Chapter 431 Coaxing the Wife
When Caius arrived in Aramore near midnight, he hurriedly took a car to Maple Residence. He had once bought property here, imagining a peaceful retirement with Michelle after the chaos. Now, he returned alone.
Abigail and Gregory were still awake. After a long day, the night was when they felt the most worn out. Abigail lay sprawled on the bed, unwilling to move even a finger.
Gregory was lying next to her on his side, his warm hand lightly stroking her belly. "Honey, why don't you stop working and rest at home?"
He couldn't bear seeing Abigail push herself so hard. Watching her exhaust herself every day was like a thorn in his side.
Abigail chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Impossible. Staying home is boring. Besides, the company was Mom's legacy. If I don't manage it, who will?"
Gregory suggested, "You could hire someone—a professional manager. I know a few exceptional ones and can recommend someone."
Abigail pursed her lips and shot him a sharp glance. "What's this? Are you like those typical men who want their wives to stay home so they can justify finding a mistress when they're bored?"
Gregory laughed out loud, his fingers gently pinching her cheek. "What nonsense are you spewing? There's no mistress."
"Not now, maybe, but who knows about later?" Abigail snorted, turning her head indignantly.
Gregory shifted closer, trapping her beneath him. With his hands bracing on either side of her, she was cornered in his embrace.
He asked, "Hmm? Care to repeat that?"
Abigail felt the shift in his tone, the glint of something mischievous in his eyes, and quickly retreated. "I didn't say anything. You misheard!"
Gregory raised an eyebrow, leaning down to nip at her lips as punishment. "If you talk like that again, I won't be so gentle."
Abigail blinked up at him, the light of mischief flickering in her eyes. "What do you mean, not gentle? Prove it."
Gregory smirked, kissing her again, his lips pressing against hers firmly. "How's this for a start?"
Abigail's lips curved into a smile, and she leaned forward, initiating another kiss. "Not enough!"
Her kisses were clumsy, almost random, but Gregory adored every second. When she pulled back, he held her head in place, deepening the kiss.
They lost track of time until Abigail finally broke away, gasping for breath. Gregory let her go, his lips brushing against her forehead.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Gregory's face darkened as he got up. "Who is it?"
Ralph's voice came from the other side, hesitant. "Sir, another guest has arrived. Would you like to meet him?"
Gregory exchanged a glance with Abigail, both suspecting who it might be.
Abigail quickly sat up, her voice tinged with both curiosity and annoyance. "Is it Dad?"
Taking her hand, Gregory guided her toward the door. "Let's find out."
In the living room, Caius's tall frame was seated on the sofa. His posture was calm, yet his expression betrayed a simmering irritation as he sipped from a glass of warm water.
Hearing their footsteps, he placed the glass on the table with a loud clink.
Abigail hesitated before approaching cautiously. "Dad, what brings you here? And why so late? Did something happen?"
Caius's gaze was indifferent as he responded, "Just got off the plane. What, am I not welcome?"
Abigail waved her hands quickly. "No, no, of course, you're welcome!"
Caius scoffed, his tone sharp. "Where's your mom?"
Abigail exchanged a glance with Gregory, amusement flickering briefly in her eyes. She answered, "Dad, you're at the wrong place. Mom's been staying at White Manor with Grace. If you want to see her, you'll have to go there."
Caius's jaw tightened in frustration. Given their family dynamic, visiting Grace's estate unannounced at nearly 2 AM was unthinkable. Meanwhile, Abigail appeared to relish his predicament.
Caius fixed her with a pointed glare. "It's too late now. I'll go tomorrow. Has your mom mentioned me recently?"
Abigail shrugged. "Not really. She and Grace have been having the time of their lives, talking about tea, herbs, and art exhibits. She's been so happy, she probably hasn't thought about you at all!"
The words struck Caius like a dagger.
Taking a slow breath, he reminded himself, 'This is my daughter. I can't lose my temper.'
Caius said, "Forget it. Asking you is pointless. You're not with Michelle all day. You wouldn't know even if she did mention me."
Abigail smiled sweetly, spreading her hands. "You're right. But why did Mom leave in the first place? Did you do something?"
Meeting Abigail's eyes—so similar to Michelle's—Caius hesitated, unsure how to respond.
But his silence spoke volumes.
Abigail gasped, her tone tinged with disbelief. "Dad, you really did something, didn't you? That's terrible!"
Caius's patience finally snapped, "What are you imagining? It's not what you think. Aurelia... hugged me. Before I could push her away, Michelle saw it."
Gregory placed a calming hand on Abigail's shoulder, gently pulling her into his embrace. "Let's hear him out first."
Abigail took a deep breath, her voice low but firm. "Fine. Keep going. What else?"
She didn't believe for a second that Michelle would get upset over a hug.
Caius, a man used to commanding boardrooms, never thought he'd be interrogated by his own daughter.
He said, "Aurelia told Michelle that Imogen is my child."
Both Abigail and Gregory stared at him, stunned into silence.
Caius rubbed his temples. "No, that's all crap! I didn't even get to explain to Michelle. I thought she'd figure it out on her own, so I just went back to work."
Who would've thought that in just a few days, Michelle would take off and not even pick up the phone?
Abigail was quiet for a while, thinking the whole thing was just nuts.
But she still instinctively took Michelle's side, sticking up for her. "Well, it's your fault for not clearing things up. Would Mom have run off otherwise?"
Caius nodded. "Yeah, I get it now. I messed up."
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