FreeNovel
Chapter 0124
I miss those days, miss what we were. The regret hits me like a ton of bricks, settling heavy in my
chest. It’s a regret that’s been there for too long, lurking in the shadows even when I was too stubborn
to acknowledge it.
Finally, after another hour and a half of driving, the towering trees give way to the familiar entrance of
my estate. I haven’t been here in a few months now, but it feels just as familiar as ever; especially with
Abby beside me.
I throw her a quick glance, hoping that I don’t see any glimmer of doubt in her eyes. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” she says, though I catch a note of uncertainty in her voice.
I pull into the driveway, the old mansion coming into view. Before I can even cut the engine, the front
door swings open. Gerald, our family butler for as long as I can remember, steps onto the porch. His
face lights up when he sees me. “Mr. Karl!” he exclaims, shuffling out. “How nice to—” But then, his
face falls the moment his gaze lands on Abby.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Miss… Abby? What are you doing here?” he asks, a thinly veiled note of disapproval coloring his
words.
“Hello, Gerald,” Abby replies, her tone neutral. “I’m just visiting.”
“Hmm,” he mutters, and though he says nothing more, his eyes say it all. Maybe I should have
mentioned it beforehand. But hell, if he has a problem with Abby being here, that’s his issue to deal
with, not ours.
I reach for her bag, but she’s already grabbed it. “I got it,” she says, our fingers brushing for a moment.
Electricity shoots up my arm, and I have to resist the urge to pull her closer.
“Shall we?” I gesture toward the entrance.
She nods, stepping onto the cobblestone path that leads to the door. I catch up to her and we walk side
by side, the tension palpable but not entirely uncomfortable. She glances around, taking in the towering
oaks, the sprawling garden she once adored, the manor itself. There’s a wistfulness in her eyes that
tugs at my heart.
Once inside, she continues to look around, this time at the grand staircase, the antique chandeliers, the
aged paintings of our ancestors adorning the walls. All the things that make this place more than just a
house. It’s a home. It was her home, too, once upon a time. Maybe it will be her home again.
“You okay?” I ask as we ascend the stairs. Her room—the master bedroom, and I’ve decided to take
the guest room—is right at the top of the stairs.
“Yeah,” she murmurs, but her voice quivers, betraying her true emotions.
I unlock the door and swing it open, revealing the room she spent so many years in. It’s been a few
years since she’s been gone, but I kept the furnishings the same. In fact, I couldn’t sleep in here for the
first two years; not since I thought she cheated on me.
“Wow,” she breathes, stepping inside.
Her eyes move from the familiar furnishings to the photos still sitting on top of her old dresser. One in
particular catches her eye, a candid shot of us, laughing like there’s no tomorrow. Truthfully, I never
took it down, although I couldn’t bear to look at it for the longest time.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmFor a moment, I see the Abby I fell in love with all those years ago. Vulnerable, yet strong. Closed off,
yet incredibly open.
She wipes a tear away before it can fall, then turns to me with a shaky smile. “It’s just…a lot, you
know?”
“I do,” I reply softly, not trusting myself to say more.
She clears her throat, setting her bag down on the bed. “So, what’s the plan for the rest of the day?”
“If you’re up for it, I was thinking dinner later,” I suggest, leaning against the doorframe.
She nods, biting her lip in a way that’s incredibly cute and reminiscent of the old Abby. “That sounds
good.”
“Alright,” I say. “I’ll let you get settled, then. And if you need me, I’m in the guest bedroom.”
As I walk away, heading back down the grand staircase, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and
trepidation. This visit is a big step for both of us. Where it leads, I can’t say for sure, but for the first time
in a long while, I’m hopeful.
And as I get to the bottom of the stairs, I realize something else, too. For the first time in years, the
house feels like a home again. And it’s all because Abby is here, even if it’s just for a visit.
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