Love in a spotlight

Abigail strolled through the market, searching for the perfect fabric for her next project. She stepped into a cozy café to collect her thoughts and sipped on a warm coffee while scrolling through photos of the colors she'd snapped earlier. But her mind kept wandering, consumed by worries about Harper. With a heavy sigh, she pushed aside her cup, gathered her belongings, and stepped out of the café, ready to continue her search.

As Abigail pushed through the doorway, she accidentally bumped into a man, and her apologies were immediate. The man's eyebrows knitted together in amusement as he looked at her. "Abigail!" he exclaimed, recognition dawning on his face.

Abigail's gaze lifted, and her eyes widened as she, too, recognized the man. "Sean, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprise etched on her features.

"I'm j-just... You've changed a lot!" Sean stuttered, his eyes scanning Abigail's face. "Did you change your number?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

As a passerby glanced in their direction, Sean's eyes darted towards the stranger, and he hastily pulled up his mask, attempting to conceal his identity. Abigail's gaze flickered towards the stranger, and she subtly turned away, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes." She nodded, her eyes avoiding Sean's.

"Let's grab a coffee," Sean suggested, but Abigail declined. "I just had one. We'll catch up another time. I need to head to DdB."

Sean's curiosity was piqued. "DdB? Why?"

Abigail explained that her product was going to be featured on DdB's home shopping channel. Sean's face lit up with genuine congratulations. "That's amazing, Abigail! You must be thrilled."

A thought crossed Sean's mind. He happened to be heading to DdB himself, to meet with the director. "I can give you a ride," he offered, but Abigail hesitated, reluctant to accept.

Sean insisted, and eventually, Abigail agreed. As they arrived at DdB, they entered the building together. Abigail seemed familiar with the atmosphere, but she maintained a slight distance from Sean, her demeanor polite but guarded.

As the elevator ascended, Abigail stood silently, her eyes fixed on some point in front of her. Suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, and she swayed slightly, bending her back. Sean's gaze remained fixed intently on her, his eyes filled with concern.

"What happened?" Sean asked, stepping closer to her.

Abigail managed a weak "Nothing."

Sean's eyes narrowed. "Are you unwell?" he asked, grasping her hand.

Abigail forced a smile. "No, I'm fine," she said, trying to reassure him.

But Sean's grip on her hand remained firm. "I don't think so. Should we visit—"

The elevator doors slid open, interrupting Sean's question. Standing in front of the elevator were two men: Caleb, tall and imposing with his hands tucked into his pockets, and Gabriel.

Caleb's eyes locked onto Sean's hand, still grasping Abigail's. Abigail's gaze flickered to the two men, and she swiftly withdrew her hand from Sean's, her smile thin.

"I'm fine," she repeated, attempting to reassure Sean.

Gabriel's gaze swept to Abigail, then to Caleb. "Aren't we going in?" he asked, his tone neutral.

Caleb entered the room, followed by Gabriel. As they stepped inside, Caleb's eyes lingered on Abigail, his gaze drifting to the sheen of sweat on her forehead.

But Caleb remained silent, his gaze fixed intently ahead, his expression unreadable. Sean's eyes, however, were filled with concern as he watched Abigail.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Abigail hastily exited, rushing towards the washroom. She burst through the door, her hand covering her mouth, and made her way to the sink just in time. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she vomited.

After composing herself, Abigail attempted to freshen up, splashing water on her face and rinsing her mouth. As she turned to grab a paper towel, she was startled to see Olivia standing in front of her.

Olivia's eyes narrowed, "What happened? You look pale," she asked, her voice soft.

Abigail forced a weak smile. "I'm just...t-tired," she stuttered, attempting to downplay her condition.

Olivia's gaze drifted to the delicate bracelet adorning Abigail's wrist. "You still wear that bracelet?" she asked, her tone laced with a hint of mockery.

Abigail's smile faltered, and she pushed a thin, nervous smile onto her lips.

Olivia's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Why? Are you still torn between two men?" she teased.

Abigail's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked, feigning innocence.

Olivia's gaze locked onto the bracelet. "Your little trinket here – EFC. Who is that? Maybe E-Ethan?" she asked, her voice dripping with insinuation.

Abigail's eyes darted nervously, and she hastily concealed the bracelet, her face flushing.

Olivia stepped closer, her arms crossing, her gaze sharpening. "Hey, if you want to play games with other guys, that's your prerogative. But Caleb is not the guy you should be playing with."

Abigail's eyes met Olivia's, but she remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Olivia's voice dropped to a low, condescending tone. "A girl like you should know your place."

But before she could continue, a group of women entered the room, their chatter and laughter filling the air. Olivia's expression swiftly transformed, her mask of composure slipping back into place.

Abigail seized the opportunity to escape, excusing herself without a word. She slipped away, leaving Olivia to mingle with the newcomers, her departure a silent rebuke to Olivia's veiled warning.

Abigail hastily retreated from the uncomfortable encounter with Olivia, not feeling well enough to engage in a verbal sparring match. Seeking a refuge of sorts, she headed to the meeting room, only to be met with another disappointment.

The assistant's apologetic smile did little to alleviate Abigail's frustration. "I'm so sorry, miss. Caleb has postponed the meeting."

Abigail's exhaustion and annoyance simmered over. "Why can't he just text me before I came all the way here?" she sighed, her voice laced with weariness.

From the comfort of his car, Caleb gazed out into the distance, his eyes locking onto a lone figure walking slowly out of the building. The girl's pale face was unmistakable, and Caleb's gaze fixed intently on her.

He let out a long, deep breath, his chest rising and falling with the slow exhale. His hand instinctively reached for the door handle, ready to step out and approach her.

But he hesitated, his eyes narrowing as a car pulled up in front of Abigail. Caleb's gaze followed the vehicle, his eyes never leaving Abigail as she slipped inside.