Chapter 5

Xavier struggled violently, shoving Abigail away as he spoke in a low, icy voice. Abigail hadn't expected him to be so strong. Caught off guard, her back slammed into a corner of the bed frame, the pain making her vision go black. After taking a moment to recover, she got up again to help Xavier. Now, she was getting annoyed too. She firmly pressed down Xavier's outstretched hand and easily lifted him from behind, placing him on the bed. Xavier was baffled by her strength. He actually knew this had to be the little sister who had just returned home. He hadn't been sleeping when Abigail arrived. He had simply chosen not to go downstairs. When Gianna left, she had called him a useless cripple who dragged everyone down. He didn't want another stranger mocking him. He knew she had prepared gifts for every family member, and predictably, there was nothing for him. His heart felt cold and bitter. No one wanted a burden like him around. He studied the small shadow in front of him. She couldn't be more than five-foot-six and looked skinny as anything. The other family members always had trouble lifting him. How had she done it so effortlessly? Abigail spoke up, her voice sweet and soft. "Where does it hurt? You can tell me." That snapped Xavier back to reality. Feeling humiliated, his face flushed red as he slapped the bed, keeping his voice low. "Who told you to come in here? Get out!" She made a small humming sound but showed no intention of leaving. Instead, she stepped closer and began examining his legs with her hands. "Does it hurt here?" Xavier was stunned speechless. When he didn't respond, Abigail moved to another spot and pressed. "How about here?" Only then did Xavier react, his face burning with embarrassment. "What are you doing? I told you to get out! Don't you understand?" Abigail leaned closer. "I'm not your previous sister. I won't coddle you. Tell me where it hurts, or I'll be woken up by your noise every night." His chest heaved. "Weren't you acting all sweet and obedient downstairs? Are you done with the act now?" She looked surprised. "Oh, so you were awake the whole time." Realizing he had been caught, he turned his head away stubbornly. She didn't argue with him. She simply lowered her head and used her phone's flashlight to examine and press various spots on Xavier's legs. Sometimes, he would flinch; sometimes, he wouldn't. Muscle response was a good sign. At least, the nerves weren't dead yet. It was just poisoning. After a moment of silence, Abigail turned and left, returning with a small box of candies in her hand. "This is for you. Take one whenever it hurts. Or whenever you start feeling uncomfortable. It'll help with pain and calm your nerves." Xavier scoffed. "Why don't you just give me sleeping pills?" She glanced up at him. "Don't push me, or I really will slip you some sleeping pills." With that, she tossed the candy box onto the bed and walked out. Xavier was so angry that he bit the blanket. He wanted to rush out and tell everyone that her sweet demeanor was all an act! She was just like Gianna—cruel and sharp-tongued! In a fit of spite, Xavier poured out the candies and shoved two into his mouth, hoping to poison himself and prove Abigail's malicious intent. However, after lying in bed for a while, his legs stopped aching, his back pain faded, and a long-lost drowsiness washed over him. … Abigail woke up early the next day. She got dressed, slung a small backpack over her shoulders, and prepared to head out. She needed to go to the city to find doctors for Xavier and Yvonne, and to buy some medicinal herbs for recuperation. This whole family was either severely exhausted or poisoned, so getting their health back on track was essential before they could focus on earning money. The rest of the Parker family was already up and seemed surprised to see her leaving so early. Jayden approached her eagerly. "Where are you going so early?" Abigail blinked. "To Jewls." Adrian wore an expression that said, "I told you so". She was just like Gianna and couldn't handle any hardship. Meanwhile, Owen and Samuel stayed silent, but their mood grew particularly heavy. Abigail continued, "Xavier's legs are really hurting. I know a good doctor in Jewls, so I'll go ask him to help. I'll also explore other ways to make money in the city. "Mom's eyes definitely need treatment too; she can't keep living like this without sight. Oh, and do you have anything you need me to bring back? Or anything special you'd like to eat? I can pick it up on my way home tonight." She looked up to find everyone staring at her in stunned silence. Their little sister was like a busy ant, running in circles, trying to figure out how to support the family. And here they were, still questioning her character. Abigail touched her face. "What's wrong?" Samuel was the first to break into a smile and said gently, "Nothing's wrong. I have a car, and I actually need to go to Jewls today too. Want a ride?" Jayden immediately chimed in, "I also have—" Before he could finish, Samuel silenced him with a single look. Abigail beamed. "Thanks, Samuel." Samuel couldn't help himself and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Eat something first. If I'm driving, we're not in a rush." Xavier's legs had been a problem for years, and it wasn't like they hadn't sought out doctors before. But if their family couldn't solve it, they didn't hold much hope that Abigail could either. Still, no one wanted to dampen Abigail's enthusiasm. After all, having someone who genuinely cared about the family was always a good thing. While eating, Samuel sent a message to his assistant, Paul Boyle. "Run a promotion at the mall today. All unmarried women get to shop for free." The family didn't know Abigail's size and had only prepared a few basic everyday clothes. What Abigail was wearing today was clearly too big for her. Gianna, on the other hand, had a whole closet full of clothes. As they were leaving, Owen slipped a card into Abigail's hand. "Abby, this is the family's savings. Buy yourself whatever you like and don't hold back, okay?" Abigail glanced down at it. The words "Supreme VIP" were imprinted on it. Her mouth twitched as she quietly pocketed it. "Okay."