CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 268

Without wasting another second, Abigail tossed the phone on the bed, grabbed her sunglasses, and reached for a face mask. Her face was bruised and puffy, and she didn’t want to be seen like that not today.

She slipped on a jacket and quickly walked out of the house and entered her car.

Not long after she arrived in her location and came down, her legs moved quickly as she made her way toward the location her mind was replaying everything: her father’s words, Oliver’s warning, the threat looming over her family, and the plan she had once been so determined to execute. But it was over now. That plan had to be shut down. Permanently.

When she finally arrived, she entered the quiet building and walked straight to the back room. The same place where she had once come with ambition and spite. Now, she came with regret.

Inside the room sat the man. The one who had helped set up everything. He was in a chair, waiting for her. When he saw her walk in, he didn’t smile.

He folded his arms and said coldly, "I sent you the message to confirm. I just wanted to be sure what your intention is. You came here to continue or cancel? I need to know what’s in your head, Abigail."

Abigail let out a shaky breath. "I came to cancel," she said quietly.

The man narrowed his eyes.

"I’m done," she added quickly. "Whatever money is left I brought it. I don’t want this anymore. I’m walking away from all of it. The plan... I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done this. Please, just cancel everything."

There was silence, she reached into her bag and placed the remainder of the money on the table, her hands still trembling. Her voice cracked as she added, "I’m sorry. I just want to stop everything before it’s too late."

The man didn’t respond immediately. He just stared at the money on the table, then at her covered face... saying nothing.

At that moment, the man leaned back on his chair, squinting his eyes at Abigail. "Are you really sure of what you’re about to do?" he asked slowly, tapping his fingers against the armrest. "Because once you cancel this now, there’s no coming back. I won’t take up this offer again, and it won’t be done the way it was supposed to be done. Are you extremely sure?"

Abigail didn’t even flinch. She nodded her head with trembling lips and eyes already clouded with guilt. "Yes... I’m sure," she whispered. "Cancel everything. I don’t want it anymore."

The man stared at her for a while, as if waiting for her to change her mind. When she didn’t say anything else, he nodded slowly. "Very well."

Just then, the door opened.

The moment Abigail heard the footsteps, her head snapped toward the entrance. Her eyes widened immediately she saw who it was.

It was Victoria.

Victoria walked in, slightly out of breath, holding her purse tightly, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. "Oh my God, I’m so sorry!" she said quickly. "I know I’m late. Something came up. I was caught up in traffic and had to take a detour. But I’m here now. So—" she dropped her bag on the table, still catching her breath"when is everything going to kick start? Is it today? Tomorrow? What’s the plan?"

There was a brief silence in the room.

Abigail looked at her, then down at the floor. She didn’t know how to even begin.

Victoria noticed the silence, and her smile slowly faded. "What... What’s going on?"

Abigail lifted her eyes again, this time filled with emotion and a sort of regret that made Victoria’s chest tighten just by looking at her.

"Sadly..." Abigail began softly, "it’s not going to kick start anything."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Abigail turned fully toward her and gave a weak smile. "I’m cancelling it. Yes... the deal, everything it’s over. I don’t want to go on with this anymore. Let Cora just be."

At that moment, Victoria froze.

She blinked twice, almost certain she had misheard Abigail. "Wait... what did you just say?" she asked, her voice rising, confused and on edge. "Cancel? What do you mean cancel?"

Abigail didn’t respond immediately. She kept her head lowered, her sunglasses hiding the swollen side of her face, while the black face mask shielded the bruises on her lips. Her silence made the room even heavier. The man seated across from them exchanged a quick glance between the two ladies, but said nothing.

Victoria took a sharp step forward. "What do you mean let Cora be?" Her voice cracked now, frustration crawling into her tone. "Abigail, you can’t be serious right now. We planned this. Every single step. You begged me to help you make her pay because of what she did, remember? And now you’re saying... let her be?"

She threw her hands in the air, pacing back and forth like she couldn’t believe the words coming out of Abigail’s mouth. "Do you have any idea how much time, how much risk I took just to help you with this plan? All the arrangements, the links, the groundwork? And now you’re saying you’re cancelling everything? Just like that?"

Victoria’s eyes darted toward Abigail’s face again. She squinted. "Why are you even wearing sunglasses? It’s evening, Abigail. And the face mask too? What happened? Are you okay?"

Abigail took a small step back without saying anything.

That moment, Victoria took another cautious step closer, now clearly suspicious. "Wait... did something happen to your face? Were you attacked? Are you hiding an injury?" She tried to tilt her head to the side, trying to get a clearer look beneath the sunglasses and the mask. "Abigail... talk to me. What’s going on?"

But Abigail quickly pulled back.

There was no strength left in her voice. No venom. Just a dull tone, filled with exhaustion. She turned to the man seated at the desk, her voice low but firm.

"You heard what I said," Abigail whispered, "So cancel it. Cancel everything. And don’t even dare to defy my order."