Chapter 244 Sealed Tight
Jonathan’s face darkened as he hung up the phone.
Susan had heard the conversation too. Her voice rose sharply. “Lilian can’t leave the country! She can’t even go to another. city?”
Jonathan closed his eyes, a storm barely contained under his skin.
He gave a short nod. “Yeah.”
Hearing that, Susan completely lost it. “She’s trying to kill Lilian! That vicious girl!”
I’m calling your father,” she said furiously, already digging for her phone.
She called Patrick.
The first call barely rang twice before it was hung up.
Fuming, she redialed and was rejected again.
Meanwhile, Jonathan’s phone started buzzing too. It was the company.
He answered stiffly.
As soon as the line connected, the project manager’s anxious voice filled his ear: “Sir, Wendigo Corp just pulled out. They’re terminating the contract.”
Jonathan stiffened. “What?”
“They’re being very aggressive about it. They’re refusing to pay the breach penalty too. They said they’ll take us to court if we push.”
Jonathan was speechless.
Wendigo Corp was one of the few valuable assets Reed Group still had. If they lost this project, how the hell were they supposed to survive?
“My father, Jonathan forced out, “he’s already at the office, right?”
It should have been enough time for Patrick to arrive by now.
The project manager sounded even more frazzled. “The chairman? No, sir. He’s not here.”
Jonathan was speechless.
He glanced at Susan instinctively.
But Susan’s head was full of Lilian’s problems she hadn’t even registered what the other end was saying.
Jonathan felt like his skull was about to split open. “I’ll be right there.
Patrick had told him to stay at home tonight, acting like he would personally handle things at the office.
Where the hell had he ran off to?
At Sealla
Cove.
Stella was glaring at Abraham with righteous indignation.
He reached out, pulled her back into his arms. “So good, he murmured. “Time to sleep.
Now he wanted to let her sleep.
Stella whined under her breath, still furious. I’m not talking to you anymore.”
Making her do something like that, seriously–humph!
Abraham laughed lowly. “That’s not your call to make.”
Stella, pissed off but helpless, wriggled in his arms–only for him to laugh again from above her head.
“Alright, alright. No more teasing
Stella pouted, grumbling. “You can’t do that again next time.
Abraham didn’t respond only kissed her lightly on the forehead.
Stella pulled back, suspicious. “You heard me, didn’t you?”
What was that silence supposed to mean? Was he planning another round??
Abraham’s voice grew low and meaningful. “If you don’t go to sleep, there might be something even worse.”
Stella was speechless.
Even worse?What the hell did that mean?!
Seeing he wasn’t joking. Stella quickly zipped her mouth shut. Better not poke the bear.
The next morning. Stella woke up feeling hazy and warm
As she shifted, she realized she was tightly circled by strong arms.
Turning her head groggily, she found herself staring straight into Abraham’s dark, smiling eyes.
“You–why are you still here?”
She blinked, dazed and confused.
Abraham raised an eyebrow, pinching her cheek affectionately, “Forgot already?”
Stella was speechless.
In an instant, memories of the night before rushed back into her mind. Her cheeks flushed bright red.
“Then why are you still here?” she muttered again, shy and indignant.
“Hmm
Stella was puzzled-
Right. She remembered now.
It was him who insisted they sleep together. She had laid out all the pros and cons and he hadn’t cared one bit.
After last night, Abel and the house staff probably already knew everything had changed between them.
There was nothing she could do. Everything was in Abraham’s hands now.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed violently.
Marie.
She shoved the phone into Abraham’s hand immediately.
No way she was answering that call herself!
Abraham frowned at the caller ID but accepted the call.
Before he could even speak, Marie’s furious voice exploded down the line: “You little brat! Look at you, getting all cocky now, huh!”
“Running away for three years wasn’t enough? You went and tattled on me too? I’m telling you this isn’t over! You hear me? If you’ve got the guts, don’t you dare come back to Fleule! I’m so mad I could kill you! Ungrateful little thing!”
Chapter 245 Caught Red–Handed
Marie was practically howling through the phone.
–
It didn’t take a genius to guess she must’ve already been dragged back to Fleule..
Abraham’s voice cut in, low and dangerous; “Are you threatening her?”
Marie was speechless.
The line instantly went dead silent.
Stella clutched onto Abraham’s robe anxiously.
Abraham’s tone deepened even further. “Speak.”
The pressure in his voice made the air crackle.
Marie stammered, ‘A–Abraham, L. uh…”
Truth be told, Marie was still pretty terrified of Abraham when he got serious. Right now, she couldn’t even string a full sentence together.
Abraham’s coldness seemed to seep straight through the phone, landing heavy on Marie’s chest.
She shuddered visibly.
“I was just kidding with her!” Marie scrambled to say. You know how much I miss her!”
She wasn’t lying either.
When Abraham had moved Stella to the house near his school back then, Marie had wanted to go too. But she’d had to stay behind for her own schooling.
For a long time, Marie would leave treats and snacks untouched at home, always saving them for Stella
She missed her terribly.
But the anger now was real too. After everything–after all that love–the little brat ratted me out?!
Abraham gave a cold snort. That’s your idea of missing someone?”
Throwing around death threats–how touching.
Marie huffed, I’m mad, okay? I wanted to see her, and you wouldn’t let me come to Rivermount. Hmph!”
She really was furious,
Ever since she heard Abraham had found Stella, she’d been desperate to go to Rivermount. But Abraham blocked her at every turn.
This time, she finally sneaked out of Fleule and got dragged back halfway by Abel’s men
Even the one phone call she managed to make got her into trouble. No way Stella hadn’t tattled. Ungrateful brat. So mad I could explode
“Wait,” Marie suddenly realized something, “isn’t it just barely morning over there? How is Stella even awake this early?”
Suspicious
If it was Stella’s phone, and it was this early, how come Abraham had answered it?
1/2
it right inside his shirt.
Stella froze.
Her palm met warm, firm muscles. She stiffened in shock, immediately trying to yank her hand back.
But Abraham mischievously tightened his grip, refusing to let go.
Stella let out a panicked little squeak. “Let go! You jerk!”
“What are you two doing over there?” Marie’s voice demanded suspiciously from the phone.
Stella nearly fainted. Dammit–she’s still on the line!
Abraham continued to toy with her fingers leisurely as he answered Marie, voice cold and taunting “You’re very curious, aren’t you?”
Marie was speechless.
Stella was speechless.
This jerk–he’s doing this on purpose!
Marie sensed the shift immediately and quickly backpedaled. “N–no, not curious, not curious at all!”
Nobody in Fleule dared be nosy about Abraham’s private life–not even his own sister.
She still had PTSD from that one time he threw her into the desert to “cool off–two whole months without a proper bath. Never again.
“I swear, not curious, Marie repeated frantically.
But a second later, she blurted out, “Wait, Stella’s really awake this early?”
Stella was speechless.
Abraham was speechless.
In Marie’s memories, Stella was the queen of sleeping in. Back when they were kids, she was always at least an hour late to everything.
The only reason she survived school was because Abraham pampered her.
Abraham’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Marie.”
Marie, oblivious, kept rumbling. “Wow, this little brat’s really been beaten by the real world, huh? She’s gotten all diligent now?”
She clicked her tongue. “Tell me can she cook yet? Or is she still a disaster like before?”
“I still remember that pasta‘ she made–if you could even call it pasta. That was a death sentence on a plate.”
Stella was speechless
Marie kept going gleefully. I swear, one bite of that thing and I nearly had to write my will. Remember how you got food. poisoning? You were puking and passing out for days
“I’m just telling the truth. Her cooking is toxic. It’s one thing if you want to eat it yourself, but you always made me and Mom eat it too. One time it almost killed me. I even threw up all over myself”
She looked at Abraham in complete disbelief,
She wasn’t good at cooking, but ever since she was fourteen, she had learned that whenever a classmate’s family had at birthday, they would personally make longevity noodles.
way.
Later, at the breakfast table-
Stella kept her head down low as she ate. Abel had arrived, and the butler was there too.
But Abraham had already made sure everyone around them knew.
There was a teasing note in his voice that she couldn’t miss.
Stella’s mind went completely blank..
But Abraham said icily, “There’s nothing here you like to eat.
He sucked in a cold breath.
“Come on, you guys are already at this point. Can’t I even crack a joke? You’re so uptight-
Seeing that Eddie still didn’t get it, Abraham shot him another cold look. “Are you still not leaving?”
Eddie’s mouth twitched. “You’re seriously not gonna let me eat? Buddy, it’s freezing out there. I just want something warm.”
But after snowing all night, the roads outside were completely covered. Even driving was a nightmare.
Just as Abraham was about to kick him again-
In a small voice, she said, “Don’t make it hard for Eddie. Let him stay and eat.”
He could feel just how tense Stella’s body was next to him.
Stella obediently moved over and sat down beside him. Abraham reached out and began to unwind the scarf around her
She couldn’t let him take it off. If he did, and everyone saw, and if they all started asking questions like Eddie did, what was she supposed to say?
“You really think covering it up means no one knows? Abraham said casually.
She looked at Abraham with pitiful eyes.
If everyone knew, it wouldn’t take long for the news to reach Fleule.
Once her mother and Marie found out… the more she thought about it, the more panicked her mind became.
She tugged at Abraham’s sleeve. At that moment, Abraham was placing a small fried bun into her bowl.
Abraham took a sip of his milk and said, “Didn’t I already tell you what to say?”
She had never dared show them, partly because she was afraid of tarnishing the reputations of both the Luke family and the Dawson family.
But officially, they had always been considered brother and sister. That’s how everyone outside saw them.
Just a few simple words, but they carried Abraham’s unique dominance and force.
Abraham brushed another light kiss against her eyelids. “Stella, do you really not trust me?”
And if Abraham dared to do these things to her, it meant no one would dare criticize him either.
Stella sniffled and looked up into his eyes.
If Marie asks about it… I’ll just say that, okay?”
And yet, he had known everything all along and had kept teasing her.
Her face instantly turned bright red, and she didn’t dare lift her head.
Seeing her silent. Eddie gave a little laugh. “I asked you a question.
Eddie said, ‘Girls have to take better care of themselves. Abraham’s always spoiled you, but when it comes to this kind of thing, men often aren’t exactly human,”
“He doesn’t know how to control himself, but you should know how to protect yourself. You can’t treat that kind of injury like it’s nothing”
You- Eddie started,
“I know I don’t appreciate your kindness, Stella cut him off. “So I’m begging you, just stop.”
fast that if this were a school event, she would have won the track meet easily.
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