Chapter 200 Lines Crossed
At that moment, it was as if they had returned to childhood.
When Ste was a little girl, she waspletely dependent on Abraham, Every night she needed him to rock her to sleep.
If Abraham was at school, she would wait
en throughout middle school, high school, and even college, <b>Abraham </b>had to be driven loine every night.
Because his school was far away, <b>Evelyn </b>once tried to <b>find </b>a nearby ce for him to stay.
But Abraham simply brought Ste with him and had a nanny take care of her in a house across the street from the school.
They <b>only </b>moved back home together when Ste started school.
Now, as Abraham looked <b>at </b>her flushed, soft lips, his Adam’s <b>apple </b>shifted.
His gaze grew hotter by the second.
Finally, he lowered his <b>head </b><b>and </b>kissed her deeply, tasting the cool softness of her lips.
The rich aroma of wine mixed with the sweetness of grapes was intoxicating. Addictive.
Ste opened her blurry eyes, saw <b>that </b>it was <b>Abraham</b>, and recognized his familiar scent.
It felt like a dream. She wrapped her slender <b>arms </b>around his <b>neck</b>, letting go <b>of </b>all restraint.
Feeling her reaction, Abraham’s body froze for a second.
But only for a second.
<b>Then </b>his kiss grew harder, more intense<b>.. </b>
Buzz. Buzz.
The phone on the bedside table vibrated. It was Ste’s.
Abraham came to and looked at the now sleeping girl in his armis.
He also felt <b>a </b>sting on his lip. After gentlyying Ste down and pulling the nket over her, he touched his lip with his fingers and brought them to his eyes.
There was a faint trace of blood.
He pinched her cheek with a mixture of annoyance and affection. “Litle tiger.<b>” </b>
Her teeth are sharper than I thought.
The phone continued to ring. Abraham picked it up and nced at the screen.
A strange number.
He rejected the call without hesitation..
<b>? </b>
Chapter 200 Lines Crossed
That meant the Keene Group deal had fallen through. And <i>if </i><i>I </i>say Ste isn’t involved, I’m exactly lying to myself
She
e had some nerve.
Finished
When the call was rejected, his frustration <b>red</b>, and he dialed again.
This <b>time</b>, unlike before, she hadn’t blocked him.
And this time someone answered. “Ste Dawson, I need a straight answer. What exactly is your rtionship to Abraham
Dawson?”
Before the person could answer. Ethan began his question, his toneced with barely contained anger.
“What do you think our rtionship is?”
The voice on the line was deep and calm Abraham’s.
Ethan gripped the phone tighter, clenching his jaw to suppress his anger.
This kind of humiliation, I had never experienced anything like it.
No wonder Ste had the courage to call off the engagement so cleanly
So that is it: she had fatched on to the Luke family.
Jason still hadn’t fully uncovered the details of their rtionship.
But Ste had lived at Verdant Vi, and so had Abraham.
That alone spoke volumes.
<b>And </b>under Ste’s influence, the partnership between the Keene Group and the Luke family hadpletely copsed.
<b>Ethan </b>swallowed his anger and forced a respectful tone. “Mr. Abraham, could we meet in person to discuss this?”
Dad had stormed off in a rage <b>today</b>, but I knew I had to talk to Abraham no matter what.
<i>If </i>we didn’t handle this properly, <i>the </i>Keene Group could end up <i>like </i><i>the </i>Reedy
<b>But </b>all he heard was the dead sound of a disconnected call.
Abraham had hung up.
Ethan stood frozen.
Jason’s shoulders stiffened. “What did he say?”
If Abraham had answered the <b>call</b>, Ste had to be with him.
Ethan closed his eyes tightly.
Il hat did he say?
He didn’t say anything
He hung up.
Furious, Ethan dialed Ste’s number again, only to be blocked.