Abel Scott, Back from the Dead.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Sarah glanced at the phone, her stomach tightened. She hesitated then swiped the phone to answer. 

“Hello?” Lisa's voice bellowed from the speakers.

Sarah put the speaker so she and Abel Scott could hear everything. 

“Hello,” Sarah responded.

A mocking laughter echoed through the speakers. “Well, cousin, I had the most interesting day. Guess who I saw at the interview panel today?” 

“You saw Abel.” Sarah's throat went dry. 

Lisa Lawrence scoffed a little harder. “No, I did not just see him, I humiliated him.” she laughed again. “You should have seen the shock on his face when he saw me. He froze like a deer caught in the headlights.” She added.

“When I reminded everyone of the loser he is, he practically sank in his seat. Men!, his facial expressions were priceless” Lisa said, giggling really hard. 

“Lisa why would you do that, have you not caused enough trouble already?” Sarah said, her lips pressed together to stop her voice from shaking. 

Lisa laughed, “trouble?” she laughed again, this time sharper. “Oh please, you act like you are some saint. Always parading yourself as the perfect granddaughter, making Bianca and I look bad in front of Grandma Natasha. But look at you now, you are married to a man who cannot even find a job.”

Sarah’s palms whitened around the phone. She raised her head and her gaze met Abel Scott’s eyes. “My husband is worth more than you can imagine. Moreover, I have never competed with you and Bianca, I just lived my life.”

“Oh spare me the righteous act, Sarah. Grandma might have seen you as special before, but that is all about to change.”

“Victor and I. Yes, my fiancé Victor Vandel. We are about to secure the acquisition of ABC holdings. Do you know what that means? Our family's influence and value are about to skyrocket and I am the one making it happen. Not you.”

Sarah's eyes fluttered. “Vitcor Vandel?”

“Yes, darling” Lisa answered.

“Who the hell is Victor Vandel?” Sarah was perplexed.

“My Victor? My soon-to-be husband, we are going to be a powerhouse. And guess what? Grandma is all over the place singing my praises. ‘Lisa you have finally made something of yourself. Lisa, you are taking this family to higher heights’ she even calls me her favorite granddaughter. Is that not sweet?” 

Sarah shut her eyes, sorrow and anger dangling in her soul. “All of this. The gloating, the cruelty, you think it makes you stronger? Better? All I can hear Lisa, is desperation.” 

Lisa took in a sharp breath. “Desperation? No, Sarah, what I am is victorious. And you will soon acknowledge it. You can continue pretending to be a saint, but you cannot stop what is coming. As for your husband? He will always be beneath us. And you? You will watch from the sidelines as I elevate this family.”

The words cut through Sarah's heart like a hot knife through butter, “You can marry power, Lisa, but it cannot buy you respect. One day, the games you are playing will come back for you.” Sarah said softly.

For a moment, silence hummed through the phone. Then Lisa hissed. “Mtchew. We will see, Sarah, we will see.”

Then she ended the call abruptly. Sarah lowered the phone gently, her face trembling in the dark screen of the phone. 

The front door opened, and Elena Lawrence entered with two bags of groceries. The sharp sound of her shoe tapped against the floor. 

“Sarah?” Elena's voice was loud, almost radiant. “You would not believe the call I just had.” 

“Welcome back mum, Let me help you with the bags.” Sarah said, forcing a smile. 

Elena brushed her off, placing the grocery bags on the table. “No, Listen. One of my friends rang me. Guess what she told me? Lisa your cousin is about to get married to Victor Vandel”

“Not only that, he is planning to purchase a major company. Imagine the influence and prestige our family would command. We will be so high in the clouds.” Elena added.

Sarah exhaled, pressing her finger on her temples, she moved to a couch and lounged in it. “I know, mum, Lisa told me herself.”

Elena Lawrence's eyes fluttered, then she frowned. “She told you? Then you understand how grand this is?” Elena came closer to Sarah. “Sarah this is our moment too, the family is rising again, and you” she pointed her fingers at Sarah “you are dragging us down with that man.” Elena said, now jabbing her finger at Abel Scott.

“Mum, don't say that. Abel is my husband.”

“He is nothing!” Elena screamed, cutting Sarah before she could complete her sentence. “Do you know how I feel when I cannot walk into social gatherings with my head high? Whispers follow me every turn I take about my daughter marrying a man of no social standing. He could not even hold up his own dignity in a company interview!”

“Do you realize how embarrassing that is for us!?” Elena’s voice cracked through the air. 

Sarah took a deep breath, trying to hold her composure. “My husband is not defined by what people think about him. He is..” 

“Stop defending this loser” Elena's voice cracked through the air again, cutting Sarah out. “Sarah, I am begging you, wake up. Lisa is securing the future of this family with her marriage, Bianca is doing her part, but you, you are stuck with a man that brings nothing to the table but shame!”

“Divorce him” Elena slammed her hands on the table. “End this madness. Save our name, then we can return to the life that we deserve.”

Tears began to well up in Sarah's eyes, but she kept her voice steady. “Mum, You talk about respect, luxury, and the life that you deserve but all you are after is validation. Abel may not be from wealth but he has character which is more valuable than all those luxury.”

“Character? What has character got to do with paying bills? Can character get silk dresses, and let you access the circle we once had? You think that love will save you when this family leaves you behind? Where will that leave us when Grandma declares Lisa as her favorite openly?” Elena said.

“Think Sarah, think!” Elena said, pacing the room in frustration. “Mark my words, Sarah, You will regret choosing Abel over this family one day.” 

Sarah rose slowly, tightening her fists at her sides. “Mum, when that day comes, I will cross the bridge.”

 “I have a big day tomorrow,” she said leaving the room.

Elena Lawrence turned to Abel, jabbed her fingers at him, looking straight in his eyes. 

For a beat, heavy silence filled the living room.

“You.”