42 Natural beauty

Christopher returned home a few minutes ago and noticed she had not come back. He was upset, assuming she had been having fun with Jasper. He came to the terrace to clear his mind.

The cold breeze did, indeed, gradually calm him down.

Just then, he saw a red Maserati pulling over in front of the gate. He squinted at it curiously and saw Abigail stepping out. His furrowed eyebrows relaxed, but his face hardened when he saw the door to the driver's seat also open.

He clenched his fists unconsciously, thinking Jasper had come to drop her off at home. When he noticed a woman exiting the car, he relaxed his tense muscles.

It might be Jasper's sister, he thought.

He felt the irritating insecurity again as he watched them hug each other.

They seemed to be quite close to each other. His suspicions about Abigail and Jasper's relationship grew stronger. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to Essence Concierge for a job, and Jasper would not have readily allowed her to join the company.

Images of Abigail smiling at Jasper flashed through his mind.

He coldly looked at the Maserati moving away. He was now more determined to end all collaboration with Essence Concierge. Then he would work on how to keep Abigail from working there.

Abigail walked into the house and took a look around. The lights in the kitchen were turned off. The servants did not appear to have cooked.

She looked up at the study room, wondering if Christopher had returned.

Meanwhile, a maid approached her and said, "Madam, you have returned. Sir arrived just a few minutes ago. I saw him going to the terrace. It is getting late. Shall I serve his food?"

"Hmm… I will go call him."

Abigail walked up to the terrace, pondering what he was doing there.

The terrace was vast, with seating arrangements on one side and flower pots on the other. It was great to spend the evening here and watch the sun go down.

Abigail came here frequently to watch the sunset, but it was unusual to see Christopher here. As she approached him slowly, she looked at his broad back.

Christopher glanced at her over the shoulder when he heard the footsteps.

"You had fun with your friends," he said.

In the dim light, Abigail couldn't see the sneer in the corner of his lips.

"Yes. I had a great time." Her voice was low. Even though she couldn't see his bitter expression, she could tell he was not pleased. But she told him the truth.

"You never told me that you had such a wealthy friend," he said, his tone contemptuous.

He had gone to see Jasper's residence and was astounded to discover the luxurious villa in such a posh neighborhood. He couldn't figure out how Jasper had become so wealthy in such a short time.

Any woman would be interested in a man who was so rich, handsome, and successful, and Abigail was no exception. She had known him since she was a child, so she was naturally drawn to him.

This notion was enough to drive his sour mood even worse.

He had to keep his wife under his control, and he knew what to do.

"I'm going on a short business trip next week," he stated solemnly. "You are welcome to join me if you wish."

Christopher could have told her directly to come with him, but he didn't, as he wanted to know how she would respond.

Abigail was pleasantly surprised. She had not expected him to invite her on a business trip. She was ecstatic and overjoyed at the same time.

After learning that he had caused trouble for Jasper, she had been upset with him. That discontent had vanished quickly. She had considered talking about the current issues with Jasper, but she had forgotten everything.

Her entire focus was on the trip.

It was a great opportunity to get closer to him.

Abigail was excited. She couldn't wait to go on vacation with him. Although it was a business trip, she would treat it as a vacation… the honeymoon.

"I'd love to... but will you be comfortable?" She still asked this question, hiding her delight. She was concerned that her presence would interfere with his work.

Her question, however, had a negative impact on him. His mood worsened as he assumed she was not willing to come with him because she wanted to spend time with Jasper.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the parapet wall. The corners of his lips curled into a scornful smile.

"I wouldn't have told you to join me if there was a problem," he said, his tone icy. "You can opt to not come with me if you don't want to. You have recently joined a job training."

"There will be no problem," she said quickly, fearing he would change his mind. "I will go with you."

She wasn't concerned with the training or the job as long as he was willing to love her.

Christopher was astounded to hear it and turned around to face her. His heart skipped a beat when he noticed such a beaming smile on her face. Even in the dim light, he could see her sparkling eyes.

A smile like that was contagious and could make anyone smile. Christopher was also not exceptional. He smiled, relieved that she was interested in coming with him.

"Good… Then I'll make the necessary arrangements."

"Thank you…" Abigail was so excited that she threw herself at him, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

For a brief moment, Christopher was stunned, feeling a fluttering sensation inside his chest. He stood firm, not even batting his eyes. He had the impression that the void in his heart was being filled. His colorless life, in which he followed a strict routine and duties, appeared to be painted in a variety of colors.

He wanted to rejoice for the first time in a long time. He wanted to listen to a soothing, melodious song with Abigail by his side. He yearned to do everything he had done in the past.

He gently put his hands on the sides of her face and looked into her eyes, which were restlessly moving back and forth as if she were unable to look directly at him.

Her eyelashes were flapping like butterfly wings. Her lips were slightly parted, but her smile had faded by this point.

Christopher had never looked at her so closely in two years. He never knew that she was pretty… a natural, pure beauty. He had only considered her frail and sick but had never tried to see how attractive she was. When she was so close, he found himself drawn to her. His desire was flaring up.

His gaze was settled on her lips. That day, he had kissed her impulsively. Tonight, he wanted to kiss her again with all his senses engaged.

Just as he thought about it, she drew back.

"Uh… I will go serve your food. Come quickly." She turned around and ran away.

Christopher had a smile on his face as he watched her flee, his mood improving. He believed he would get his obedient wife back after this trip.