Chapter 8: A good kisser

ABIGAIL

The moment Abigail stepped out of the car, she squinted her eyes at the attack of flashlights. With Caroline’s parties, journalists and paparazzi were a must. Goosebumps rose on her exposed arms and for a moment, she regretted not wearing that sleeved, black gown. But the one she currently had on, was perfect. 

It was a black, form fitting evening gown, with a halter neck. One that hugged her waist and hips, before flowing down into a slightly flared skirt. Her hand clung on to her purse, as she walked into the venue, ignoring the questions thrown at her by the paparazzi, who were struggling with the security men. 

Abigail could not deny the discomfort she felt as she strutted in. It was definitely not the six inch black heels she wore, or her hair that had been pulled into a sleek, tight bun. It was the looks she received. The limelight had been casted on her, and Abigail wanted to announce that she was not the celebrant. 

Abigail looked around subtly, observing the luxurious decoration of the hall. There was an unfamiliar piano music playing in the background, which she liked. Having arrived a little bit late, most guests were already present. Just like the dress code required, a lot of women wore evening gowns, the men in black suits. 

“Oh look, Abigail is here”. 

Abigail turned her head to see Diego smiling at her. And then her eyes shifted to Sebastian, who smirked at her. They were with a man whom she did not recognize, and she guessed that Diego was probably introducing Sebastian to him. 

She stood as they walked towards her, tapering down the urge to wipe the smug smirk off his face with a smack. There was no way he did not see those articles about her, and he probably enjoyed reading every bit of it. 

“You’re late”, Sebastian pointed out.

“I’m just in time”, Abigail retorted, looking at the unfamiliar man. He was a middle aged man, seemingly Asian and around the same age with Diego. He gave her a polite smile, and she looked away from him.

“Meet my niece, Abigail. Abigail, meet Mr. Chen. He’s an old friend of mine”, Diego introduced, all smiles, seemingly oblivious to the tension between Abigail and Sebastian.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Chen”, Abigail nodded towards him. 

“Pleasure meeting you too, Miss Rivera”. 

“I did not think you’d attend with everything going on”, Sebastian taunted. 

“Why won’t I attend my aunt’s birthday party, Sebastian?” Abigail asked plainly. 

Mr. Chen looked from Sebastian to Abigail, seeming to be aware of what he was talking about. Diego let out a chuckle, doing little to ease the tension.

“Excuse me”, Abigail said, before walking past them.

As she walked down the hall, Abigail could feel the eyes on her even without looking. Beneath the piano music and noisy chatter, she could hear the words spoken about her. It was as though her senses became more attuned to everything going on. 

“I didn’t think she would be able to show her face in public with what is going on online”, a female voice. 

“Now that I look at her, I’m thinking those allegations might be true”, another female voice. 

Abigail looked at the direction, and the Smith sisters smiled at her. She averted her eyes quickly like she had not heard them talking, before walking towards a table at the back, to take one of the seats. 

It wasn’t what people were saying that made her clench her purse in discomfort, but the fact that everyone had seen her at her lowest. The darkest part of her life being displayed in public like a joke, made her heart burn. 

Just as she made to take a seat, someone bumped her shoulders. She flinched at the feeling of something cold against her stomach. Looking down, there was a wet patch on her dress. 

“Oops, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there”. There was no sense of apology in that familiar voice.

Abigail did not look at Selena, as she picked up a tissue from the round table to wipe herself gently. And then she said calmly, “It is too early to be drunk Selena, the party just started”. 

She found it annoying that Selena would still resort to such little tricks to ‘bully’ her. A reaction was what she wanted, and Abigail was not going to give it to her. 

When she looked at her, there was a small frown on her perfectly made up face. 

“I’m sober”, Selena said, twirling her wine glass while looking at Abigail maliciously.

“Then you will have to take responsibility for ruining my dress. It is quite expensive”. Abigail dropped the tissue, her mind going back to the moment she bought the dress for a shoot she had to cancel last minute. 

Selena took a moment to look at her, as though gauging whether the dress was truly expensive or not. And then she let out a mocking chuckle. Abigail’s eyes narrowed, wondering when Selena was going to grow up. 

“You know, I did not expect you to show up. All dolled up in a fancy dress, hair done, make up done… Tell me Abigail, are you looking for a man? Desperate much?” 

Abigail looked around, but there was only one person watching them who looked away. They were at the back and corner of the hall, where no one took notice of the both of them. It was a good thing for Selena, as it meant no one would catch her being ridiculously dumb and talking nonsense. 

“What makes you think you will find anyone with the state of your reputation? It is good that Caleb dumped you. Now you are all alone, and no one wants your sorry self”. 

“I never knew you cared this much about me. So much that you cannot focus on your own life because you are so bothered about mine”. 

The smug look on Selena’s face fell off. Abigail knew she had touched a sore spot speaking about her life that was currently not going anywhere. If not for the family money, she would not be able to survive. Even the store passed on to her would soon go out of business if she does not handle it well. 

“I am doing just fine. It is your life that is in shambles right now. And I can promise you that this is just the beginning. But for now, you can try your luck. There are lots of distinguished gentleman here. Your time is ticking Abigail”. 

Selena smiled smugly, before walking off. Abigail was not looking forward to getting married anytime soon, and she was certainly not looking for a man. Selena could say and believe anything she wanted, it was not her problem. 

But did that mean she would be willing to let go of her inheritance? 

Abigail glared at her dress, as she wiped it with a paper towel, almost aggressively. After the talk with Selena, she had gone to the restroom to clean herself properly. It was good that the dress was black, but the wet spot annoyed her. 

And now it was gone. 

Abigail looked at the mirror, observing for any imperfections in how she looked. Everything was fine, and she was ready to get back to the hall. Her phone beeped in her purse, earning her attention. 

When she brought it out to look at the text message, a small smile touched Abigail’s lips. Satisfied, she went back to the party, in a better mood than when she had come in. 

By the time she returned, Caroline was already addressing the guests, her face beaming with smiles. She looked beautiful in her shimmering black evening gown, her pin straight hair running down her back. Her soft spoken words, gentle yet cheerful charisma, made her seem like everything she was not. A good woman. And she had all of them fooled.

Abigail’s eyes scanned the room for where she was sitting before, only to stop at the sight of a tall, familiar man. Someone she had pushed to the back of her mind, trying to ignore the fact that she did not have a stalker demanding her to pay off a debt she did not owe.

One hand in his pocket, dressed up in a suit that looked like it was tailored just for him, Abigail thought that he could pass for an Instagram model. Whatever the man he was speaking to was saying seemed funny, as he could not stop smiling. 

Alistair had a beautiful face and smile, which was probably why no one could see through him. If he had not shown her his true colors, Abigail would not have guessed either. 

But what was he doing at Caroline’s birthday party? Abigail thought as she walked towards where she wanted to sit. She did not know that they were acquainted, not that she knew all of Caroline’s acquaintances. 

The thought of Caroline and Alistair knowing each other made her feel uncomfortable. She was still unaware of his intentions, contemplating on whether to approach him. And demand to know what he wanted from her. 

As though Alistair noticed someone had been staring at him, he turned his head and their eyes met. The smile on his face dropped, his gaze on her, intense. His stare made her skin tingle in an uncomfortable way, but she did not look away. 

And then his lips pulled into a smile, before he winked at her. 

Abigail blinked, taken aback by him. What was that for? She thought with aggravation. 

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him from across the hall. But he just smirked, before turning back to the man he was speaking with. 

The hall erupted with cheers and claps once the cake was cut. Abigail clapped her hands together, watching everything with a bored expression on her face. Time was ticking, and she could not wait for main event to happen. 

“What are you doing here, sitting alone?” 

Caleb smiled when Abigail looked at him. Apparently sitting at the back was not enough to avoid everyone’s attention as they kept approaching her no matter what. 

Abigail continued to watch as Caroline hugged her close friends, with people congratulating her, presenting gifts. 

She heard Caleb draw out a chair to sit down, and she gave him a side eye. She could not stop him, but she could ignore him. 

“You’ve become quite popular online these days. Maybe it is a good thing that we called off the engagement”. 

It was her who called off the engagement, but Caleb was a delusional man. He thought he had won with what happened.

“I warned you, didn’t I?”

A person should have enough self-respect to stop talking and walk away when ignored, but Caleb possessed no such quality. 

“You can ignore me all you want, but it won’t change your reality. I always suspected something was wrong with you, but I never guessed it was that bad. I thought Selena was crazy, but you took it to the next level. She turned out to be better”. Caleb let out a chuckle. 

She would not speak to him. She would not give him the reaction that he was looking for. Abigail held back her words, calming the anger that was brewing within her. 

“Say something bitch”. He lowered his voice menacingly. 

There it was. Caleb was getting annoyed, and it pleased her. She was even more pleased when Selena stepped on stage. Caroline was not the type to throw birthday parties every year, but each time she did, she always made it necessary to show off her achievements. 

This time, it seemed like Selena was the one she picked to sing her praises. 

“Fine. If that is how you want to play. This is just the beginning, Abigail. There is more to come”. 

She knew that. Caroline was not the type to stop at one thing. If she wanted to destroy something, she would relentlessly attack it until there was nothing left. Not even the pieces.

“Speaking for hours will not be enough for me to appreciate you, Mum. Your love for us, the care and support you have showed us. You extend your kindness not just to your family, but everyone else. The world would be a better place if more people like you existed”. 

Abigail’s ears hurt just by listening to Selena’s words. Wasn’t she over doing it? Even Selena knew that her mother did not care about them. If it was not a threat to her career, goals or reputation, Caroline did not give a damn. 

“A progressive career woman, a home maker. I am proud to say that I am your daughter and that you are my role model”. 

Abigail looked at Caroline. There was a grateful smile on her face as she looked at her daughter, as though she was just as proud of her. It was irritating, but she could not leave. Not yet. 

“Permit me to show you all what this wonderful woman has achieved in the recent years”. 

The screen on the wall lightened up with slides of her achievements, showing how she has helped the country and the society. Some people clapped and cheered for her. Caroline could not look any more happy. 

And then there was sudden silence. The smile on Caroline’s face slipped off. People began to murmur noisily, and Abigail could not catch what they were saying. Lights flashed at the screen, as the media that had been allowed in, took photos of what was happening. 

On the screen was a clear video of Caleb and Selena making out heavily. Her moans echoed through the hall, and Selena looked at the screen. Her eyes widened in shock, the microphone she held slipping from her hand. 

Just when Abigail thought the scene could not get any more dramatic, Selena let out a horrified scream. 

“What is this?” 

Oh, she had forgotten about Caleb who was sitting beside her. A look of horror was painted across his face, and Abigail felt the urge to pick up her phone and take a picture. 

“You’re quite a good kisser, though”, Abigail said coldly, watching him. 

Caleb turned to him, his eyes wide, and jaws clenching. She had seen him angry, but the fury on his face was something new. However, she did not feel a bit of fear or intimidation. Instead, she was pleased. Her eyes shifted to his fists, which he clenched like he wanted to hit something. 

“Careful there, Caleb. Everyone is looking at you”, Abigail gestured to the hall, and true to her words, people were staring at him. 

“Turn off that video!” Caroline screamed, and the workers in the hall got to work. 

It was a rare sight to see Caroline lose her composure, and Abigail wanted to capture and memorize every moment. She looked distraught, her chest heaving. Her eyes searched the hall, stopping when they landed on Abigail. 

Caroline glowered at her, and even though it was from far, she could feel the heat of her anger. Abigail tilted her head slightly, blinking slowly. 

The entire hall was a mess with people talking, workers scrambling around to ensure that the video was no longer playing. 

“Where the hell do you think you are going?” Caleb asked, glowering at her.

“I don’t see a reason why I should stay. Enjoy the party Caleb”. For the first time, Abigail smiled at him and his face fell in shock. 

Her face slipped back into the cold mask smoothly, as she walked away from him. She stopped to look at Sebastian, who was also glaring at her as she expected. Across from him was Alistair, sitting calmly like nothing was happening. 

Their eyes met and her heart skipped a beat. She had received different kind of looks but none compared to how Alistair was looking at her. His hungry gaze made it seem like he wanted to consume her. And it made her skin tingle, as every part of her was awfully aware of him. 

She watched as he picked up the wine glass on the table, downing it in one go while his gaze remained on her. The way he drank, his heated stare, made her stomach clench, an unfamiliar feeling. 

Steeling herself, she looked away from him and walked out of the chaos she had created, feeling satisfied. Yet anxious, knowing well that Caroline will not let her get away with it.