CHAPTER 175: TRUST ISSUES

Jamal sat behind his desk, his brows furrowed as his thoughts drifted again to his conversation with Genevieve earlier that morning.

Why did she agree to let him try to win Abigail’s heart as her father wanted?

Was she really giving him permission because she believed in him that he would be on Abigail’s side? Or was she just trying to keep Abigail occupied, so she could have ’Jamal’ all to herself?

He rubbed his face with both hands, trying to shake off the doubt. Then he picked up his phone and glanced at the time. It was already half past ten. He had been at his desk for two hours, but had only managed to answer four emails.

Everything kept circling back to that conversation and he kept wondering whether or not Abigail could trust Genevieve.

Although Genevieve had said she didn’t want to get involved... but she was involved. And Jamal wasn’t sure how to feel about her giving him consent even though he knew he had convinced her to.

He sat up straighter and took out the folded paper Abigail had left him in the car earlier.

He had not found the time to read it yet since he had to get to work immediately he sat at his desk, but now that he was too distracted by his thoughts to focus on work, he decided to read it.

He unfolded it carefully, and the scent of Abigail’s perfume floated to him from the pages. His lips curved into a soft smile as his eyes scanned the familiar writing.

The letter read:

[To the One Who Makes My World Spin,

Falling in love with you was the most natural thing I’ve ever done. From the very moment I saw you, it felt like my soul had known yours long before we ever met. It was like we were two puzzle pieces that had finally found where we truly belonged. There was no hesitation, no confusion, just a quiet certainty that you were the one my heart had been waiting for.

Every day with you feels like a blessing I don’t quite deserve but will spend a lifetime being grateful for. It amazes me how effortlessly you love, how you pour kindness into every soul you meet, and how you carry such light even in the darkest of places. Your heart is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever known, and being close to it makes me want to be better in every way. You inspire me to be softer, stronger, more patient, and more generous, simply by being you.

This morning, just like every morning, I woke up with your name echoing through my mind. I see your face in the warmth of the sunrise, I hear your laugh in the wind, and I feel your presence in everything gentle and beautiful around me. When I’m awake, you are my constant thought. And when I sleep, you are the dream I never want to wake from. Every part of me is filled with you; my mind, my heart, my soul. You are in the very rhythm of my being.

My love for you runs so deeply, that I will put your care above my own every time. I will never waiver when it comes to loving you, and I would find myself going to the ends of the Earth just to be with you.

You are, without a doubt, the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I will never stop treasuring you.

PS: I’m blushing and cringing down to the roots of my hair as I’m writing this.

But I love you more than this. I think I could write a love you a thousand times and not get tired or bored of writing it as long as it’s for you. I loooooove you, KOMH.

Lots of love and kisses (I’m tired of writing kisses. I want to kiss you for real! Eish!)

Jamal laughed as he read the last line and he could hear the frustration in her voice.

So, she wanted to kiss him? He thought, licking his lower lip as he grinned.

He reread the letter again, smiling as he did.

It was simple, honest and innocent. And it wrapped around his chest and squeezed gently.

She was giving him her heart not with loud declarations or dramatic confessions, but with words written by hand, with love tucked in the space between each sentence.

A soft smile tugged at his lips as he folded the letter back up, slowly, like it was the most precious thing in the world to him.

He slipped it back into inside pocket and then he looked back at his laptop.

The work was still waiting. But now, he felt lighter somehow.

It didn’t matter why Genevieve had permitted him to pursue Abigail. What mattered was that he was going to use both Ryan and Genevieve to get what he wanted.

Genevieve would be safe as long as she remained genuine and kind to Abigail.

He straightened in his chair, rolled his shoulders, and cracked his knuckles before turning back to the screen.

There were numbers to review, spreadsheets to finalize, and reports to send out.

Just as he wanted to get to work, the telephone on his desk rang, and he smiled when he saw it was Abigail’s office.

Did she know he had just finished reading her letter? He wondered as he walked over to her office.

Now that they knew for sure that her office wasn’t bugged and there was no camera, it was easier to communicate.

"Why haven’t you come in all morning?" Abigail asked with a frown as he walked in.

Jamal grinned. "I was busy, ma’am," he said as he walked around to her seat and Abigail raised a brow but smiled as he turned her seat to face him and leaned down, "so, you miss kissing me, huh?" He asked, and she giggled.

The laughter died on her lips, and her pulse skipped when he captured her lower lip between his.

It was the kind of kiss that slowed time.

Jamal cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing her cheeks as his lips moved over hers with a tenderness that made Abigail’s heart shudder.

It wasn’t rushed, it wasn’t desperate. It was deliberate. He kissed her like they had all the time in the world, like he wanted to memorize the feel of her lips, taste every bit of her sweetness, and breathe her in until nothing else existed.

Abigail’s fingers curled around the front of his shirt, pulling him closer instinctively. She wanted this. She had been craving this moment with him— and now, as his mouth moved against hers, she felt like she was floating.

He deepened the kiss, just a little, a low sound escaping his throat as he tilted his head and gave more of himself to the moment. Her lips parted willingly beneath his, and the softness of her gasp made him smile into the kiss. His hand slid behind her neck, fingers threading into her hair as he kissed her again— slower, deeper, savoring her like something sacred.

When they finally pulled apart, it wasn’t because they wanted to— it was because they had to. Oxygen had suddenly become necessary again, though neither of them moved far. Their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingling, their eyes half-lidded and heavy with feeling.

"I think I missed kissing you more," he murmured with a lazy smile, still breathing her in.

Abigail let out a soft laugh, her cheeks flushed and glowing. "I wasn’t expecting this when I wrote that," she whispered, her voice airy and dazed.

"I wasn’t expecting you to write that, but I’m glad you did," Jamal said, his tone low and teasing, but his eyes were full of nothing but pure, unfiltered affection.

She looked up at him, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. "I love you."

"I love you even more," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his thumb caressing the corner of her mouth. "I loved reading your letter. Did you really blush a lot? Will you blush if I read it right here in front of you?"

Abigail laughed softly, burying her face in his chest. "Please don’t talk about it."

"It was perfect," he said, his lips pressing to her temple. "Just like you," he said quietly.

She tilted her head back to look at him again, and he kissed her nose, her cheek, her forehead, like he couldn’t help himself, and then he pulled back and straightened.

"He told Genevieve that you can speak," Jamal told her as he walked away to put some distance between them in case Genevieve or someone walked in.

Abigail raised a brow. "Really? How did you know?"

"She asked me earlier. And he told her about his plan to have me marry you," he said and her brow shot up again.

"And?"

"She was against it, but I convinced her to let me try to win your heart," Jamal said cautiously.

"She agreed? Why would she agree to that?" Abigail asked with a frown.

"I guess I was very convincing. I assured her I was going to protect you," Jamal said, but Abigail wasn’t satisfied.

She still didn’t like the thought that Genevieve knew about Ryan’s plan and was siding with Jamal instead of telling her about it.

How was she supposed to forgive Genevieve or trust her if she kept such secrets from her?

"Here," Jamal said, sliding his letter to her, "I should get back to my seat. Let’s have lunch together later," he said with a wink before walking away.