Chapter 78: Realization

Abby’s POV

I chomped down on my cookie.

I swallowed, clicking down the folder on my laptop and started typing. I wasn’t really in the mood for going out for lunch, so I bought a cookie from the café downstairs and ate it inside my office.

I wasn’t allowed to eat here.

It was my first day back, and I wasn’t ready to see any of the men here. I remained inside my office for the past three hours and trouble wasn’t finding me yet.

He hasn’t entered my office yet.

I knew that he was here, just beside my room since his office was connected with mine. I didn’t know why he wasn’t showing up in front of my door, I just assumed that he was busy or something.

The door flew open.

I froze, cookie in hand and half eaten.

Someone entered my room, if they saw me eating here then I'll be dead afterwards.

“ That cookie looks delicious.”

I looked up, seeing Parker in front of my desk. He had his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes looking down on me as I remained in my seat.

I cringed, shoving the cookie to my mouth before wiping my hand with a tissue.

“ Sorry, I didn’t want to go outside so I just grabbed a cookie downstairs.”

I shrugged, continuing to type on my keyboard. Parker sat down on one of the chairs, his eyes lingering to mine as I worked.

“ Aren’t you afraid he’ll find you here?”

He shrugged, bangs sweeping to his eyes as he stared at me. “ Not at all”

“ Don’t you have any work to do?”

“ As a member of the management team? There aren’t any current projects to handle right now. The meeting got delayed and it’ll be set for tomorrow”

“ Oh.”

I looked down, suddenly wanting for him to get out of my room. He was here for answers, and I wasn’t ready to give it to him just yet.

“ So, how was yesterday?”

I bit my lip, the anxiety flowing back to the pits of my stomach. I was aware that he was eyeing  me cautiously, his eyes into slits as I racked my brain for an excuse.

Come on, there’s got to be something.

I sighed, slacking my shoulders purposely. “ I would love to talk right now, but I’ve got tons of work to do. Dave will get pretty upset if I don’t finish this by today”

He rose to his feet, his eyes glancing to my laptop and to me. He took a cautious step next to me, his head near my shoulder as he observed the screen in front of me.

“ It doesn’t look like it’ll take you long to copy and paste. The files you need to re type can be found on the website. It’s just basic”

I jerked my hands away from the keyboard, suddenly feeling clammy.

Why can’t I make an excuse without getting caught lying?

He sat back down, hand reaching out to a piece of paper on my table.

“ Don’t try and push me away, Abby. I just want to know what happened yesterday. I heard quite a lot from the rumors that’s been spreading.”

He found out, he knew all along.

Then why did he come to me when he knew the answers all along?

“ Look, I know what you’re thinking” He started, leaning forward and clasping his hands together.

“ I may have heard about the rumors, but that doesn’t mean that I believe them” He looked me straight in the eye as he spoke.

“ I just wanted to know if its true.”

I averted my eyes, trying not to let the guilt show through my gaze. His stare was piercing my gut, the way his eyes pleaded for me to say the truth made my mind grow fuzzy.

My lips parted, trying to speak and to explain when the door was abruptly opened.

Parker looked back, his back faced to me as he eyed the man on the door.

“ What do you want?”

He smiled, his eyes glancing to me before returning to Parker. “ I need to speak with Abby for a moment”

“ And why’s that?”

He gritted his teeth, suddenly impatient. “ You don’t have to know everything Parker.”

“ How did you even get in? You don’t work here. Do you want me to call security?”

“ There you go again, you guys really hate each other.” I interfered, my eyes hard on both of them as they turned to me.

“ Yes, we do” Parker answered, glaring at me for interrupting. I felt small in my seat, feeling embarrassed.

“ We were talking here, and you were rude enough to interrupt Charles.”

“ Well I didn’t know that you work here.”

“ Stop trying to change the topic” Parker stood, his eyes glancing to me for a moment.

“ Let’s cut the bullshit. You were with Abby yesterday right?” Parker asked, walking closer to Charles.

Charles hesitated, his eyes found mine as he backed away from the man heading towards him.

His eyes were pleading me, as if telling me to stop Parker from interrogating him further.

And I did.

I rose from my chair, scurrying to Parker and pulling him away from Charles. “ That’s enough Parker”

He jerked his hands away, eyes narrowed as he looked at me. “ And now you’re defending this guy over me?”

“ I didn’t say that”

“ It looks like you do, Abby. You haven’t even answered my question”

I glanced to Charles, trying to apologize through my stare. “ It’s something you shouldn’t t know about”

“ And why shouldn’t I?”

“ Because it’s between me and her”

I froze, the voice coming from behind me. Parker looked at my side, his eyes wide and his eyebrows raised in realization.

“ Oh my god you’re ali-“

“ Alive? Yes I am Mister Hemington”

So Parker’s last name was Hemington? It kind of suits him.

Then it dawned to me, Parker didn’t know that he was alive.

Dave sauntered to us, his smirk visible as he looked at me.

I knew how Parker was going to react, and it was going to sound loud.

Parker screamed.