of course, so what I mean is, is, is, um . . . do you have something to discuss with me?”

The waiter poured them two glasses of champagne and handed them the menus as Abigail finally got her question out. She shifted again.

“Choose whatever you’d like from the menu. We’ll talk business later,” Seymour said. “I hear the lobster is marvellous.”

It is, Abigail thought. She had it the last time she was here. And through her nerves, she didn’t bother scanning the rest of the menu.

“I mean, I just thought that if this is a business dinner, we should talk business to better the business.”

Seymour chuckled. “Abigail, not every day is about business. But we’ll discuss that later. How was your day?”

“It—it was fine.” She cleared her throat. “I’m waiting for someone to get back from a trip.”

“Oh, boyfriend?” Seymour asked with a raised eyebrow. Abigail wanted to shout yes from the rooftop—to get herself off the ‘market’ by declaring that Theodore was her boyfriend. But he wasn’t. They didn’t put a formality on it, and she wasn’t even sure if he was still with Cleo.

So, with a sigh, she shook her head, shifting again in the chair. “Uh—not exactly.”

“I see.” That’s all Seymour needed to hear—that it was nothing serious. “Well, my day was hectic. I missed you today at the office.”

Abigail fiddled with her fingers. “Yes, sorry. I had a big test and—”

“Hey,” Seymour said, cutting her off. “I understand. I’m just glad I got to see you tonight.”

The waiter returned and took their orders. Abigail didn’t order much, simply because the meal alone could pay her rent for a few months.

“Will that be all?” the man in the uniform asked, and Abigail nodded with an assuring smile.

“Add another platter to her meal,” Seymour said. Abigail’s eyes widened.

“Oh no, I could never finish it. The lobster alone is fine, thanks,” Abigail quickly declined, but Seymour insisted.

“You can take it home.” He winked before returning his attention to the waiter. “That will be all, thank you.”

Abigail sat in silence, deciding it would be pointless to fight with Seymour. If he was anything like Theodore, he wouldn’t stop insisting.

“Are you uncomfortable?” Seymour asked. He had eyes, and he knew Abigail well enough to notice that she wasn’t having the best time. “If you really don’t want the platter, I can cancel it if you’d like.”

Abigail met his desperate eyes. “I’d appreciate that, yes. But that’s not the reason why I’m uncomfortable.”

“Is it the restaurant? Is it too much?”

Abigail shrugged. “That’s just it. Why are we here, Mr Hansic? You didn’t say much in your messages.”

Sighing, Seymour leaned across the table, so his hands were inches away from hers. He stared intensely into her eyes as he chose his following words wisely.

“Abigail, you’ve worked for me, and you’ve made my business much better. You’re brilliant.”

Abigail dropped her gaze as her cheeks burnt. “Thank you.”

“That is why I know I have to have you as an asset in my business. When you graduate, I want—no, I need you full time with me at SHI’s.”

Abigail’s face lit up. So it was a business dinner, and it was exactly what she’d hoped for. Her face broke out in a massive grin as her eyes danced in excitement. “Really? I mean, I’d be honoured. I love my job.”

“And I love that you are there. You make it better, Abigail. I’d be a fool to let you slip away. Now, I know that you had planned to visit home after graduating, so I wouldn’t expect you to start immediately. But once you’re back, you’re on the team as long as you want it.”

“Of course! Thank you, Mr Hansic, you have no idea . . .”

Seymour chuckled. “I think I do have an idea. You see, someone took a chance with me just as I took a chance with you. I don’t regret it.”

“And you won’t regret this.” She beamed confidently.

Seymour loved how her eyes glistened and how her cheeks balled in a huge smile on her perfect face. He only hoped that she would take his next news this well.

“I know I won’t,” he said. “We’ll discuss your salary, role and schedule at another time. But I do have something else to ask you.”

“Name it.” Abigail’s mood was with the stars, and she was eager to hear anything Seymour had to ask. That is until he pulled a velvet box from his jacket.

Her heart stopped.

“Abigail, I am a thirty-four-year-old bachelor with a successful business, and I’d like to share that with someone,” he said as his voice dropped impeccably softer.

Abigail gulped. “What . . . what do you mean?”

“You’re like no woman I’ve ever met, Abigail, and I can see that this world has not been fair to you.”

For the first time ever, Abigail regretted telling him about what had happened to her. She felt like this was a pity proposal.

“Mr Hansic I—”

“Please, let me finish,” he interrupted. “I have known you for over a year, worked by your side and watched you grow as a woman. You’re strong, beautiful . . .” His eyes fell to her body swiftly, and his voice grew huskier. “Sexy . . . and I have grown quite fond of you. Now, I know this might surprise you, and we don’t know each other away from a professional setting. But I like you, Abigail, and I’d like you to be my wife.”

Abigail’s throat suddenly felt dry, and her head started to spin. Why did he have to do this? Why now?

She respected Seymour as her boss, and she always acknowledged that he was a handsome, kind-hearted man. It was indeed a shock every day to remember that he was single. But this was not what she wanted. She couldn’t even find the voice to tell him that she was in the arms of someone else. This had taken her entirely by shock. The least she expected when she noticed the setting was that he tricked her on a date with him. But a proposal? It was far too much.

But it wasn’t until he unlatched the box that it became real. Abigail had never seen a ring so shiny. It was as if the moonlight through the glass window reflected from the stone and blinded her.

“Abigail—”

“I’m sorry. I can’t,” she rushed out before dashing from her seat and towards the exit. Abigail avoided his calls after her as she stumbled down the stairs, tripping over her own feet multiple times. Still, she avoided that ache in her feet and dashed towards the exit.

On her way out, Abigail bumped into someone tall and lean. She stiffened. Even after two years, his scent was so familiar to her. It was etched in her brain from the day he held her down in their bed, and it was the last thing she smelled until waking up in the hospital four days later.

Her eyes grew watery, and her head spun until she was dizzy. His cold, long fingers wrapped their way around her shoulders to keep her from falling. Through the blurriness of her eyes, Abigail saw the concern and excitement all rolled into one etched on his face.

Nicholas was touching her. He touched HER.

She wanted to scream as her body blazed afire. He called her name in worry, seeing that she didn’t look too good. But she managed to get away. She managed to dash out to the safety of New York’s streets as her entire body and soul burned.

It was like déjà vu all over again. Running down the streets like a track star away from a man who wanted to hurt her. Except for this time, Theodore was on the other side of the world, nowhere near to save her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as people cursed and shoved back at her when she bounced them. She had no idea where she was, as she had barely been on this side of the city.

Her chest only grew tighter, and her head lighter. She was afraid that if she didn’t calm down soon, she’d black out right there and then.

But as if sent from heaven, a familiar set of arms caught her and held her firm. Abigail fought for a few seconds until she recognised the short latina who had become her best friend.

“I got you,” Najay mumbled as she held Abigail against her chest, stroking her hair. “Just breathe. Everything is okay.”

Abigail tried her best to calm her breathing and catch her breath. The cool night air did its best to slow her breathing and cool her skin as Najay led her to a chair by a diner.

“How . . . How did you know?” Abigail asked once her breathing was back to normal.

“When you went in the car, I saw him take a black box from his pocket and shove it in his jacket. I tracked your phone, and it led me to this area. I didn’t know what restaurant it was, though.”

“You saved my life,” Abigail mumbled. “I should’ve never gone. I was stupid.”

Najay pulled her in a hug once again. “It’s not your fault. You could’ve never known, and I’m sure Seymour didn’t want to upset you. But I know you, so I know it would’ve.”

“He proposed, Najay. He asked me to marry him.”

“Shh. It’s okay. He isn’t a bad guy, just hopeful and confused.”

Abigail nodded. “I know that. I don’t resent him or anything; I just didn’t expect it.”

Abigail didn’t tell her about Nicholas. One, because she wasn’t even sure if it was him or if it was a fragment of her fear toying with her imagination. That could’ve been any man she imagined Nicholas’s face and scent on.

But it could’ve been him too. He said her name. This should put him in jail. He breached the restraining order, and Abigail didn’t believe that he was at the restaurant by accident.

“What’s on your mind?” Najay asked, pulling Abigail from her thoughts.

She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”

“Did you eat?” Najay asked, and Abigail shook her head again. “Well, a lucky thing we are at a diner. Let’s get you some food and take a cab back to the penthouse, okay?”

Abigail smiled at her friend. What would she do without Najay? Najay had been her backbone and strength for years, especially after Nicholas. Abigail only hoped that one day when Najay needs her just as badly, she’d be able to be that friend to Najay too.

“That sounds great.”

Najay looped her arm through Abigail’s as they entered the diner together. But Abigail tried to clear her mind from the thoughts of Nicholas. She was scared that he dared to break the restraining order to get to her.

And if the law can’t keep him away from her, then what could?