Abigail’s Second Life (Abigail Quinn)

Chapter 789 For Him

As soon as Abigail had finished showering, Andrew was still engrossed in watching anime.

"Let Josh help you shower when you want to. Your shoulder injury isn't fully healed yet, so you shouldn't get it wet, alright?" She walked over to him and said with concern.

Andrew nodded, then quickly realized. "But my dad can help me."

"Cut the old man some slack. He's pushing eighty. There was no one around before, so we can't let him bear this burden now." She sighed.

"Got it. I'll follow your lead," he replied before turning his attention back to the screen.

Abigail sat down beside him, half-heartedly watching the anime while absentmindedly scrolling through her phone.

Despite breaking up with Sean, she couldn't bring herself to contact him, even though he hadn't blocked her on WhatsApp.

She wrestled with the desire to reach out to him, but the knowledge that he had a girlfriend now held her back. She couldn't bring herself to be a homewrecker.

"Dinner's ready!" Scarlett suddenly called out.

"Look at you, still glued to the screen even when it's time to eat, and you haven't showered." Abigail scolded Andrew as she stood up. Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

Andrew continued to stare at the TV. "But your TV is so big and clear, and the colors are amazing. I can't bear to leave it to go shower."

"You'll have plenty of chances to watch later. Go eat first," Abigail said and wheeled him toward the dining room.

"Wait, pause, pause the TV!" Andrew yelled.

Josh helped him out.

During dinner, Lawrence looked around and then turned to Scarlett beside him. "Our daughter's demeanor has changed. She's become colder and a bit fiercer, and not as gentle as before."

"After being outside for so long, it's bound to happen." Abigail didn't argue.

Everyone was saying she had changed. The outside world did have a way of molding a person.

"Let's eat," Josh said with a tinge of sympathy and thought to himself, Being out there alone and having to rely solely on herself, it's no wonder she has changed.

He had searched, too, but each time, he came up empty-handed.

The ocean was vast. Without Sean's involvement, who knew how long it would take to find her?

…

After dinner, Josh wheeled Andrew into the elevator and headed upstairs.

Andrew was no longer surprised by the elevator because he had taken one at the airport.

Upon entering the room, Josh closed the door behind them and guided him into the bathroom. As he filled the bathtub with water, he couldn't help but ask Andrew, "How did you guys end up getting taken by Simond?"

Andrew thought for a moment, then earnestly recounted the events that led to their initial upheaval.

After he finished, Josh's eyes reddened. "If it weren't for her resourcefulness, you guys might not have made it back?"

"Probably. When we left, we took advantage of the chaos, but I had a feeling it was Simond who brought us back. And there's been some internal conflicts in the Simpson Family. Three brothers and a sister—there's definitely a traitor among them." Despite his childlike demeanor, Andrew could spot the hidden conflicts within the family.

They hadn't spent much time together, but Andrew had observed the Simpson brothers and their sister closely.

"Internal conflicts can sometimes work in your favor. Without it, you guys might not have made it back." Josh wasn't about to sympathize with Simond's situation.

Andrew sighed. "A lot of people died."

They had been forced to fight, and blood had stained their hands.

"That's not on you," Josh reassured him.

"I know. We had to fight to survive. But your TV is huge. Can you wash me up quickly? I'm not sleepy yet. That's why I want to watch TV a bit longer." Andrew's thoughts lingered on the events, but he wasn't dwelling on sadness.

"Sure. Don't you have a TV back home?" Josh lifted him from the wheelchair and settled him beside the bathtub.

"Yeah, but it's nowhere near this size. Your TV's like a giant wall, and the picture quality is unreal," Andrew exclaimed with exaggerated gestures. "They say Eswadia got all sorts of advanced stuff, and it seems they're right."

"You mean to say you've been cooped up in your house all this time, and you never stepped out?" Josh still couldn't wrap his head around it. How could someone reach their thirties or forties without seeing the world outside? Wouldn't that drive them insane?

"Yeah, I couldn't really get out, and since I never saw anything beyond my home as a kid, I didn't have much to look forward to," Andrew replied calmly.

If one has never seen the light, one will learn to cope with the darkness, Josh mused.

Josh helped him out of his clothes.

Andrew had a scar on his chest, which looked pretty deep, and another on his shoulder. It was still fresh with a thick, dark scab.

"That must've been painful," Josh remarked.

"Yeah, they hurt every time. I got this one while shielding Miss Quinn. I figured if my leg healed, I wouldn't slow them down when they needed me," Andrew said softly.

"Don't worry; you're safe here in Eswadia," Josh reassured him, gently guiding him into the warm bathtub.

Andrew eased into the bathtub and felt all the tension leaving his body. "Ah, this is pure bliss."

"A good bath tonight will lead to a good night's sleep," Josh said with a smile.

No wonder Abigail was fiercely protective of him. It was because he had shielded her with his own body from those bullets.

But what if... What if he hadn't been there? Would Abigail have lost her life?

The thought sent a chill down Josh's spine. Unbeknownst to him, his sister had come dangerously close to losing her life in a foreign land.

…

At night, Abigail tossed and turned about in her bed, but she couldn't sleep. So, she slipped out of bed, still dressed, and tiptoed out of the room.

Afraid of disturbing anyone, she didn't even turn on the lights and moved through the darkness guided by the soft glow of moonlight spilling in through the window.

Suddenly, a gentle voice came from the direction of the dining room, "Can't sleep?"

Abigail jumped and turned around to look.

Josh hadn't expected her to be so sensitive. He quickly spoke up to reassure her, "It's me. Don't be afraid."

He closed the refrigerator and turned on the lights in the dining room. The room was instantly illuminated, and his worried expression was revealed.

Abigail finally relaxed. She took a step toward the dining room and asked, "Why aren't you sleeping either?"

Josh was wearing dark blue loungewear, and his hair was disheveled. He had clearly just come down as well.

Upon hearing this, he raised the wine glass in his hand toward her and said, "I couldn't sleep. Want a drink?"

Abigail took a seat and rubbed her aching temples. "Sure."

Josh grabbed another glass and some tools, quietly mixing up a fancy cocktail. He slid it over to her. "I just learned this one. It's not too strong, perfect for a lady like you. Give it a try."

She watched him with half of her face propped up and felt pleasantly surprised by the attention he was giving.

In her mind, Josh was indeed a gentle brother, but his thoughtfulness usually extended to more significant matters, and he rarely paid attention to such trivial matters.