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The thought stabbed me.
Tears formed behind my closed eyelids. I blinked and tried hard to push back the water in my eyes. Abigail shouldn't see me cry under any circumstances.
"And yet I always wanted him back. The whole time since our breakup." Abigail's voice was now quiet. Wistful. And a little loving. "That's why I went to his office the day before yesterday. I wanted him back."
Now I opened my eyes again. "Why?" I asked. "If he treated you so badly?"
Abigail shrugged. "I just can't live without him. Sure, he didn't behave properly. But without him, I was much worse off than with him. So I told myself I would try to win him back."
I stared into the pale eyes, in which I could perceive no emotion. "Are you trying to warn me?"
"And I got him back," Abigail continued, ignoring my question. "Yes. I got him back. He wanted me and so we... well, we did... in his office..." Abigail hesitated. "You know."
I stared at Abigail. Was she trying to tell me that she and Carter had sex in Carter's office the day before yesterday? Shortly before I arrived? Shortly before Carter and I had sex?
"He cheated on me," I said tonelessly.
Abigail nodded. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wish I were a stronger woman. Someone like you. Then I wouldn't have visited him. Then I would have told him to go to hell and lived my life. But my life was and is nothing without him. And the day before yesterday... I finally felt alive again. If you know what I mean."
I knew all too well what Abigail meant.
"I don't know what Carter will do now. He didn't say anything the day before yesterday. He's here with you today." Abigail took a deep breath. "And then I told myself... what I did was bad enough. Carter cheated on you. With me. That... I was too weak. I'm sorry." She looked at me.
I remained silent.
Was Abigail expecting forgiveness from me?
"But I'm strong enough to let you know. And then you'll be strong enough to make the right decision for yourself."
Abigail's words echoed in my ears.
In my body.
In my heart.
Chapter 23 ~ Carter ~
"Alright,Francis."Ihungup, satisfied. In our business, there was no break even on weekends. Francis was at our production facility outside New York, overseeing the setup of the new production line. We were about to start manufacturing the battery that was better than anything else on the market. I wouldn't stop fighting for Donovan's contract.
And I would win!
That's exactly why we were working at full speed in our factory. Everything was going according to plan there. I nodded contentedly and slipped my phone into the pocket of my sweatpants. I looked down at myself and grinned. Now Cameron would have nothing to complain about. My shoes matched my outfit perfectly.
However, I didn't care what Cameron would say. Isabella had liked my new outfit. That's what mattered.
Carter! What are you thinking?
What was I thinking?
Well, Isabella was just... someone special. Originally, I had only wanted to have a bit of fun with her, but now I couldn't imagine just letting her go like that. I DIDN'T WANT to just let her go like that. I WOULDN'T just let her go like that.
Wait.
Had I really just thought that?
Me, Carter Jenkins?
The man who had hired a "fiancée" to avoid commitment?