After Daddy Had Tortured Us

Abigail And The Blank Check

Fredrick Pov

"How could you give her a check after such a crazy night? What is she? "A call girl?"

Ben, do you think that I would deliberately insult her like that if she hadn't asked for it?

Look, after I woke up from that dream in which Trevor told me that he didn't want her for a mom, I went to return her phone that she'd left on the nightstand and then I overheard her telling Audrey that she still loves her father and that what happened between us was just a "pity sleepover." I wanted her to feel as hurt as I felt, so that check was a taste of her own medicine.

"Dude, she was comforting her tween daughter. How could that even hurt your feelings? Oh, that's because you expected her to be head over heels about you.

Accept the fact, Cousin. Not every woman is an opportunist."

"Huh, you wish!" She's more of a fortune hunter. Do you know she didn't hesitate to cashed that damn check? She is already lavishing my money, taking her daughter from malls to amusement parks all over town.

"Well, in her defense, you slept with her, left her at home for three days, and hadn't cared to check on her. So pardon her if she wants to spend a few bucks to console herself.

A few bucks, you say? Try a few millions. She cashed out five million dollars!

"Whoa, five-million dollars?? Umm, another night, and she will have enough to buy herself a company."

My problem isn't with the money, I expected that, after all I gave a poor woman a blank check. What's bugging me is that I can't get her out of my head.

"That's because you are in love, Cousin! Abigail Brown, your rival has stolen your heart!"

Keep dreaming, Ben, because that personality is definitely not my cup of tea. I smirked.

"No kidding, dude. I believe there's some misunderstanding. Abigail wouldn't do such.

You should demand Sam for a full detail of what happened."

Sam already gave me the details, and I got a confirmation from my finance manager. So what other information do I need?

"Dude, come on, just summon him and let me do the questioning," he insisted.

Benjamin can be very annoying, but I love having him around because he's the only one who's not afraid to call me out on basically anything.

Hey, Sam, could you please come over. I said on the phone, and in the twinkling of an eye, he came running.

"Boss, you called?" Sam asked. Before I could respond to him, Ben was already interrogating him.

"Sam, what would you say was Abigail's reaction when you handed her the check? Was she angry, disappointed, or excited?"

"Boss, do I really need to talk about that? You got a message that she cashed out the 5 million already. Why does her reaction still count?"

Sam, answer his question. What was her reaction? I commanded.

"She was very happy. After all, she's a single mother who works as a maid. She said that she's going to use it and give her daughter everything she—."

"That's not true! Ben butt in, Abigail isn't a gold digger.

Sam, I know that this is not the whole truth. Trust me, I'll get to the bottom of it."

The instant Sam heard this, he told a whole new part of their supposed conversation.

"Honestly, boss, when I first gave it to her she was pissed and said, 'take this back to "the boss" and tell him that it is on the house he shouldn't have bother.' But then later after I told her that you would be staying at the penthouse for a couple of days, she requested it, saying that she knew just what she would do with it."

"So why did you leave out this part during your previous explanation? Did she even take it in the first place?" Ben shouted

Sam, you may leave, I had to dismiss him because Benjamin was losing it.

"Come along, I'm taking you back to your house it's clear that there's still another side to this story that we need to hear."

Don't be ridiculous, Ben! What other sides could there be? That he turned into a female and did the cashing himself?

"She did it out of anger, so you're going to explain yourself, and until you get up and come with me, I keep disturbing you," he threatened.

I knew that if I didn't, I would be perturbed all day long by his behavior, so I let him drive me back.

"Yay, you're back, Mr Watson!" Audrey hugged me as soon as I entered the house.—"Umm, somebody did miss Daddy!" Ben whispered.

This was similar to how she behaved when she needed those favors, so I was not going to fall for it this time.

What do you need from me this time. Audrey?

"Mr Watson, I don't need a favor. I am just thrilled!" She handed me her mother's phone.

"Take a look at these. You were magnificent. Do you know that no one has surpassed you since? Check this out, a consistent national champion from elementary all the way to senior high.

"Oh, boy!" How I wish that was me," she said, smiling.

While she was enthusiastic about my academic accomplishments, I was only interested in knowing why the heck was her mother phone still filled with pictures of her dead boyfriend.

"Audrey, does your Mom know that you took her phone to school?" I asked.

"Yeah, every student in my class has a phone, so she gave me hers and kept the iPhone my Dad bought. It arrived two days ago."

Ben looked at me before saying to her:

"Audery, that's not possible. Your father died years ago, remember?"

"It's very possible. Here, see this?" She opened up the locket necklace around her neck.

"This also came with it, that's my Dad, my Mom, and of course me.

The necklace was custom-made, and the phone he ordered for my eleventh birthday."

Congrats, Audrey. Now excuse us. I said, leading the way.

"Mom! Mom, Mr Watson is back!" She called out. I waited to see her come out, but she didn't.

Ben, can you believe that she took my money, bought gifts, and claimed it's from a criminal who died nearly seven years ago?

"Dude, you're missing out on the important part. You said that Audery don’t like you, right? Well, here is the solution: Audrey is a Philomath like you. So you can use that to bond with her." Ben suggested.

Seriously? After giving them a luxurious life, she wants me to make extra efforts before she would like me? Ben, I am the one doing her a favor. Therefore, I don't need her to like me.

Knock..... knock.... It's Abigail!

"Dude, Abby is at the door. I pray she didn't hear what you just said because if she did, she might consider an enemy."

And why would she do so?

"Dude, let me give you the three most critical rules for dating a single mother:

‐You have to show her that you're good with children, especially hers.

‐You gotta take interest in her kids.

‐And you have to cut out habits that aren't kid-friendly.

My point is, technically, you should be the one seeking Audrey's friendship."

That's ridiculous! What do you even know about women? I taunt

"Nothing, I know absolutely nothing about them because knowing them is the most complicated study."