Part 3

What if.... What if she'll never come back?

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"M-my Lady!"

A maid entered the garden and shouted making both Abigail and Anith turned around to face that person. She was panting, it looks like she's in a hurry for something.

"I apologize for bursting in here without permission Lady Abigail but....His Lordship has called you to his office, he said that you should go there immediately" She said while catching her breath.

Abigail looked at Anith before she suddenly ran inside the mansion. Worried that something has happened to his dearest Father. It was sudden, so Abigail didn't think through about what's happening. What's important to her is to know if her Father is okay or not.

"M-my Lady wait!!!" Anith and the other maid came running, following the Lady...

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As soon as Abigail was close to her Father's office, the hall was silent and Butler Jones was standing in front of the door.

"Mr. Jones, is everything alright?" Abigail asked worriedly with a concerned expression in her face. Hoping that the Butler would say that everything is fine but he just sigh and slowly opened the door to Luke's office.

"Lord Luke, Lady Abigail is here" Jones said sternly with a low voice, enough for Luke to hear.

He just hummed in response as Abigail then slowly entered her Father's office while observing around. She tried to stay calm and took a deep breath before stepping forward toward his father.

Luke stood up while glaring at Abigail coldly, the room went silent for a moment not until....

Abigail felt a sharp pain in her cheek making her lost her balance and stumbled down to the floor.

"Abigail Axelin!!! How many times do I have to remind you to focus on your studies...All you have to do is get to the First Place, the Most Top Ranked Student! Do you know how much you humiliated our Family?" He yelled angrily after slapping his daughter with strong force, not even caring on his daughter's weak condition at this time. He let his anger control his mind and body. Just because Abigail was ranked as the last....

Luke was right, it was humiliating for him but he could've also consider that Abigail is not in a good condition.

Abigail didn't move for a second because of shock of what his own father has done. She touches her swollen red cheek where her father had slapped her. She slowly stood up, not even daring to look at him .

"Why? Why does it have to be me?"

"You made me humiliate myself in front of everyone...Your such a disappointment Abigail, everything you need is already in this house. All you need to do is get to the First Rank and yet you failed!" He yelled again.

Abigail clenched her fist trying to hold back her tears while facing her father...

"But Why? Why do I have to get to the Highest Rank?! Why do I have to get in that rank when all I get from you is disappointment, all I see in your eyes is disgust when you look at me!...Have you even acknowledge me as your own daughter? Do you even care if I was sick or not? Have you-"

"Don't talk back to me you brat!!! You wanted to know why I hated you? Abigail?...That's because you are not my real daughter...... Hannah was pregnant with another man before I met her! I only accepted you because I loved your mother and its the only condition she ask me! I never wanted you in the first place, I should've killed you when you were born...You are a mistake Abigail!!! I wanted you to disappear and I want to kill that man whom your real father!" Luke yelled, full of anger.

His words made a deep cut through Abigail's heart, piercing it into half. She tried to stop her tears from falling but it just can't...After what she had done, its all worthless. Its nothing but useless.

"Then you could've just killed me!!!" She yelled back and ran outside while crying...Luke was stunned on what Abigail said. He came back to his senses and realized the words that he said to Abigail...

"S-sir, should I order some guards to follow her Ladyship?" Jones asked but Luke just shook his head as a no in response,

He thought that Abigail had no where to go and just lock herself in her room but he was wrong....

"Lord Luke!!! Abigail...Lady Abigail drove off with her horse outside the mansion!"

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"Lady!... Lady Abigail!!! S-stop!!!"

Anith shouted while trying to stop Abigail from going outside but she was already late, her ladyship has already drove off....

"L-lord Luke, Her ladyship ran off with her horse. We must follow her...Lady Abigail will be in danger if she'll go too far! She's still sick, she would pass out on the road" Anith pleaded while kneeling down, trying to please his Lordship.

But all she sees in Luke's eyes is nothing, as of he doesn't care what will happen to her daughter. He's not even worried.

"She's not going far, a weakling like her is not worth to be followed...Stand up, Anith...Abigail will return not long after, she's not going to survive at the coldness of the night" Luke response and walked back inside his mansion and acted like nothing had happened...

"B-but, Abigail is your daughter a-and she's also the one I've served when Lady Hannah has passed away! Lord Luke, please allow me to follow Lady Abigail" Anith pleaded again making Luke stop from walking and face her...

"Don't you dare mention my dead wife...Anith, your just a maid. Don't step over your boundaries!.. You! Bring this maid to the Punishment room and spank her 50 times" He ordered angrily while pointing at Anith...

One of the guards then grabbed Anith's arm forcely even tho she tried to resist.

..................

"What did you say? Abigail ran away?" Ava asked suprisingly to one of her maids when she received the report.

"Oh, that's a little bit sad. It seemed like I can't play with my dearest STEP-SISTER for a little while" Cassandra spoke while combing her hair...

"Heh~ it seemed like that brat doomed herself. It'll be easy for us to get rid of her when the time comes...right Cristina?"

"U-umm...maybe, y-yeah. Your right" Cristina hesitantly responded to her sister.

"But...I think that we should end this game, let's not play any longer and eliminate those who need to be disposed" Ava spoke devilishly with a smile while talking to her daughters.

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"Hey! Watch where your going, Young Lady!!!"

Abigail was riding her horse in a high speed, she can't control the horse and don't know how to stop it. The horse is out of control,

"Come on boy, c-calm down, calm down...please s-stop" She whispered to the horse's ear and tried to calm it down but it doesn't seem to listen.

Abigail noticed that the horse was somehow, heading towards the forest. She wanted to jump but she was too afraid to do it, she tried to stop the horse by pulling its rope but her strength was already draining....It seemed like Abigail didn't take her medicine this morning.

As soon as the horse went deeper in the forest, Abigail is getting more worried and scared. It was her first time being in the forest, she was devastated and wanted to turn the horse but she can't she doesn't even have enough strength to pull the saddle. Her body is weak...

Not being able to hold a tight grip anymore, her eyes are getting blurry.....she suddenly passed out and fell to the ground which made the horse frightened and turned his way back to the city, leaving Abigail in the middle of nowhere.

As soon as his horse ran away without her. A group of bandits were patrolling that ground at that time...

"Hey look!!! It seemed like we've got our first prey today, guys" A manly voice was heard by Abigail making her slowly opened her eyes.

A group of unknown man have circled her with their grin smile.

"G-get away from me!!!"

She yelled but her hands and feet were already tied up making her unable to move.

"Eh~ don't worry young Miss, as soon as we're finished. We'll just kill you immediately" One man said with a smile as the others just laughed.

"Get away from me! You Idiot!!! Bastard! I said get away!" Abigail yelled angrily trying to stop the man from coming towards her but he just laughed...

The man was about to approach her but a scream of a man was then heard from behind earning everyone's attention

"Help!!! Help!!! Master! T-their is an assassin chasing m-"

A sudden gush of a wind appeared behind of the man, cutting his head and suddenly vanished in an instant.

"W-what happened? Master, his head...his head is gone"

"Circle around! Don't let your guards down...and you! Don't let that girl get away, I'll deal with her later"

..................

"One, two, three...Attack!"

A man whose hiding in the branches whispered before raising his hand and signaled his subordinates to attack the bandits...

"Sir, their holding a hostage and its a....girl? What's a girl doing in the middle of the forest?" One of his subordinates reported but it seemed like their leader doesn't care about the hostage.

"Shoot the arrows, don't waste time and get ready for a combat. We can't kill them all with just arrows" He respond coldly.

The man whose holding Abigail is holding her, trying to not let her move a single muscle but, unlucky for him.

He got shot in the chest making Abigail let go of his grip and tried to loosen the ropes that tied her....

"Don't even try to escape you dumb Bitch" The bandits master grabbed Abigail's hair, pulling her near him and pointed his sword to her neck causing it to create a small cut as it started to bleed.

"S-stop, i-it hurts...please l-let me go mister, I-i was lost in here" Abigail pleaded, hoping that the man would let him go.

The small cut on here neck started to bleed, without knowing that the sword that was pointed on her neck was poisonous

"Don't come near me or I'll kill this innocent girl! You hear me!" The bandits shouted angrily but little did he know, he was surrounded by archers behind him.

"Robert, give me a bow and 1 arrow. I'll aim for that man's head and for that girl...bring her to our campus, we'll question her once she's awake"

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At the Axelin's Mansion*

"No signs of her yet?" Luke asked his butler coldly while writing something on a piece of paper.

It's already near midnight and the Abigail is nowhere to be seen, Luke expected his daughter to come back anytime soon after she left like she always does but.... guess he's wrong this time.

"There is still no sign of Lady Abigail .Master, I've already sent some people to look for her in the whole Lutos Kingdom but there is still no clue of where she'd went" The Butler responded in a worried tone but Luke just sigh in frustration before throwing the paper into the trashcan...

'Abigail....Where did you go? Its already night, why haven't you come home yet?'

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"Is the girl awake yet?" A man's voice was heard at the other side of the door. Abigail groaned when the light of the lamp hit her eyes as she opened them slowly.

'Where am I? W-what is this place? What time is it?' She questioned herself and sat up slowly, noticing the unfamiliar ceiling and the walls. It was dark, the only thing that lighten the room was a small lamp that was placed in the desk near her....Abigail tried to remember the last scene before she passed out..

Her body slightly trembled and her hands started to shake, remembering the scene where she almost got raped by some random strangers in the woods.

[Abigail's Pov]

My hands are shaking, this isn't my home. Where exactly am I? I stood up from the bed, and was about to stand up but the door suddenly opened making me froze to my spot and stare at the person whose standing at the door.

He started walking towards me as I trembled in fear and crawled backwards to the edge of the bed I was sitting. He stopped in his spot where is a few feet away from the bed, he seemed to notice that I was trembling and nervous...

"Rest assured Young Lady, I had no intentions to hurt you if...you'll answer my question honestly" The man said coldly before sitting at the near table, he stared at me for a minute with a serious expression displayed in his face. I also stared at him, analyzing him.

"Where am I?" I asked confusedly gathering my courage to speak while breaking the awkward silent....Although, from the man's strong aura. I was unable to think through.

"Your in the Military's head quarters" He responded coldly, I gulped and looked around the room analyzing everything as much as I can see. I didn't really expect him to answer that

"Are you just lost or are you sent here to spy on us? You seemed to be not a threat to us but the way you dressed...Are you from the Lutos Kingdom?" He asked, I widen my eyes after hearing the words he uttered. Does he not know me? I ought that everyone in th Kingdom including the Emperor knew me but how can this man not?

Wait...If I'm not at the Lutos Kingdom then that means.....

"Please answer my question sir, Where exactly am I? What Kingdom am I standing right now?" I asked with a loud voice, I can tell that he was a little pissed but I just ignored it. If this isn't the Lutos Kingdom, then it only means one thing...

"You, little Girl crossed the border and was almost killed by the bandits luring around in the forest like animals....If your still unaware, this is the Veoral Kingdom and this is the Veoral Military Head Quarter...Tell me, who are you?" He asked more likely angry, I started to felt scared and nervous at the same time....This is impossible, how can I end up at the Veoral Kingdom? I tilted my head to look at the Man or should I say a soldier...

"I-I'm Abigail Axelin, and I ran away from my father, Yes I'm from the Lutos Kiingdom but I had no intention to cross the border sir...I-it was a mistake.......P-please don't kill me"

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》Time Skip《

Its already been 3 days since Abigail has gone missing and everyone's getting stressed and worried especially Anith.

"Jones! Is there any signs of my daughter yet?" Her Father asked worriedly, hoping to have a satisfying answer from his butler but all he gets was just a frown face...

"Sir, we've been finding Lady Abigail in the whole Kingdom, not missing a single spot but still...there is no sign or clue from the young miss, some commoner says that they've seen a girl riding a white horse that pass through their places the same day that Lady Abigail left but as we dig a lot to that place they pointed. There has been no clue" His butler replied with a sigh, not even bothering to look at his Master's eyes.

'This can't be happening...What have I done? Abigail, Abigail...Where did you go?' Luke thought, placing both of his hands to his head, trying to keep himself calm...

"Luke...Honey, don't stress out too much, I'm sure that Abigail is safe and she'll be back soon...For 3 long years since I've become Abigail's Step-mom, I can reassure you that she'll never leave her own father...Abigail is such a loving and caring child, I'm sure that she'll come back soon" Ava spoke with a gently voice while rubbing her husband's back, trying to calm him down. But an evil grin appeared on her face, as if her prayers were answered by the Gods to wipe Abigail away from their lives just as she and her daughter's wished.

The room was filled with silence since no one had dared to speak.....Not long after,

The Door was harshly slammed open, revealing a tall yet handsome man.

"Duke Luke! Pardon me for interrupting but this is urgent" General Hedrick appeared in Luke's office, it was surprising yet confusing. What does a General want?

"Speak" Luke ordered as the General stood straight, before he spoke...

"Duke Luke, We've already found traces of where young miss could be" General Hedrick said with a stern voice, leaving Luke shocked as he quickly stood up and removed Ava's hand.

"Please continue" He stated with a grateful tone in his voice, approaching the young General,

"My'lord... I apologize but, Miss Abigail's horse

was found dead in the forest and there are some tracks left behind by the Young Miss, I'm not fully assure that Miss Abigail is safe since...the last track that she had left is near the border between the Veoral an our Kingdom and some straps of her clothing were scattered near the pointed area. I'm sorry to say this My'lord but I think-"

"SHE'S NOT YET DEAD!!!" The room felt silence ones again when Luke harshly slammed the table with his angry stoic voice, interrupting the General...

"I apologize for shouting....Abigail is not yet dead, not until we found her corpse. Don't rest until you found her" Luke continued and waved his hand, signing everyone to step out from the room.

General Hedrick just sigh and retreated, so do his butler and Ava.

[Luke's Pov]

Abi...Abi, please be safe, please be alive... I've already lose your mother, I can't bare to lose you.

I'm sorry if I had no time to spend with you but please, don't leave...

I promise to treat you right this time. Just give me another chance to see you again.

I thought, ignoring you would lessen the pain in my heart after your mother had passed away, I knew I was selfish but I thought that you would also need some space, I've never thought of how you'll really feel.

But why? Why do you have to leave? We could just talk about that matter, but why? Just...why?

I've been a miserable father to you..My dear Abigail.

You don't deserve to have a father like me...I shouldn't have done that, I should have stopped you that day. If I wasn't so selfish and ignorant, would you still...be happy like you used to be right now? Would you still be healthy and cheerful?

I'm sorry

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