The Abbott I Lost A Betrayal Too Deep to Forgive

Start Reading

I admit it. I'm the other woman!

I, Naomi Harding, came between Wilfred Swanson and Lucretia Fox.

I shouted it at the camera one more time.

Lucretia finally nodded. That take works.

The breath I'd been holding rushed out of me. I grabbed my clothes to cover myself. Can you transfer Wilfred's surgery money now?

Lucretia tossed a stack of cash at me without looking, a sneer curling her lip.

You know what I wonder? If your dad saw this video of you standing there naked calling yourself the other woman, would he pass out again?

My whole body locked up. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

But Wilfred was still lying in the ICU. Every second I wasted was another second of danger.

I steeled myself, bent down, scooped up the scattered bills, and turned to run.

Wilfred laughed behind me. I win the bet, Lucretia.

I froze where I stood.

He draped a coat gently over my shoulders, took my hand, and slid the engagement ring back onto my finger.

Naomi, this was just a bet between me and Lucretia. Congratulations, you passed her test.

Lucretia leaned cozily against Wilfred's shoulder, grinning. Don't be mad, sis-in-law. If you're going to be Wilfred's wife, I had to vet you myself.

She pointed at the cash in my hand. Consider that an early wedding gift.

I let out a soft laugh.

Then I hurled the entire stack of bills straight into Lucretia's face.

Ah!

Lucretia cried out in pain, crumpling boneless into Wilfred's arms.

He rushed to soothe her.

I ignored them both, walked straight to the camera still blinking its red recording light, and smashed it against the floor.

When I was done, I turned to leave.

A hand clamped around my wrist and yanked me back hard.

I looked up into Wilfred's darkened face.

What the hell is wrong with you? Apologize to Lucretia. Now.

I stared at his chest, still rising and falling, and smiled coldly.

Oh, so the heart condition cleared right up, did it?

Wilfred faltered for a second, then tightened his grip on my hand and softened his voice.

Okay, I admit this one went a little far. But Lucretia just wanted one last test of how real your feelings were.

Lucretia hurried over and hooked her arm through Wilfred's, all buddy-buddy loyalty.

Sis-in-law, honestly, don't blame Wilfred. I'm the one who talked him into it.

When I said nothing, she flashed me another smile. If you're still upset, then punish meI won't set foot in your house for the first three days after the wedding.

She paused, blinking playfully. But after that

I cut her off cold before she could finish.

I'm not marrying him.

Wilfred's hand went rigid on my wrist. The smile froze on his face.

He let out a short, bitter laugh and dropped my hand.

Naomi Harding, do you still think you're the untouchable princess of the Harding family?

The state your family is in right now, who else in this world would dare marry you?

Off to the side, Lucretia smirked. Sis-in-law, your family's broke. Just take the money.

She kicked the scattered bills wider on purpose. Besides, you basically just filmed a porno. Think of it as your talent fee.

I was shaking with rage, my eyes locked on Wilfred, voice tight. This test of my feelingswas it your idea?

He raised an eyebrow like it couldn't matter less, voice light as air. Yeah. Lucretia's my buddy. She's family. What's the big deal if she watches?

A laugh escaped me. My vision blurred.

My fingers trembled as I pulled off the ring, dropped it on the floor, and kicked it to Wilfred's feet.

Wilfred Swanson, from this moment on, you and I are nothing.

I turned and walked out.

Just before the door slammed shut behind me, I caught Lucretia's voice, bright with excitement.

Wilfred, why don't we bet on how long it takes her to forgive you this time?

He didn't even bother to look up. You'd lose again.

I took a long breath, didn't look back, and dropped his jacket into a trash can on my way out.

On the drive home, my mother called.

Her voice on the other end was careful, almost fragile.

Nomi, are youhow have you been? You and Wilfred aren't fighting, are you?

I forced a smile into my voice. Everything's fine on my end. You and Dad just take care of yourselves. Don't worry about me.

Nomi, youyou stay on good terms with Wilfred. Don't fight with him.

She paused. When she spoke again, her voice sounded clogged, like something was pressing against her throat.

Last nightthey came again. Your father got so upset he had to be admitted.

Muffled sobs bled through the phone.

The surgerywe're still short on the money.

My chest seized. I steadied my voice to calm her first. I have money. I'll transfer it right now.

After hanging up, I opened Wilfred's contact without thinking.

The last messages were still there. Our engagement photo shoot. All that sweetness.

I stared at the screen, scrolled up and back down, then took a deep breath and dragged him into the blocked list.

I tossed my phone back in my bag and drove as fast as I could toward home.

At the very back of the closet sat a jewelry box I'd never been willing to touch.

A gold bracelet, a gold necklace, a gold ring. Piece by piece, saved a little each month from my paycheck over three years.

I hadn't wanted to embarrass Wilfred. I'd wanted to walk into the marriage looking like I belonged.

None of that mattered now.

I got back to the apartment and reached for the door lock.

The keypad beeped: Incorrect passcode. I froze.

I hadn't entered it wrong.

Then the door shuddered.

Someone had pressed up against it from inside. A second later, voices came through. A man and a woman, low and intimate.

Gentle.

That's too gentle. Press harder.

Don't rush.

The door rattled harder, a woman's stifled gasps layered over a man's heavy breathing.

Something cracked wide open in my chest.

I pounded the door like a woman losing her mind. Wilfred! Open this door!

This is my home! What are you doing in there?!

Silence. One beat.

Then Wilfred's voice, dripping with irritationWhat are you screaming about? Lucretia's back is sore. I'm giving her a massage.

When I'm done, I'll let you in.

Right on cue, Lucretia let out a long, theatrical moan. Naomi, ahh~ Wilfred's hands are amazing.

Fury tore through memy palms shook until they went numb.

Wilfred! Open this door right now!

The only answer was the door shaking even harder.

I clenched my fists and shouted at the doorI'm counting to three. If you don't open up, I'm calling the building manager to break it down.

Three. Two. One. I turned to leave.

The door drifted open. Wilfred leaned against the frame, his expression sated and lazy.

Lucretia peeked out from behind him, smoothing down her rumpled skirt.

Naomi, you couldn't even wait that long? What are you going to do after you're married?

I mean, I am going to be coming over to play with Wilfred all the time.

Wilfred stroked her hair with an indulgent smile.

Why go to all that trouble? Just move in.

I sucked in a breath, swallowed the nausea, and started straight for the bedroom to get the jewelry box.

Something caught my foot and I went down hard, hitting the floor.

I looked down. It was my diary. The one I'd kept since I was a little girl.

The cover was soaked through. The pages were smeared with some unidentifiable liquid, ink bleeding into shapeless stains, the whole thing ruined and scattered across the floor.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. My eyes burned red as I screamed at the two of themWho did this!

Naomi!

Seeing me on the ground, Wilfred's expression shifted. He strode over and reached down to pull me up.

I shook his hand offcoldand asked again, voice sharp enough to cutWho did this?

Lucretia let out a little oh and looked at me, eyes wide with innocence.

Naomi, I flipped through a few pages and figured it was just scrap paper.

I'd just stepped in some water, so I used it to wipe my feet.

Wiped her feet.

Something inside my head snapped clean through.

I lunged, hands outstretched to grab her.

My fingers hadn't even touched her before a brutal force shoved me back.

Wilfred pulled Lucretia into his arms with one hand and slammed the other into my shoulder.

I stumbled, my foot caught on the diary, and a vicious pain shot through my ankle.

Wilfred's face went cold.

Naomi, stop acting like a lunatic!

Lucretia's family to me. What in this house is she not allowed to use?

Pain and fury tangled together until I was shaking, my eyes locked on the arm he had wrapped around Lucretia.

So you still know this is our house?

You let that woman destroy my things and you think that's perfectly fine?

Wilfred's expression didn't change. He cut me off.

Enough!

It's a beat-up notebook. Lucretia wiped her feet with it. So what?

He kicked the soaking diary across the floor like it was trash, voice dripping with impatience.

Besides, all you wrote in there was the same confessions to me over and over. I got sick of reading it ages ago!

The words hit me like a bolt of lightning.

He was the one who told me he felt insecure.

That diary held the entire story of us falling in love. Wilfred didn't believe in grand promises or vows.

He only wanted the small, quiet proof that we'd been real, day after day, page after page.

My gaze dropped to the diary crumpled in the corner.

I could still see the giddy words I'd written the day we got engaged.

And how Wilfred had waited until I was asleep, then snuck a little smiley face onto the page.

I always want to be your little sun.

Lucretia peeked out from behind Wilfred's arm, a half-smile playing on her lips.

Naomi, Wilfred's not your sun. He's not going to revolve around you forever.

A bitter laugh escaped me. I shoved Wilfred out of my way, stumbled to the cabinet on my aching ankle.

Thank God. The jewelry box was still there.

I hugged it to my chest and turned to leave.

I was almost at the door when Wilfred grabbed me.

He looked down at the box in my arms, and the color drained from his face.

Where are you going?

My voice came out flat and dead.

Let go.

Wilfred stared at the jewelry box, something clicking behind his eyes. His lips parted.

Wilfred~

Lucretia suddenly let out a little hiss of pain, her voice turning syrupyWilfred, my back's kind of sore.

He dropped my hand instantly and rushed back to her.

What's wrong? Is your back hurting?

I didn't look back. I held the jewelry box tight and walked out of that house.

At the pawnshop, the owner raised an eyebrow at the box full of gold jewelry.

Looks like wedding gold. How come you're selling it off to me for scrap?

My face was blank. He's dead.

The owner sighed long and low, then transferred the money.

I went straight to the hospital without stopping.

A crowd had gathered outside the room, nurses moving in and out with grim faces.

My heart seized. I pushed through the crowd.

Mom was on the floor, curled into herself, her shoulders shaking in small, silent spasms.

Mom, what happened?

She lifted her head. Her eyes were so swollen they barely opened, and her lips trembled for a long time before she could force out the words.

Nomiit's too late.

The doctor saidthey can't operate anymore.

A roar filled my skull, drowning everything else out.

What do you mean they can't? I got the money. I really got it!

Mom shook her head, tears falling in heavy drops onto the backs of her hands.

Nomigo in and talk to him.

My hands wouldn't stop shaking as I pushed the door open.

On the bed, Dad was so thin he looked like paper.

The moment he saw me, something flickered in his dull eyes, and he struggled to sit up.

Nomi's here

I rushed forward and took his hand. It was skeletal and ice-cold, veins standing out under the skin.

Dad, I'm right here.

He forced a smile, his voice coming in fragments.

Nomi, Dad's sorryI don't think I'll get to see you in a wedding dress.

I held the tears back with everything I had and shook my head, smiling.

Dad, stop talking nonsense. You still have to walk me down the aisle.

He smiled but didn't answer.

His eyes drifted to the side, gesturing for me to hand him his phone.

I passed it over. His fingers trembled as he unlocked it.

Dad's useless. All I managed to leave youis a million dollars.

He caught his breath and squeezed my hand tighter.

From now onif Wilfred ever treats you badly, at least you'll have something to fall back on. You won't have to beg anyone for anything.

My tears finally broke free.

Dad opened his messages, and all the color drained from his face in an instant.

On the screen, I was naked, saying it over and over into the camera

I admit it. I'm the other woman.

I, Naomi Harding, came between Wilfred Swanson and Lucretia Fox.

His fingers went rigid. He jerked his head up to look at me, his lips trembling.

Thiswho did this to you?

His eyes were raw red, his chest heaving violently.

My heart plummeted. I opened my mouth to explain.

His whole body pitched backward and he collapsed flat onto the bed.

The heart monitor let out a single, piercing wail.

I tore out of the room screamingDoctor! Doctor!

The hallway erupted into chaos. Nurses sprinted past me pushing a crash cart.

I slid down the wall, my whole body shaking so hard I couldn't stop.

And then, from the far end of the corridor, I heard a familiar laugh.

See? What did I tell you?

Wilfred held up his phone, voice dripping with self-satisfaction. I post one little update and she comes running like a trained dog.

Lucretia doubled over laughing, nodding again and againFine, fine, fine. You win this round.

Wilfred raised an eyebrow, smugShe can't live without me.

I stood frozen, nails digging hard into my palms.

I couldn't take it anymore. I lunged forward and grabbed Lucretia by the collar, ripping her out of Wilfred's arms.

Ah! She shrieked.

I locked my eyes on her, bloodshot and burningWho told you to send that video to my father?

Lucretia stumbled from the force of my grip, but she was still smiling.

Ow, sis, you're hurting me.

She wrenched my hand off, her tone light, almost bored.

I just wanted to help your dad build up a little resilience.

Your family used to be so high and mighty. Can't even handle this much?

She tilted her head, her smile deepening.

A few more shocks and his tolerance will go way up. Then your family can have its glory days back, right?

I lost it. The fire in my chest felt like it would burn straight through me.

Resilience? Do you have any idea he's about to

Enough!

Wilfred cut me off cold, the way you'd scold a child.

This was my idea too.

I whipped around and stared at him, unable to believe what I'd just heard.

There wasn't a trace of guilt on his face. If anything, he looked amused.

The truth is, I was pretending to be broke the whole time.

He shrugged, like it was nothing.

Your family losing everythingI had people make that happen, too.

A roar filled my ears, and then I couldn't hear anything at all.

Wilfred stepped closer, looked down at me, eyes brimming with satisfaction.

Dating you was too boring, Naomi. Too easy.

I had to see just how deep your love for me really went, didn't I?

I stood there and listened to every word. Then I laughed.

Doubled over laughing, tears hitting the floor one by one.

Wilfred watched me fall apart and his lips curved upward, pleased, his voice unhurriedSo you really can't live without me.

He fished a pair of rings from his pocket like an afterthought and dropped to one knee.

Fine, then. I guess I'll do you the favor of keeping you.

Lucretia immediately started clapping and cheering, grinning wideMarry him! Marry him!

But I couldn't hear any of it.

The world had gone mute. I just kept walking, a hollow body moving forward.

Behind me, Lucretia's laughterSee? She's totally running off to tell her parents the good news!

Wilfred's voice was lazy, dripping with certaintyGive it a minute. She'll come right back.

Half an hour passed. I didn't come back.

Wilfred couldn't wait any longer and went to find me.

Up ahead, a crowd had gathered.

The operating room doors swung open hard.

The doctor pulled down his mask and looked aroundWho's the family of Oliver Harding?

Wilfred's heart lurched. His feet stopped moving.

He rushed forward. I am, doctor!

The doctor looked at him, face graveI'm sorry. We did everything we could.

Mr. Harding didn't pull through.

Clack.

The ring box slipped from Wilfred's hand and hit the floor.