Betrayed by Fiance, Embraced by Hidden Tycoon-Chapter 164: The Reason

However, Ronan couldn’t leave his work in Orange Town. When he found out his boss was visiting the villa in the mountains, he rushed there, as it was only an hour’s drive away.

A small smile appeared on Abigail’s lips as she noticed Ronan’s tensed face. Now, she suspected someone might have pressured him to apologize to her.

"Mr. Peters, you don’t need to apologize to me, nor I’d expect one. You did nothing wrong... I rent your rooftop legally!" That was all she could say at the moment.

"Thank you, Miss Abigail. It’s very kind and considerate of you. Now, I know why my boss has fully respected you and deeply fallen in love with you," Ronan says, trying to win his boss’s forgiveness. He quickly glances at Sawyer before returning to see Abigail; he continues, "But please, Miss Abigail, you can call me Ronan. I would be honored if you called me by my first name and not my last name."

"Okay, if that is what you wish!" Abigail replied shortly. She glanced at Sawyer, who was squeezing her hand. She could see his impatience as she spoke with Ronan and Ethan.

"Sister-in-law," Ethan said suddenly, rising from his chair and walking toward Abigail and Sawyer. He continues his words, "Congratulations on your engagement! I’m so happy for you." He said while glancing at her diamond ring.

"Miss Abigail, Boss Sawyer, congratulations! This is wonderful news worthy of celebration..." Ronan also congratulated them.

Abigail tried to hide her engagement ring.

"Thank you, Ethan, Ronan..."

"Hahaha, we need to celebrate this, sister-in-law..." Ethan suggested. Ronan said nothing but nodded, agreeing with Ethan’s idea.

Before Abigail could respond, Sawyer’s annoyed voice echoed in the room. "Alright, you guys can return to your cabin." His words caused Ethan and Ronan to look at him with sour expressions. They didn’t want to leave yet; they wanted to talk to Abigail.

After seeing their refusal, Sawyer shook his head and continued, "I hope you guys are gone when we wake up in the morning." His stern expression made them both shiver.

However, his seriousness toward Ethan and Ronan quickly faded when he turned to Abigail. "Abby, let’s go upstairs." A smile gradually appeared on his lips as he walked toward the stairs, holding her hand.

Abigail smiled at Ethan and Ronan before following Sawyer up the stairs.

...

Entering the room with Sawyer after their engagement made Abigail feel nervous. She walked a few steps toward the bathroom but halted when she felt Sawyer’s hand on her waist, pulling her into a hug from behind.

"Abby—"

Her heart raced as his body’s warmth and unique scent enveloped her. She felt her heartbeat quicken again.

"Ye-Yes?"

"Nothing. I only want to hug you like this." Sawyer didn’t want to let her go, not even to the bathroom; he tried to embrace and feel her warmth. "So tonight, we will share a bed, right, Abby?" he asked, teasing her.

"Sawyer, this..." Abigail suddenly found herself at a loss for words. She didn’t know how to respond. After thinking hard, she turned to face him.

Before Abigail could say anything, Sawyer continued, "I won’t do anything if that worries you. I respect you, Abby. So if you only want to kiss and nothing more, I won’t force you." He smiled, noticing how red her face had become.

Feeling her cheeks heat up, Abigail nodded and responded briefly, "Thank you," before rushing to the bathroom to calm her mind and soul.

***

Biting her fingers while pacing, Abigail struggled to bring herself out of the bathroom. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, ensuring she looked pretty even though she only wore her long silk pajamas.

"Knock! Knock!" The knocking on the door surprised her.

Her steps halted as she slowly turned to look at the door.

"Abby, are you okay? You changed your pajamas too long—this has been almost an hour." Sawyer’s worried voice came from behind the door. Abigail swallowed, realizing that she had lost track of time.

She stood before the mirror for one last check of her appearance before opening the bathroom door.

"Ah, sorry, I didn’t realize," Abigail said with a smile as she saw Sawyer standing before her, blocking her way out. "Do you want to use the bathroom?" she asked, stepping back to give him room to enter.

"No. I was just worried you might fall asleep in there," Sawyer replied with a small smile as he took her cold hand, prompting him to lead her back to the bedroom.

Abigail laughed inwardly at his response. ’How could he think I would sleep in the bathroom?’

She didn’t say a word. Instead, she walked to the bed and slipped under the blanket, hiding almost her entire body; only her neck was visible. Her eyes followed Sawyer as he approached the other side of the bed. He turned off the light, leaving only the yellow lamp in the corner to dimly illuminate the room.

Abigail felt nervous. It was their first time sleeping in the same bed, and she was both excited and worried—she couldn’t control herself, or she might disappoint him.

Her heart started to race, making an odd "Thump! Thump!" sound that frustrated her.

’Can you please relax!?’ she thought as she tried to sleep, closing her eyes and attempting to quiet her mind.

However, not long after, Sawyer’s voice broke the silence, causing her to open her eyes again. "Abby, how old are you again?" he casually asked as he climbed onto the bed and joined her under the blanket.

Abigail frowned, turning her body to face him. "Are you seriously unaware of that?" she replied, confused.

Sawyer didn’t rush to answer; a mysterious smile spread across his lips.

"My lord, Sawyer Jones, you already proposed to me, yet you don’t know my age?" Abigail narrowed her eyes at him but swallowed nervously when she saw him move closer, so close that she could feel his breath.

"No, not that. Uhmmm, what I’m trying to say is," Sawyer said as he placed his hand on her waist, smiling when he felt her flinch. "You are already twenty-five, Abby. This isn’t your first engagement, so why are you still so shy?"

He didn’t wait for her to respond but pulled her closer, enjoying how her cheeks flushed pink.

But instantly, Abigail felt her heart tighten as a thought crossed her mind. She had considered this many times before, but for the first time, it became clear to her: the reason Ryland had cheated on her.

The answer that consistently surfaced in her mind was her refusal to sleep with him.

After hearing Sawyer’s words, she felt even more conclusive about her conclusion. Despite Ryland’s claims that he would wait for her until they married—respecting her wishes—she still sensed his disappointment each time she turned him down his request for sex.

Sometimes, she felt strange about refusing to have sex with her ex before they tied the knot in marriage, but it was something her mother had taught her. That sex is far more satisfying and beautiful for women when it is consumed as a married couple. freewēbnoveℓ.com

This lesson stemmed from her grandmother’s experience. Her grandmother had become pregnant with her mother before legally marrying her boyfriend. That man had left her grandmother after proposing, utterly unaware that she was pregnant, especially since they were using birth control.

What her grandmother and mother feared was that her grandmother’s dark past would repeat itself in her. They didn’t want to see her suffer, and she understood that.

"Abby, I’m sorry if my words offended you or made you sad," Sawyer said softly, releasing his hug when he couldn’t hear her reaction or see any movement.

Sawyer immediately pulled back slightly to see her face more clearly. When he saw her expression, a wave of worry washed over him. Abigail looked upset, her face reflecting disappointment, annoyance, and sadness.

"Sawyer, do you know why Ryland cheated on me?" she asked.

Sawyer’s face stiffened at her question.

Abigail let out a bitter laugh and turned her gaze to the ceiling. Taking a deep sigh, she continued, "It’s because I always refused him every time he asked me to have sex."

"Abby—" Sawyer was shocked; he hadn’t expected to hear that from her.

Abigail smiled as she turned back to face him.

"That’s the reason he cheated on me and slept with Vanessa—because I never granted his wish." She paused for a moment, noticing his guilty expression. "I don’t know if this sounds strange to you, but even though I’m twenty-five and this is my second engagement, I’m still nervous about sleeping with a man in the same bed... like now."

"I’m sorry, Abby. I didn’t mean to remind you of that. I—" Sawyer’s voice trailed off as he struggled to finish his sentence. He regretted the decision to tease her.

"No, please don’t apologize, Sawyer. I just wanted to let you know that I’m still a virgin because I’ve never had sex with anyone." Abigail felt her cheeks warm as she spoke. "Let’s get married soon. I don’t want you to cheat on me because I can’t fulfill your needs..."

Abigail began to understand what men needed the most after her failed relationship with Ryland.

"You don’t have to explain, Abby. I understand..." Sawyer smiled as he helped her adjust her blanket and turned to face the ceiling.

He could feel Abigail was still moving.

"Abby, go to sleep. Please forget everything you’re thinking."

The room fell silent again, with only the heater’s low buzzing sound breaking the quiet. Sawyer thought she had finally drifted off to sleep. However, not long after, he felt her hand resting on his chest.

"Sawyer, I can’t sleep. I feel so cold. Please, sleep next to me..."

’GOD! Why? Just when I thought I could control my desire, you’re testing my patience?’ He felt a wave of desperation. All he could do was pull her close to him, trying to focus on anything other than touching her and lose himself in lust.

___

(End of volume 3)