Chapter 4
"What?"
Abigail was shocked. Her eyes were especially bulging and round. The back of her head ached the more.
Who was this Emma and Clara? And why would they push her down the stairs?
"Tell them to come over." Mr. Reed ordered.
Abigail's eyes darted from Mr. Reed to the housekeeper.
"Yes, Mr. Reed." The housekeeper shuddered and walked away.
Abigail had many words to say, but they were all stuck in her throat as she cast a troubled glance at Mr. Reed.
How she wished all these were just a terrible nightmare, but the swollen wound at the back of her head served as a constant reminder that this wasn't a dream.
Mr. Reed turned his head away from her and the room returned to silence. He picked up the tablet from the table, without saying a word. She took her seat, and waited in the uncomfortable silence that kept covered the room. Thankfully, she didn't have to suffer too long. There was a knock on the door, she hurried to it, getting it open. Her shining blue eyes falling on the housekeeper, and behind her were two, unfamiliar young girls. One had a short inky hair, while the other held up her blond hair in a ponytail. They looked around her age.
The housekeeper walked in with them. "Mr Reed, they are the ones who pushed the lady down the stairs at night"
Abigail eyes flared at both girls, she felt her blood turn hot, fuming with rage. Clara and Emma were also staring back at her, with so much audacity, and eyes full of resentments.
The girl with the short, black hair, Clara dropped her glares. "Mr Reed, we didn't push the lady down the stairs. We would never dare to hurt her. It was the lady who accidentally fell down the stairs, Emma and I were only trying to save her"
"That's right, Mr Reed. We were trying to save the lady, but it was too late. Mrs Meyers didn't understand what she saw last night" The blonde, Emma cast a glance on the housekeeper, before pulling it to Mr Reed.
Abigail lightly narrowed her eyes, she couldn't remember anything, but Emma and Clara's words felt untrue. She didn't believe that she felt down herself, and these girls were trying to save her. Could it be that she had grown too date to walk down the stairs properly.
No. She didn't believe it. And these girls were lying.
Mr Reed hadn't said a word, his eyes were still fixated on the tablet in his arms. Abigail glanced his way, about to speak but his cool voice sounded calmly.
"Are you both done?" He said coldly, without raising his head. "Tell me the truth now" He time was calm, but everyone could note the threatening tension that laced his words. This made Emma and Clara tremble lightly.
"Mr. Reed, that is the truth. If you don't believe us ask the lady" Their eyes darted to her, and do did the housekeepers. How could she speak on something she obviously can't remember. Abigail pulled her lips open to speak, but Emma moved closer to Abigail, gripping her wrist. Her hold was so firm that it crushed Abigail's bones. "You better think twice about what you're about to say, otherwise you'll be dealt with!" Emma's glare at Abigail was intense, and malicious as hell. It was a damn threat and Abigail could recognize it. These girls hated her without a doubt. But she didn't know why.
"See, the lady can't say a word because she knows we are unjustly accused." Clara spoke rather too hastily, making Abigail scoff. She inhaled, thinking deeply. She was more convinced she didn't only travel into the future, but something drastic must have happened to her. She may have grown fat but she was still Abigail, and she wasn't a pushover.
Clara's action made Abigail more certain that words of these two servants could not be trusted.
"What do you have to say Abigail?" Asher asked her, pulling his green irises to hers.
She studied him for a second, before shaking off Emma's hands from her wrist. Her blue eyes met Asher's, and she smiled. "I think they are lying, Mr Reed. They pushed me down the stairs, and I demand they are punished for their actions and lies"
Asher nodded, watching her. She felt strange under his frosty, heavy stare. He was no doubt going to counter her. He knew too well she couldn't remember anything, and even earlier he had began considering sending her off to a mental asylum. Although Mr Reed face was expressionless, Abigail felt like an open book that he could read perfectly. She forced her eyes from his.
"Hmmm" Was all he said, but there was something about it that made Abigail feel more at ease amidst the careless tension that held the air.
Clara fell on the marble floors, clutching Abigail's leg tightly. "My lady, I know you detest us and always threatened us, but this is not right. You can't accuse us unjustly without any evidence"
"Please, my lady, we may be servants, but we're also human beings! You know we didn't push you down the stairs, so please stop accusing us falsely when you have no evidence" Emma grabbed Abigail's hand.
They were right. She had no evidence. She remained silent for a second, before parting her lips with a smile. "I do have evidence, the housekeeper Mrs Meyers, she saw Clara and Emma push me down the stairs."
The housekeeper looked at Clara and Emma, then to Abigail. "My lady, I only saw you falling down the stairs, Clara and Emma were standing at the entrance of the stairs"
"But you…" Abigail stopped halfway, her hand curled into a ball. She gritted her teeth. "Why didn't you send me to the hospital?" It was probably because she was pushed down the stairs that she crossed over and found herself in such a mess.
"I wanted to call the doctor my lady, but you were the one who insisted that I shouldn't"
As soon as the housekeeper finished speaking, Emma and Clara both nodded their heads in a hurry.
Abigail couldn't say anything. Why would she refuse to be checked by the doctor? She could barely recognize herself the more they spoke about her. She couldn't remember anything, but she was sure she wasn't stupid enough to push herself down the stairs. Her eyes stung with tears.
"That's enough." Asher finally placed the tablet on the table. "So you didn't push my wife down the stairs?"
Clara and Emma nodded. "She pushed herself, Mr Reed"
"That's a lie. Because I have evidence." Mr Reed words instantly made Abigails dull and lightless eyes brighten up.