Abel, with a cold look in his eyes, questioned, âWhat concern is it of yours?â
Unknown to anyone, Abel and Emmeline were actually in their respective bedrooms.
Alana persisted, âIt matters a great deal! You and Emmeline are family; you canât be together!â
Annoyed, he abruptly rose from his seat, seized her by the neck, and forcefully moved her away from the office desk. Iâve never encountered such a repulsive woman like you!â
Unwilling to back down, she protested. âDid I say something inappropriate? You and her canât marry!â
Abel, clenching his teeth, hurled Alana onto the couch. âShould you ever utter words that besmirch Emmaâs reputation, I will ensure you regret it!â
Once she had left, Luca brought Emmeline back.
âAbel, Luca addressed him. âScott informed me of a social event tonight and expects your attendance.â
Abel furrowed his brows, âWhen did this come up?â
âJust moments ago, at the company entrance, Emmeline interjected on Lucaâs behalf. âMr. Yendall mentioned that some city officials will be in attendance.â
âIn that case, Iâll give him a call. Abel remarked, reaching for his phone to dial Scottâs number.
âSome city leaders specifically requested a visit,â Scott said. âYou just need to make an appearance.â
âAlright!â Abel nodded. âIâll go later. He had intended to stay with Emmeline and witness her savor a delightful meal, but now those plans were dashed Soon, he headed over to Sofiaâs.
Emmeline found herself dining alone. While halfway through her meal, her phone began to ring. It was Hannah calling.
Emmeline answered, âHannah.â
âEmma!â Hannah inquired, âWhere are you?â
After hearing this question, Emmeline couldnât shake off her growing unease. Iâm at the Ryker Group company. Whatâs going on?â
âWhereâs Abel?â
âHe went out to cat, Emmeline replied.
âMom wants you to come back,â Hannah added quickly. âHurry, the family is waiting for you!â
Emmeline hesitated, feeling like it was the end of the world. âWhy should I go back?â
âCome back, and weâll talk, Hannah reassured her. âDonât worry; Mom is fine!â
After ending the call, Emmeline couldnât help but feel her heart tighten. Her mother had asked her to return home because of two men, Albus and Abel, and even though she didnât want to, she couldnât disobey.
However, at this late hour, there were no more buses available.
Since Abel was still at the social event, Emmeline used the spare key to the Santana car. Despite not having a driverâs license, she was familiar with driving thanks to Abel, who had taught her multiple times. She quickly changed into sportswear, rushed downstairs, and found the car parked in its usual spot. It was her first time driving alone on the road.
She was a bit uncertain as she started the car. She recalled how he had taught her to drive, and one thing she always struggled with was remembering the gears. Each time she shifted gears, she found it hard to determine which one she was in and was too anxious to glance down.
She finally asked, âWhat gear am I in?â
He confirmed the gear and provided her with the information.
A while later, she inquired again. âWhat gear am I in?â
He checked once more and told her.
This happened three times, and then he realized he was being teased. âDo you need to hire someone to assist you with gear changes in the future? Canât you manage shifting gears and keeping track of them alone?â
Emmelineâs journey to mastering gear shifting began with Abel allowing her to take the wheel during their frequent trips between the city and Altney Steel. As they experimented, it became evident that no matter what, she couldnât progress beyond third gear. This quirk earned her the affectionate nickname âThird Gear Em. Recalling these formative driving experiences, she couldnât help but smile.
Her reverie was interrupted as she reached the Kink Steel intersection, the dark evening sky contrasting with her watchâs display, which read 7:20 pm. As she momentarily glanced at the time, the steering wheel veered off course, sending the car toward the roadside.
Panicked, she quickly regained control of the wheel, but it was too late. The car collided with a middle-
aged couple waiting for a cab at the side of the road.:
Emmeline slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt. She shed out of the vehicle, her face drained of color, and anxiously inquired, âAre you both okay? Did I hit you?â
The middleâaged woman reproached her, saying, âYoung lady, you must drive more responsibly! You could have hit us!â