Chapter 264
Chapter 264
Hugh was aware that Abigail knew a thing or two about programming and computer networking, but he did not realize just how well-versed she was at it.
"Wait a minute. It was Arianna who looked it up for you, am I right? Abbie, why would you let a child get involved in adult matters? How could you do that to her?"
Why is Hugh still bringing the children into this right now? Is he just trying to change the subject? A flash of disappointment flitted across Abigail's eyes.
"It's not Arianna. I looked into it. I'm King!"
She never thought she would ever out herself like that, and naturally, he never saw it coming either.
"Who did you say you are?"
"King. If you don't believe me, you can go ahead and check with Carter."
Abigail watched as Hugh's face contorted into a multitude of expressions before it finally settled on a pleading look. "Abbie, it's not that I didn't want to tell you. I was afraid you wouldn't take it well."
"Oh really?" Abigail snorted.
The more a person trusted another, the harder it hit when that trust was betrayed. She had given him one too many chances and she had been burned one too many times. By now, no matter how painful it felt, she could still see through everything and stand firm against his ploys.
Abigail sighed. "Hugh, you've known for quite some time that my father is Old Mr. Castel, right? With how weak my mother's health was, she could not get pregnant all these years, so my existence
becomes all the more meaningful. Perhaps you think that I am your ticket to controlling my father, or maybe even replacing him, isn't that so?"
"No."
"Let me finish," Abigail curtly interrupted Hugh. "You say you like me, and maybe that was true back then, but can you swear on your life that your feelings for me were not influenced by anything else when you found out that I am Old Mr. Cartel's daughter? Are you determined to marry me simply because you haven't forgotten about me? Or is it because I'm Old Mr. Cartel's daughter, and by marrying me, you'd become his son-in-law? Were you not hoping that once he retires a few years later, his entire territory and organization would be passed to you because of that?"
Abigail fired question after question and Hugh's frown deepened with every single one.
The way she exposed his innermost desires made him feel like he was caught in public with his pants down, but oddly enough, it made him feel relieved as well.
She was aware of everything, after all.
Hugh knew there was no going back now. No matter what he said or did, Abigail would not believe that his feelings for her were genuine anymore, even though he truly wanted to marry her.
The entire spectrum of emotions flashed across Hugh's face. Eventually, he took a deep breath and decided to fess up. "You're right! I want to inherit Old Mr. Cartel's power! I want to become as powerful as him—no, I want to become even more powerful than him! But even so, my feelings for you are real. You don't know what I went through when I found out you were his daughter. Abbie, our relationship was real."
"Haven't you been wondering all along about why you can't be compared to Greg?"
Abigail was looking at Hugh, but in her mind, all she could see was Greg.
Her expression softened when she mentioned him and Hugh clenched his fists once he spotted that look on her face. "Stop thinking about him!"
She ignored his furious snarls and continued coolly, "I'll tell you right now. Greg would never deceive or scheme against the woman he likes for the sake of gaining power or influence!"
"That's only because he's already at the top of the food chain! He has everything he could possibly want, so he doesn't need to rely on schemes. What about me? I had to fight every step of the way to reach where I am today. If I want to climb any higher, I have to resort to schemes. Do you think I want to be like this? My heart was aching throughout countless sleepless nights whenever I had to deceive you, but what else can I do? I loved you so much. I was willing to spend five years waiting for you, but in the end, you chose Greg. Why don't you tell me what I should've done? If I didn't resort to schemes, would you be standing in front of me right now? No, you wouldn't! In a few years, you probably wouldn't even remember who Hugh Romero was and what he meant to you!" Hugh's eyes were bloodshot as he lashed out until his voice cracked.
In the past, Abigail would have felt sympathy for him suffering in his unrequited love for her, but now, she realized that Hugh had made all the choices that put him in his situation.
No one forced him to end up like this, and needless to say, she was not responsible for his schemes either.
"Do you truly believe that I'm standing here right now because of your schemes?" Abigail stared at Hugh with the eyes of a stranger, as every ounce of her consideration for him due to their past friendship faded away.
"What do you mean?"
Hugh found that he could no longer tell what Abigail was thinking anymore. Ever since she told him that she was King, he began to feel unsettled. Seeing how calm she was now made him even more nervous.
He was well and truly exposed in front of her now, so he did not bother hiding his true self anymore. "Yes, I know just how smart you are, and I know you must've seen through Philip as well, but you came anyway. As long as you came, it would mean I succeeded! You're in my territory now, and you're my greatest bargaining chip. I don't care if you're willing to or not; either way, you're marrying me today!"
"Did you get your head bashed in at some point that you've lost some of your mental faculties? Or did you think that I was dead in a ditch somewhere?"
As soon as Hugh had spoken, Greg came barging in with his men. He was cloaked with a murderous aura that sent a chill down everyone's spine. Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.
Abigail was stupefied. How could this be? "Why are you here?"
The question slipped out of her mouth almost instantly, and when she saw that Addison was with Greg, she was even more stunned. What on earth is happening?
Addison saw the look on Abigail's face and quickly explained, "Miss Abigail, I ran into Mr. Buckley as soon as I ran out. Our guys were held up by some people and couldn't make it in time, so…"
Abigail understood the full picture now.
Since Hugh and Philip had joined forces to set this trap for her, naturally, they would have sent someone to stop her people from coming to her.
Perhaps Hugh did not know that those were her subordinates but assumed that they were Greg's instead. Abigail did not know what to say anymore.
Her father's men should be here by now too, so why…
She swiftly collected her thoughts. Meanwhile, Hugh had been shocked by Greg's arrival, but now he was howling in laughter like a mad man.
"This is great! Excellent, even! So, you did show up, huh? In that case, I'm going to kill you right in front of Abigail's eyes. That way, nothing will stop her from marrying me anymore!"
"Foolish b*stard!"
Greg was unphased by Hugh's exclaims and glared at Abigail with such fiery eyes that Abigail could nearly feel the burn.
All at once, she felt like cowering.
Yes, she felt like cowering!
All this while, Greg had been indulging her every whim that she conveniently forgot about him being the dark emperor of Night Assassino.
"Why are you here?" Abigail asked again in awkwardness.
Greg snorted. "I see your courage has grown quite a lot, huh? How many times have you drugged me now? What? Do you really think I won't get angry?"
"I was just worried that it'd be dangerous for you if you came, and anyway, this is just a family matter of mine, and you—"
"You're mine now, but you don't want to let me get involved with your family matters? What do you take me for?"
Greg was infuriated by Abigail's expression when she said it was a family matter.
It seemed like he needed to teach her a lesson.
Hugh watched as the two of them quarreled, but for some reason, it felt like a display of affection instead and his blood started boiling.
"Greg Buckley! Since you decided to come today, don't even think about leaving! Guys, get him!" Hugh barked an order to his men, and immediately, the fight broke out.
Abigail tried to join the fight, but as soon as she started to move, he held a dagger against her neck. There was a wild look in his eyes.
"Why? I worshipped the ground you walk on and I did everything I could to marry you, but you won't even look at me! Abigail, would you still marry Greg if he can no longer function as a man?"
Abigail was dumbstruck when she heard what Hugh said. "What are you up to?"
"What am I up to?"
Hugh laughed a bitter, yet maniacal laugh. What did he want to do? He did not know either, but one thing was for sure. He was not going to let Greg come out of this unscathed!
Why could Greg get something that he could never get?
Hugh's thoughts left him in a state of frenzy. "Greg, if you make another move, I'm going to kill her."
As Hugh snarled out those words, the dagger in his hands sliced Abigail's neck and she began to bleed.
Greg's eyes were red with fury. Abigail was the woman that he cherished and protected with his life, but this f*cker wounded her.
"Don't you dare hurt her! If you're a man, then fight me like a man!"
"Why the f*ck would I agree to that? I'm not a fool. That's right, Greg. I'm f*cked up. If I can't get something, I'd rather see it destroyed or see someone else suffering because of it. Here, make the choice. Shall I destroy Abigail, or shall I watch you suffer?"
Abigail finally realized what kind of person Hugh was and her expression grew cold. She did not know why her father's men had not arrived yet, but she did know that she was Greg's weakness.
This was why she did not want Greg to come here in the first place.
Greg was such a proud and unbridled man. She would not stand to see him humiliated by a scumbag like Hugh because of her.
Abigail clenched her jaw and said, "Hugh, I swear, if you do anything to humiliate him, I'm going to kill you myself!"
Hugh felt like she had thrusted a knife into his heart. "Kill me yourself?"
He laughed coarsely before swinging his hand to give Abigail a resounding slap. He hit her so hard that she could taste blood in her mouth, but even so, she glared at Hugh defiantly and spelled it out once again. "That's right. As long as there's still breath in me, I won't give up until I kill you myself."
Greg was pained to see Abigail hurt, and he immediately stopped putting up a fight. "Hugo Romero, what kind of man are you? Come and fight me if you have the balls!"
Abigail's eyes grew a little teary. Why can't this foolish man keep his mouth shut for a moment?
She stared at Greg and huffed, "If you let him humiliate you today, I'll never forgive you! The man that I love needs to be a man who can stand tall without cowering to anyone! If you can't do it, then get lost! Leave and return to Harrion!"
He knew that she was attempting to save him, but he did not need her to do so. Before coming here, he had already made up his mind. If he could not leave with her, then he was going to stay with her. Thankfully, the Buckleys' family line would continue through his two daughters. His mother would surely be able to raise them well too.
All he needed was Abigail.
Greg chuckled in the face of Abigail's fury. "Abigail Kain, not only did you drug me, but you also just raised your voice at me. Do you really think my patience is endless? I'm telling you right now, stop talking, or else, I'll be sure to teach you a lesson after this."
His words sounded threatening, but after hearing them, she felt like crying.