Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 365: Chapter 365

Upon hearing Abigail's words, I froze, unable to move, my gaze fixed on her. My mind went blank, except for the pounding of my heart in my chest, as though it might burst through my ribs. My blood seemed to freeze in an instant, and I felt as if I had been plunged into an icy abyss.
She lifted her head, her piercing gaze fixed on me with a hint of contempt, her smile sending a chill down my spine.
"What are you talking about?" I forced myself to suppress the panic and anger rising within me. My voice was barely audible, low and laced with a warning. My hands instinctively clenched into fists at my sides.
Abigail, however, seemed not to have heard me at all. She paid no attention to the anger visible on my face. She spoke slowly and deliberately with a slight chin tilt, "Wasn't what I just said clear enough?"
She paused momentarily, her voice carrying a hint of regret as she emphasized each word. "Angela is dead. Do you think the Adams Group will still exist if Marvin also dies?"
As soon as her words fell, I gripped Abigail's wrist tightly, staring at her intently. Through clenched teeth, I coldly demanded, "Who told you Angela is dead?"
The news of Angela's death had been tightly sealed, with very few people knowing about it. How could Abigail have gotten hold of this information?
My first thought was Yvonne, but she was always sharp and would never be foolish enough to spread such information. Besides her, there was only one other person who could know about Angela's death — the mastermind behind this tragedy, the true culprit who had killed her.
The thought sent a cold sweat down my back. Abigail hadn't anticipated my sudden outburst. A brief flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, quickly followed by a deep sense of fear. Her body instinctively recoiled, and perhaps my unusual reaction triggered some unpleasant memories, causing her pale face.
I leaned in closer to her, lowering my voice to a harsh whisper by her ear, my words dripping with menace. "Who told you to speak nonsense in front of me?"
Abigail pressed her lips together, her gaze locking with mine, heavy with intent. "Laurel, I'm not your enemy."
"Oh?" I scoffed, releasing Abigail's wrist. My voice faltered as I added, "But I haven't forgotten what you've done to me."
Abigail furrowed her brow, gently lifting her injured wrist. She let out a soft sigh, her eyes filled with helplessness as she lowered her gaze. A self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I used to dislike you, after all. You stole the person Samantha liked and scarred my face."
She paused for a moment, then lifted her gaze to meet mine. "But I know someone tampered with my ointment. It was you who had someone help treat my face injury."
I froze for a moment. After I had injured Abigail's face, I learned that her wound hadn't healed for a long time. However, I knew what I was doing when I did it—it was just a superficial cut. Although it bled quite a bit, the injury itself wasn't severe, and there was no reason for it to take so long to heal.
So I had someone take a look at it. That was when I discovered that someone had been tampering with the ointment, adding something to it, which was why Abigail's face hadn't healed.
"I just didn't want you to make trouble for me," I said frankly. If Abigail had disfigured her face, there was no doubt she would never let it go. She had a troublesome mother, Carolina, who would complicate things.
Abigail sighed, lowering her gaze as her expression darkened slightly. "Someone told me that Angela was dead, so I went to investigate. I didn't expect it to be true, but I haven't told anyone about it."
"So, you want to marry Marvin because you think the Adams Group will be his?" I shot Abigail a contemptuous glance. She quickly shook her head, looking as though she was about to say something but held back.
"Since you don't want to speak, I don't have the time to waste with you," I said, leaving.
"That's not it," Abigail suddenly spoke up. She pressed her lips together, looking up at me as she quietly said, "My family wants me to get married, and it has to be someone from the same social standing. I have no choice."
I paused for a moment, taken aback. Abigail was the eldest daughter of the Cole family. If she had wanted to get married, she wouldn't have been in such a rush, and there had been plenty of wealthy heirs in Nifelheim City to choose from. So why, then, had she fixated on Marvin?
Abigail noticed the confusion in my eyes and quickly spoke up, "If I don't get married, the Cole family might become the next Brown family."
I furrowed my brows, confused. "How could that be?"
Abigail gave a wry smile. "My dad's company ran into a financial crisis and desperately needs much money to fill the gap. He's been completely exhausted these past few days, and his hair has become much grayer."
I pressed on, "Why not get a loan from the bank? Banks offer services for business operations and cash flow issues, don't they?"
Abigail shook her head weakly, a few strands of hair falling from behind her ear. "The bank rejected us. There was an investment failure before, and we lost several million in one go. The bank assessed the risk as too high and refused to lend us anything."
I paused momentarily, then asked, "What about the Harvey family? They shouldn't just stand by and do nothing in a situation like this."
Abigail's bitter smile deepened. "The Harvey family is in trouble too. Their internal finances are in turmoil, and they can't even care for themselves, let alone help us."
Upon hearing this, my heart sank. The Cole and Harvey families were prominent and well-established, and now they were both falling into hardship. It felt like some invisible hand was pulling the strings behind it all.
It seemed someone was trying to dismantle the foundation of Nifelheim City completely. That was a well-laid trap. Suddenly, thoughts of the Adams Group flooded my mind, and relief washed over me.
I was glad I had made sure the Adams Group and the Herrera family signed the cooperation plan in advance. Otherwise, right now, who knew what might have happened. But quickly, unease crept in. The Adams Group might also have hidden risks, yet Jamilah hadn't mentioned anything to me.
Abigail grabbed my arm, her eyes filled with urgency and helplessness. "That's why I'm asking for your help. I know you can speak with Jamilah.
"I don't want to marry that older man who's almost the same age as my dad. If I can marry Marvin and secure the Adams family's support, the Cole family can get back on its feet."
I stared at her in shock. Abigail, who the Cole family had always pampered, never imagined she would one day become a sacrifice for her family's interests.
I pulled my arm back forcefully and spoke frankly, "Even if you marry Marvin, it's not guaranteed you'll get what you want. Over the years, Michael has relied on Jamilah to handle things. Now that they're divorced, Michael won't invest a penny if Jamilah disagrees."
The light in Abigail's eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly looked at me almost pleadingly. "That's why I'm asking you. I know Jamilah treated you like her daughter. Please, talk to her for me. I'm willing to do anything to save the Cole family."
I stared at her intensely, silent for a long while, before slowly speaking. "I'll help you, but it's not to marry Marvin, but Isaac."
"You're asking me to marry your brother?" Abigail was stunned.