Abel was Jamesâ savior. Abel had pulled him from the looming shadows across the street.
James Hudson, a former mercenary who had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt five years prior, found sanctuary in Centennial. It was Abel who, by a chance encounter, had saved his life, leading James to adopt a lowâkey existence as a merchant specializing in audio and video products.
Beneath this seemingly ordinary facade, he discreetly maintained his involvement in the black market arms trade through his previous connections.
Abel and James seldom crossed paths. Their interactions were limited. However, the current predicament involving Emma left Abel grappling for a solution.
âAre you sure you want to go through with this?â James inquired.
âI canât simply stand by and watch the person I love suffer most, Abel replied. I have no other choice.â
âIn light of you saving my life,â James assured. âI wonât accept a single cent from 200,000. I pledge to manage it discreetly and without a trace.â
âAgreed!â Abel nodded. â200,000, Iâll deliver it to you later.â
After their discussion, Abel said his goodbyes and exited Jamesâ shop.
James did not see him off.
As Abel approached his car, he noticed a familiar figure passing by. Curious, he turned around and caught sight of a wolf tattoo on the personâs left arm.
At that moment, Abelâs memory racedâa person of average build, strong, and with a wolf tattoo on the left armâit could only be Diesel.
The same Diesel had once abducted Emmeline and faced a severe beating from Abel and Benjamin.
Abel couldnât help but wonder why Diesel was here. Did he also have a connection to James?
Deciding to postpone getting into his car, Abel purchased a bottle of mineral water from a nearby shop.
As he took a sip, he discreetly used the bottle to partially obscure his face while watching Diesel enter Jamesâ audio and video store.
After discussing her employee training matters with Vernon, Emmeline hailed a cab and headed straight. to the driving school to complete her registration.
Returning home around live or six in the evening, she noticed Abel had thoughtfully prepared dinner. It consisted of several vegetarian dishes and the fragrant oatmeal that he knew she would enjoy.
Putting on an apron, he embraced her, playfully spun her around, then gently placed her back on the ground and affectionately ruffled her hair. âYouâve had a busy day, babe. Letâs savor this meal while itâs still She looked into his eyes and suddenly sensed that his smile concealed something. She inquired, âYou appear to have something on your mind. Is there something youâre not telling me?â
Chuckling, Abel replied, âWhere did you get that idea? Production is going smoothly, orders are pouring in, and I couldnât be happier.â
âIs that so Emmeline felt reassured, believing his explanation was more than sufficient.
His thoughts, though, were centered on a single focus. Why worry about anything else? Spending two hundred thousand to deal with Albus ensures Aunt Kimberlyâs peace of mind, and Emma will forever be my cherished treasure. No one can ever take her away.
She inquired. âWhen are you planning to visit Sandwell? I need to collect the goods.â
He assisted her in pulling out a chair and replied, âLetâs review the schedule for next week. I need to make a stop at your school first.â
Glancing at the calendar, Emmeline realized ten days remained until school resumed. It dawned on her that Abel would likely handle something on her behalf. A shadow crossed her mind, and she sighed, âItâs been two months since Ms. Ysabel went missing, and thereâs been no word.
He set the utensil on the table and said. If someoneâs been missing for two months, the chances of them still being alive are next to none.
She shivered and added. âI hope to see her once school starts. What crime has she committed that she must dieââ
While Emmeline was referring to Ysabel, it sounded to Abel like she was talking about Albus. His hand holding the fork quivered slightly.
The following day, Luca drove Emmeline to RetroWave Advertisements.
Janie and Tony had scheduled their wedding for the coming month.
Tony expressed his gratitude, saying, âThanks to Abel for letting us use the apartment. I wouldnât have known how to arrange everything.â
Emmeline smiled and said, âThe company has provided us with a dormitory. Abel spends his nights in the workshop, overseeing operations.â
âAt this rate, Ryker Group is on its way to becoming a successful private enterprise.â
She acknowledged, âThe pressure is indeed high. We canât afford to let up regarding orders, quality, and safety. Abel frequently sacrifices sleep to ensure everything runs smoothly.â
âAbel wields strong control, Tony reassured. âYou can trust him!
âHeâs assertive and determined. She chuckled. âIâll keep my distance from him.â
âThatâs no good, Tony quipped. If youâre not around, Abel predicts endless rainy days!â
Emmeline blushed at his commment.
The phone rang, and Sam was calling.
Emmeline quickly picked up. âSam?â
âEmma, are you available?â Samâs tone was uncertain.
âWhatâs the matter? Emmeline inquired.
âWell⦠itâs about⦠Albus, he wants to speak with you.â
Emmeline was left speechless and puzzled, âAlbus?â