Joshua was laying on the couch in his resting room, and removed the phone from his ear. Just when he was picking up the phone, he wasn’t happy at all, and didn’t understand either.
Abigail put the lunch box carefully on the table, and took them out one by one, saying lightly, “You can eat now.”
The food looked delicious, and it Joshua’s stomach reacted to it. He was actually not that hungry, but when he saw the food, his appetite was stimulated.
“Get me some rice.” He demanded from her.
“Sure.” Abigail smiled apologetic at him, and looked beautiful while doing it.
She put some rice in a bowl, and then stood to the side.
“Sit down and eat with me!” Joshua was acting like a little child, and demanded from her again.
“But…”
Abigail wasn’t feeling very comfortable, she has never eaten with him.
“Hurry up!” Joshua’s mouth was full of food, it was the first time he didn’t look very elegant while eating. He pulled Abigail by her arm, and sat her down on the chair beside him.
Abigail took some rice herself, and then some dishes, and started eating carefully.
Joshua ate as if he hasn’t eaten in days, swallowing his food like an animal, and within just a few minutes, the dishes were cleaned up by him, all that was left was a little juice from the food. He cleaned his mouth, and leaned back satisfied in his chair, relaxing himself.
Abigail hasn’t even eaten half of her own, she noticed that Joshua was staring at her, and all of her appetite vanished, forcing her to put down her bowl.
“Is your stomach that small?”
Abigail’s body stiffened, her face blushed.
“I am full, really.” Even when she was eaten a lot, it was only just a bowl of rice. Life at the Caunter’s house has reduced her appetite a lot. Compared to now, she used to be too busy selling fish at the market, that she had no time to eat at all, which caused her to be really hungry.
Joshua looked away, and turned to lie down again, closing his eyes.
Abigail was happy that he didn’t ask her more about it, and started to clear off the dishes on the table, planning to leave quietly.
“Are you in a hurry?” Joshua had his eyes closed, but he wasn’t asleep, and he was watching her every move.
“Hm?” Abigail stiffened. Her curled hair was resting on her back, but she still didn’t look like Michelle at all. Abigail had a chilly aura on her that Michelle didn’t have, and from her straight back it was visible that Abigail was a strong woman.
Michelle was a soft person, she was listening to anything that Joshua demanded from her, no matter if it was psychologically or physically.
He couldn’t deny, that this woman in front of him was affecting his feelings, and he noticed, that his feelings for Michelle are gradually moving towards Abigail.
This was dangerous! Joshua didn’t feel good at all about this change, and his voice was turning rude.
“Why do you not want the money?”
Abigail stopped. Lambert has already told him about it over phone. And since he already knew, it was better to explain herself to him.
“I only needed 10k, and I will pay it back too.” She told him about her thoughts.
“Why, do you think my money is dirty? It’s going to infect your pretty noble hands?”
Joshua’s voice was not friendly at all, and Abigail didn’t understand why he was so angry.
“You don’t look noble at all, on the contrary, you look poor!” He said to her, wanting to insult her. When he saw the complicated expression on Abigail’s face, her straight stiff body, he felt happiness inside.
This woman was only good on her surface, but inside she was not listening to him, so she needed to learn a lesson.
Abigail was holding a tray with dishes and utensils in her hand, grabbing it tighter, she didn’t understand at all, why he was so angry about a few grand. What was he angry about? Just because she didn’t want his money?
She kept silent, and was still facing her back to him.
This was only adding gas into the fire that was burning inside of Joshua, he took a big step, and was standing behind her, he reached for the tray in her hands, and threw it out, the dishes breaking on the wall.
Abigail was shocked by his movement, her eyes looking at the broken china on the floor.
“You can just…”
She swallowed back the blaming words, and Joshua threw her on the couch.
His face was hardened, moving closer to her, and pressed himself on her.
He grabbed her small hand, and added pressure to it, as if he wanted to break it. When he saw the shock on Abigail’s face, he nodded satisfied, and clenched his teeth.
“You are here to substitute Michelle, do you get that?”
Abigail nodded her head, this she already understood long ago, didn’t she change herself into Michelle already?
“Then you should act like her as well!”
He was so strong, she felt as if her hand was about to break, the sweat was running down her face, and she nodded.
Just like that, she wouldn’t say anything no matter how much it hurt, that was so different than Michelle would have acted.
Joshua threw her once again on the couch, causing her head to spin.
She finally got hold of her own body, she didn’t understand what she had done wrong, but she said, “I will do my best to be like her, but, I still cannot take your money.”
“No!” He replied to her, and took out his phone, “Lambert, take her back!”
Their lunch finished, and Abigail walked out of the office disappointed.
“There are a lot of documents on Michelle in our wedding house, go and find them, then study them well. Next time I see you, I do not want you to be like this again!” He demanded from her dominantly, and Abigail nodded confused.
When Lambert left, he handed her the card again, “Miss Abigail, this is yours.”
“No, this is Mister Caunter’s.” Abigail insisted and shook her head, she had no intention to take the card. Then she left the car without waiting for Lambert’s reply.
The wedding room was an insulting place for her, if she had a choice, she would never set foot in there again.
Her first time was in this room, on that big bed.
Her pain has started in this room.
There were too many traced left from Michelle, except for the big wedding picture that was covering the whole wall, there were other smaller frames of them spread around the room. Michelle was so pretty, smiling on each of them, so happy.
Abigail was wondering, if she was really free of worries, enjoying the limitless love of Joshua, resting in the Caunter’s place.
There were pictures of both of them, where Joshua was hugging her, playing with her hair, just as if she was his pet.
Maybe that’s what he wanted, the feeling of owning a pet.
He needed a woman to listen to him unconditionally, never doubting his words, allowing him to feel his macho pride. Maybe she really didn’t do well enough, she was an independent girl, she didn’t like to be like other girls, laying in a man’s arms, begging for his love, trying to get him to like her.
She didn’t feel good about being like that, and it would never be her own choice.
She was moving through the room, and accidentally knocked over something, which fell on the floor with a sound.
Abigail looked at the pink diary on the floor, it was full of pictures of Joshua, and these pictures were cut out of magazines and newspapers.
So, Michelle must have really loved Joshua, since she even filled her personal belongings with his pictures.
There was a lock on the diary, and it was already rusting, so she didn’t open it for a long time.
Will once taught her how to crack these kind of locks, because she always forgot her keys at home.
This small diary was like a little discovery book for her, it made her want to open and take a look. Abigail found a metal wire, and opened the lock with it.
The diary was filled with words, every entry had a date on it.
Her earliest entry was saying: I don’t know what to do, Jacky has been asking me to pay back his money, but I don’t have any. I don’t dare to tell my parents either, they would know that I am pregnant with someone else’s baby, they would kill me for it! It’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have acted so childish, and earning my own money. I shouldn’t have gone to be a receptionist, and fallen in love with him.
And now, he is gone, he said he was going to marry me. And I fell for it, only god knows, no rich man would marry a receptionist! Those words, are only said in the moment.
Or, just a big lie.
I thought I won a jackpot, but now I am carrying the name of unmarried pregnant lady. How should I ever show my face again?
I didn’t have a choice, but to borrow money from Jacky to get rid of the kid. It was a bastard child, not to be kept! And it was Jacky who has taken me on this road, if I didn’t go to him, I would have no other place to go.
He is asking me for the money again, I haven’t been to work for days, where should I get money now!
Albert’s phone is still shut off, I don’t understand sometimes, why he is not satisfied that a girl like me would agree to be with him!
I am so annoyed, being broke, this is it for me.
Abigail sat down on the floor confused, is this really Michelle’s diary? This was like uncovering a person, who has wrapped herself perfectly in her lies, and now she was leaving everyone stunned and shocked with her mask off.
In her memories, Michelle was a beautiful, soft and innocent person, was it all a lie?
She couldn’t help herself but to keep reading the diary, her face getting paler and paler.
March 15th
Jacky told me today that I didn’t need to pay him back again, and he won’t tell anyone about my pregnancy either. He also said that I don’t need to work again as a receptionist, he is going to take me and meet some rich person, if I can win over his heart, I will be his wife.
Can I do this? This has always been my dream, is it actually going to come true?
I don’t want to be this poor worker anymore, if I can only get close to someone rich, I would to anything!
March 24th
Jacky took me to a place today, the hospital. They have redone my hymen, which makes me actually believe that what he said before is true. Tomorrow, I am going to meet this rich lady, and I will act as her cousin, and enter this rich family.
March 25th
I met the handsome Joshua Caunter, he is a known business man, and I never thought he was still so young.
The rich lady introduced me to him, and said that both my parents were dead, and needed someone to be with me. She said that his sister could befriend me, and she agreed. But he didn’t say a word himself.
The rich lady thought that he wouldn’t want me here, so she didn’t allow me to leave, and forced me to stay here.
The rich lady gave me a folder of documents, on them are details about her family, and about my family, of course my imaginary family. She wants me to learn it all by heart, so that I will be able to answer them when they ask.
And before she left, she warned me that I can attract him, but not love him, because this man is hers.
Well, I should first get settled here.
Abigail heard a light noise, and quickly closed the diary and put it back on the table.