Not One, But Two!

Chapter 212

What lay within the secret chamber took Abigail by surprise, for there was nothing in here save for a photo.

It was a wedding photo, or rather, it was a photo taken right outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. Upon closer inspection, Abigail saw that the people in the picture were none other than Philip and Adeline.

Didn't he say he had no photos of her? Is he so dead-set on preventing me from looking for her? Why? If he truly hated her parents as much as he said he did, then surely Abigail's presence would only torture them more than anything else, and it was unlikely he would pass up the chance to rub salt in their wounds.

Unable to explain the workings of her father's twisted mind, Abigail shrugged this off and went on to take a picture of the photo.

Adeline was a beauty back in the day, certainly more so than Stanley's drawing had made her out to be. However, anyone could tell from the photo that she had not been happy. The smile on her lips looked forced and did not reach her eyes. In fact, the camera seemed to have done an excellent job capturing her bitter resentment.

Abigail saved the picture she took into a specific album and began rummaging around. She frowned when she found no traces of the poison Quinn told her about, and she wondered if she had been sent on a wild goose chase.

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door of the study. She had yet to leave the chamber when she heard Emma whine, "Dad, Abigail went into your study to snoop around! I don't know what she's up to, and she locked the door to keep me out!"

Emma played the pity card. Abigail snorted at the award-worthy performance and thought it a shame that her sister did not invest in a good performing arts school. What a waste of raw talent, she mused.

Outside, Philip panicked when he heard that Abigail had gone into his study. He quickly unlocked the door and stormed in, only to see her sauntering out nonchalantly from the secret chamber behind the bookshelf. At this sight, he barked grimly, "Who the hell let you in?"

Behind him, Emma was trying to peer past his shoulder to see what Abigail had done to warrant a harsh scolding from their father, but before she could get a look, she was shoved aside. The door slammed shut in her face, and her nose would have been flattened had she not stepped back in time.

"Dad!" she cried, stomping her foot angrily. Yet, Philip couldn't care less about her right now. He was like a skittish cat with all his fur standing up as he snapped, "Who let you in?!"

Abigail knew that this was her father's sore point, but she didn't care that she would aggravate him as she asked, "You said you didn't have any photos of my mom, so what was that I saw back in the chamber? Don't tell me it's you and Sasha in that wedding photo," she drawled icily, cutting to the chase.

"Get out!" Philip roared, sweeping the things off his desk and onto the floor. As the loud clattering filled the room, the look on his face grew insidious and violent.

Abigail knew precisely why he had gone ballistic on her. She eyed him steadily and said, "I'll leave as soon as my questions are answered. I don't know what deal you made with Quinn, but where did you get the poison you gave him? Do you even know what you're getting involved in? You supplied poison to a man who has his eyes set on the Reeves' business and fortune! Are you trying to start a war with the Reeves?"

The Philip she knew was without sentiment, always a cutthroat businessman whose greedy and selfish ways made him see everyone as a pawn in his chess game. As such, she couldn't help wondering what he was getting up to and what he stood to gain from waging war against the Reeves while the Kains were in the midst of a downfall.

At the mention of Quinn's name, Philip froze as he started to connect the dots, then asked, "You were the one who cured Quinn's wife of the poison and messed with his plans?"

"That's right.'

of trash!" With that, Philip brought his palm down to strike

he seethed in rage as he snapped, "How dare

so stupid as to think that I would just stay in place and let you slap me, can you? What's going on

but he clearly thought the opposite. In fact, he had been defensive and hostile

you going to gamble away the

all he did was stare at her wordlessly. "Get out," he finally growled, but he did not sound as malicious as

knew she

Adeline, he still loved her, and never forgot about her. Right now, he was putting the entire Kain

years of being cutthroat and calculative were just so he could amass enough power and money to take on her birth father; maybe everything he had done in the last twenty-something years was for the

Is that it?

he had for her. Even if he finds her, she might not want to return with him. What will he do then? Suddenly, sadness filled Abigail. She had come here

had, and his rage ebbed away when he drew the parallels. "Sasha was the one who gave it to

did she

yourself if you're so curious. Now, get out of here; I don't want to see you." He grimaced at her and

as she offered, "You know that old illness of yours that acts up every once in a

thanks," he said primly, turning her down. "It

all, she could always knock him out when the time came and strap him to the operation table for surgical treatment. She was still legally his daughter at the

then. The Reeves are keeping an eye on Quinn now, so I don't think you can continue dealing with him. But, you know, you're not getting any younger, and while I hate Sasha's guts, I still think she's been a good companion to you. So, it might do you well to spend the rest

which led her to resent him. But now that she knew he was only her uncle and that he had taken care of her all these years despite it, she

business is none of your concern. Get out!" Philip barked frigidly, and his voice was entirely

not stay. Instead, she turned to leave, but just as her fingers were about to touch the doorknob, she heard him ask, "What's going on between you and Greg anyway? Why are the Buckleys' men crawling

of showing me he cares about me? She dared not indulge in such a thought while

high standards, and they give you a hard time after you marry into their family. But, if it gets too unbearable, you can always come home. We'll always have

of Philip's mouth, and she couldn't help the warmth that coursed

she was a child, the one thing she craved the most was kinship. She wanted to know what it was like to be loved by her own family, but she ended up being hurt by them instead. After that, she stopped dreaming of the

that they would always have a room here in the Kain Residence for her was more than she could ask

be fine," she said quietly, then opened

her come home. The both of them could not enter the study, so they huddled together in the living room to discuss something in hushed tones. When Sasha saw Abigail coming down the stairs, she stood up from the couch and demanded,