Remorse and gratitude

Abigail couldn't hide her inner struggle, and her demeanor went from cheerful to depressed. She realized she couldn't avoid the subject any longer. She sighed and admitted, "I know I angered everyone. I messed things up. But I couldn't stand by and watch Lance torment Elsa for his own gain. I am aware that the repercussions of my conduct may have been far worse. I couldn't imagine what could have happened."

She paused, her emotions welling up, before continuing, "At that moment, I wasn't thinking much. All I could think of was the pain Lance had caused Elsa and the kindness Jasper had shown me." Abigail's eyes welled with a mix of gratitude and regret. "I owed him a lot. I wanted to repay his favor."

Vivian frowned in response to Abigail's explanation, questioning the extreme lengths she had gone to. "At what cost?" she asked pointedly. "Are you willing to give up everything to repay his favor? Even your child?"