CHAPTER 88: WHAT AGAIN?

Abi walked in with her husband after a hard day’s work in the Mush household.

"Is my baby back?" Abram asked, making Abi roll her eyes.

"She is a grown adult capable of taking care of herself. Why do you insist on babying her into remaining a baby?"

"You’re just jealous, but you know that you’ll always occupy the number one position in my heart, right?"

He shot love hearts at her. Abi scoffed and turned from him towards the stairs, a smile playing on her lips.

Abi could vaguely hear the response to Abram,

"Yes sir, Miss Brianna is back already and in her room, but she doesn’t look to be in a good mood s-"

Abi sighed and turned towards Brianna’s room at the landing instead of going into theirs as she had initially intended.

Just before she had arrived home with her husband, they had been talking about that conversation he had had with Alex Thornston a while back.

"You’ve still not heard back from Alex on this?"

"Not yet, unfortunately, Abi. It’s a little difficult to walk up to him and ask about this. I know our business is in a good place, which was why he might have even given me the audience last time. I’m afraid our efforts might have gone down the drain already. Alex is very proactive and would have told Geneva this that same day. If they have taken no action and given us an answer by now, then I’m afraid, my dear, we may have an issue on our hands."

"You really think so?" Abi had asked thoughtfully.

"Then I guess I have to step in."

"I don’t know why Brianna will not consider the second son, Brad."

"Who? That one? He’s too wild for her to handle. Also, his womanizing ways are too much. I know it will benefit us either way but I, at least want my daughter to be happy and if Ian Thornston is what will achieve that for our only daughter, then that is what we will do. If this is too much for us to do for our daughter, then I don’t know what getting all this money and power was for!"

"But Abi honey, it’s the Thornston’s we are referring to here. They are enough to wipe us out. We are nothing but ants in their eyes."

"How did you even become the man of our home if you are this timid, Abram?"

"How else would I get you to lead and boss me around? I love it when you take charge." He winked at her, and Abi shook her head.

"So, what do you propose?" Abram had asked.

"Just don’t do anything. I will take care of it!"

"Ok, I’ll leave this in your capable hands."

’What am I ever going to do without Abi? She is always composed and always has a way out. That is why I love her. Even marrying her helped push this business to newer heights ever. I don’t think that I would have ever been able to manage this on my own. Abi is the best!’ Abram thought as his eyes glistened, oozing with love and appreciation for his wife.

***

"Ma’am? Should we knock on the door for you?"

"Huh?"

Abi realized that she had arrived in front of Brianna’s door and had been standing there in a daze. One of the women who was always not far away and worked to provide for Brianna’s every need was the one who had spoken to her.

"Never mind, I’ll just enter."

"Yes, Ma’am."

Abi opened the door and stood there, taking in the scene. Bed sheets were on the floor, makeup was smashed, boxes were thrown around, and almost everything was haphazard. Even the mirror was cracked, and Brianna’s fist was bruised.

"Get me a first aid box," she said to the woman who was still not far from her. It was brought to her in less than a minute.

Abi stepped over the debris and walked up to her daughter.

"Come, sit."

"Muuuummmmmm!!!!!...." came the wailing reply.

"Sit and let me tend to your wound."

"What wound?"

In her fury and her blood still boiling, Brianna had yet to realize that she had bruised her hand.

"I have told you time without number that you should learn to be pat-"

"Mum! You said I should be patient!"

"Yes, my dear Brianna... That is exactly what you need to do."

"But-"

Abi sat on the bed and pulled Brianna to her side on her bed. She wet a small cotton ball with iodine solution and dabbed it on Brianna’s hand.

"Mum... it hurts!"

Abi shook her head, softening her actions and then blew air softly on the wound to cool it down a bit.

"No buts- Brianna, patience is and will always be the key to everything. You should be like a cat waiting for its prey. Life is all about choices and patience."

"Until when? I am so angry! Uuuhhhhh!!!" She ran her hand through her hair in frustration.

"Ouch!"

"What did I just say about patience? You rushed and did not let me put a band-aid on the wound, and that is why you reacted that way. This is the best experience I can use to explain it to you."

"Mum?"

Abi put a pretty-looking band-aid on for her and then sat facing her daughter.

"You are Brianna Mush—my only daughter in this life and the sole heir to our Mush business. You shouldn’t have to worry about anything in this life. Neither do you have to pine over anything..."

Abi brushed Brianna’s hair away from her face and gently kissed her forehead.

"Men have to long for you. You always have to receive. So do not lower yourself to their level for anything. That is just beneath you, my dear."

Brianna felt her anger mellow, but she was still very upset. In her mind, she just did not understand the actions of her two friends today. Besides, she had taken the initiative to go see them when it had always been the other way around in their relationship.

’What changed? It doesn’t make sense that she, Shelby, had to leave her behind. For the sake of those brats, she even ignored me most of the time. How cruel and selfish can Shelby be? What else can I do to make her feel the same way as I do now... betrayed? And what was that with Ava, too?

If Shelby was being like that, why would she also leave me behind? I’ve called several times, and she is not picking up either. Who does she think she is! .... I know! Shelby bought her off! Or did Shelby find that job for her? Is that why? I knew that Shelby and that witchy beauty and weird, seductive dance of hers were a problem. How did she get so much influence within this short time? Was it by fucking Ian? Why... why... why!’

Brianna’s mind was all in disarray with thoughts that did not even make sense anymore. The more she thought of it. The angrier she felt again. All the words her mother had said to her just went in one ear and out the other.

"Mum, I don’t get it. Who is she to leave me behind when I, .... I, Brianna, had gone aaaaaaallllllll the way to meet her? Who the hell does she think she is?"

"Brianna...."

As if Brianna had not heard the warning-like pleading tone in her mother’s voice, she continued ranting while Abi watched on helplessly. Brianna’s eyes were frantic as if seeking the reassurance that whatever she was saying made sense.

"Mum, they said it right? ’Give me money, and I will show you your character.’ She’s just barely two months in there, and now she thinks that she is above me and can order me around! This is so infuriating!"

Abi brought her daughter in for a tight hug. However, Brianna now had facial features contorted in rage like her usual self when something did not go well for her. Brianna liked it when things went how she wanted, and that was how she had been raised. Abi’s heart went out to her child, and another set of helplessness and distress washed over her.

"Mum, I can’t do this anymore. Can we just kill her instead?"

"What are you saying Brianna! Stop talking such nonsense. Leave this for your mother to handle it!"

In Abi’s mind, she started realizing that she may have underestimated the girl. Abi knew Shelby or at least she thought she did because they could come freely to visit Brianna and she had a fair idea of who the girl was.

’Maybe I should reach out to Shelby and talk to her? Who is this Shelby person who will not let my baby be? I am realizing that I do not know her at all. Why does she have to be a thorn in her flesh?’

While Abi thought of this, her daughter was also lost in her thoughts.

’I will handle this myself! If I wait on anyone, I will never get what I want!’ Brianna’s anger subsided and her gaze chilled as she thought of how she was going to action it.

"I can’t let anyone have Ian. I thought I could do it mum, I just can’t."

"I know, my dear, and I understand, my dear Brianna. Count of mum!"

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