"Why didn't Keira come with you?"

Faced with William's pointed question, Zachary pressed his lips together and defended me for once.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. Keira has been tied up preparing your gift lately. She's been working too hard, so I told her to take a break and come by later."

Two hours quickly passed.

The birthday party had reached its grand finale. It was time for gifts and well-wishes. Yet, I was still nowhere to be found. 

Zachary forced down the mounting unease in his gut and excused himself to a corner. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed my number.

"The number you have dialed…"

Undeterred, he tried calling again, but all he got was the same automated busy tone.

That was when a mail carrier walked into the banquet hall to deliver the three gifts I had sent.

Amid the crowd of curious gazes, William smiled as he opened the first gift. 

Within it lay a stunning emb

"I'd live in a trash heap if it meant being with you. But our baby is innocent, Zach. If Keira truly loved you, she would've accepted our child as her own. Instead, she sabotaged your grandfather's birthday party and embarrassed the Twains! Someone like her—"

Before Abigail could finish venting her anger, the indifferent Zachary couldn't help but interrupt her. "What right do you have to judge my wife? I once thought you were a sensible woman. But now, it seems to me that you don't know your place."

As he accepted the boarding pass from the staff, Zachary stared down at Abigail with icy indifference and said, "No matter how many children I might have out there, Keira will always be my one and only wife. 

"Also, make sure to take all your things with you when you leave the mansion. I don't want Keira getting upset the moment she comes home and sees anything related to you."

Abigail fr

"Abigail is having her prenatal checkup tomorrow morning at 10:00 am. Go with her to get your lungs checked."

I never replied. Instead, I removed my SIM card and switched off my phone.

May we never meet again, Zachary Twain.

…

Zachary and Abigail were at the hospital the next day.

"Zach, is our baby okay?"

He immediately wrapped his arms around her at the sight of her vulnerable gaze. "The doctor said the baby is in good health and showed no impact from yesterday's incident," he answered softly.

"That's such a relief. You've had this serious look on your face and haven't said a word since we got to the hospital. I thought something had happened to our baby."

Her careless words made Zachary pause.

His mind drifted back to my icy stare fixed on him amid the raging inferno.

He frowned and tapped into his inbox once more.

He was annoyed that I hadn't replied to his messages.

In the past, no matter how much he snubbed me, I always acceded to his demands.

But now, it seemed I was acting all high and mighty.

He laughed dryly to himself. Then, he carefully walked Abigail out of the obstetrics department. After having lunch with her, he saw her home and then made his way to the office.

As soon as Zachary set foot in the office, a male subordinate reported that William Twain had returned to Crupeland. According to the staff, William called for a meeting with the executives in Conference Room One.

Zachary walked toward the conference room while casually instructing the male staff, "Buy me a few of the latest designer purses and jewelry that are currently in trend."

The subordinate responded immediately. "Sure thing, Mr. Twain. I'll get someone on the gifts right away and have them delivered to Ms. Nelson's residence."

Zachary stopped in his tracks and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Have them delivered to the Sullivan residence."

To him, I had no other place to go after leaving the mansion besides the Sullivan residence.

Zachary finally returned home a week later after wrapping up his project on one late night. He was greeted by the sight of a slender figure clad in a silk nightgown curled up on the sofa in the living room.

"Keira, how many times have I told you that I'll be home once I'm done with work? You don't have to…"

As he stepped closer, he realized that the woman on the sofa was Abigail. Whatever scorn he'd been about to voice died in his throat.

He leveled an unblinking, icy stare at her.

Abigail shuddered, her expression a mix of hurt and helplessness.

"Mrs. Twain hasn't been home in days, Zach. I sent her so many messages to apologize, but she kept ignoring me. Maybe I should move out."

Seeing Abigail on the verge of tears again, Zachary sighed inwardly and pulled her into his arms.

He gave her a somewhat perfunctory kiss on her forehead and told her to take better care of herself instead of dwelling on irrelevant matters.

"No matter how Keira feels about it, from this day forward, you and the child belong in this home."

Half an hour after Zachary made that promise, he stood alone on the balcony in his robe, smoking a cigarette.

He had quit smoking long ago. And yet, for some reason, he couldn't resist the urge to smoke tonight.

As if guided by an unseen force, Zachary scrolled through his contacts to find my number at the very bottom of his contact list.

His thumb hovered over the call button for a long while.

After finishing two cigarettes, he chose to send me a warning text rather than making the call.

"It's Grandpa's 80th birthday tomorrow. You'd do well not to cause a scene at the birthday party. Bee and the baby don't need your drama."

On the day of William's birthday celebration, Zachary and Abigail showed up together and presented themselves as a close couple.

It was not until William made his entrance that Zachary let go of Abigail's hand. He took his place by William's side and accompanied him in receiving important guests. 


"Why didn't Keira come with you?"

Faced with William's pointed question, Zachary pressed his lips together and defended me for once.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. Keira has been tied up preparing your gift lately. She's been working too hard, so I told her to take a break and come by later."

Two hours quickly passed.

The birthday party had reached its grand finale. It was time for gifts and well-wishes. Yet, I was still nowhere to be found. 

Zachary forced down the mounting unease in his gut and excused himself to a corner. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed my number.

"The number you have dialed…"

Undeterred, he tried calling again, but all he got was the same automated busy tone.

That was when a mail carrier walked into the banquet hall to deliver the three gifts I had sent.

Amid the crowd of curious gazes, William smiled as he opened the first gift. 

Within it lay a stunning embroidered tapestry of divine figures in celebration of a birthday.

It was clearly the result of the 

Chapter 6