Chapter 1604

Taylor yelped in pain, quickly setting Abigail down. "Are you a dog or something?" "I'm actually a wolf, thank you very much," Abigail shot back, brushing her bangs aside. "That sounds about right," Taylor said, giving her a pointed look. "You're definitely a cold-hearted wolf." "Aren't you talking about yourself?" Abigail replied, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Helen was your boss, yet here you are—sucking up to Chandler and attending all his weddings. How desperate can you get?" "Are you even being reasonable? I'm here because I'm genuinely worried about you!" Taylor said, frustration edging into his voice. "You know what Chandler is like. If you provoke him, do you really think he won't strike back?" "Let him try! Do you think my family is a bunch of pushovers?" Abigail shot back, her anger boiling over. "If you want to win him over, just admit it. Don't use me as a reason to play the hero. Did I make you take Chandler's side?" Taylor stared at her in disbelief. "What have you learned from that Gideon guy over the years? Does the world really have to be so black and white? With Helly gone, don't I have a responsibility to protect her legacy? I can't depend on Chandler; I need to stand on my own." "You could have told me! I could have reached out to my family for help. That doesn't justify your compromise with Chandler. No matter what, he is guilty of what he did to Helen, and none of us can forgive him on her behalf," Abigail said before turning away, disappointment etched across her face. "I don't see it that way," Taylor replied firmly, holding his ground. "If Chandler were truly that kind of person, Helly would never have chosen him. Don't you trust her judgment?" "I do trust her. It's precisely because I trust her that I've protected Destiny Corporation from countless schemes over the years. Meanwhile, Chandler is out there living carefreely. I can't trust any of you men anymore." Abigail's heart sank as she let out a heavy sigh. "I misunderstood you in the past, and I'm truly sorry for that. Please, come back. Don't keep risking your life with Gideon. You've drawn too much attention these last two years; you could easily be in danger," Taylor urged, trying to soften his tone. "Let them focus on me if they want. A journalist who's always looking over their shoulder will miss the dark truths that need to be uncovered. I'm not afraid of death; what I fear is dying like Helen—lost and confused," Abigail said, defiantly lifting her chin. Taylor chuckled bitterly. "So you want to uphold justice and be a hero, huh? But what if you find something about SK Group? Would you be willing to destroy everything Helly built?" "I've never thought about that." "But if you persist on this path, you'll have to!" Taylor exclaimed, his emotions flaring in an unexpected outburst of anger that caught Abigail off guard. At that moment, she realized that neither of them would change the other's mind. "We'll have to agree to disagree. There's no point in continuing this conversation." With that, Abigail turned and walked away, a shadow of sadness trailing behind her. Taylor didn't attempt to stop her; she was free, and he understood he couldn't shield her from the consequences of her own choices. Perhaps the best way for them to coexist was to protect each other from the shadows. Abigail didn't leave right away; instead, she headed toward the lounge, planning to stir up a bit of trouble. "Stupid Taylor, why does he always have to be so harsh?" she muttered to herself. As she glanced around, she noticed that the area was completely deserted. Just then, a gentle voice called out to her. "Ms. Fitzgerald, how have you been lately?" Abigail turned, her heart racing in surprise. "Ms. Kaylee? Is that really you? When did you come back?" With that, she excitedly rushed toward Helen.