Death of Whitney

Leo took the pain reliever from the medicine box and gulped down water from the glass cup.

He heaved a sigh and was about to go back to bed when he fought the urge to do so. He took out his phone to call Abi to ask after her. She wasn't online at all. She wasn't picking his calls either, so he just sent her a message.

He was supposed to go to the office but had developed a fever all of a sudden and decided to stay home. He had slept off all morning and met an empty house. He read the note Abi had left on the table when he was strolling around the house.

'I made breakfast for us, but you weren't up yet. I made toast bread, peppered eggs, and coffee. You'd like it, really! Help yourself when you're ready to eat. Love you;)"

He tried to eat the food she prepared, but he managed to eat only two slices of bread. That was the highest number of bread slices he could take into his system.

He didn't want Abi to feel bad for not eating her food, so he forced himself to eat that much. There was a small piece of paper under the note, so he took it and read through it. He furrowed his brows and took out his phone to browse online.

He was not mad after reading the contents of the paper, but he was just unhappy. He was unhappy that his wife had kept it away from him for too long. He was unhappy that she didn't share it with him, even though they were now close as a couple.

Did she think that she was a burden to him? He was meant to be there for her as her husband. He was meant to provide for all her needs and make sure she was happy at all times. 'Is she working so hard to pay back the loan?', he thought, and developed a headache.

"Look into the document and get back to me quickly, Darcy," Leo said over the phone with a hiss.

Darcy was telling him that he couldn't cope with Dominic in the office.

Dominic must have thought that Leo would be in the office and had gone there on time, only to meet Darcy there in his stead. Leo knew that the office would turn upside down soon. Dominic and Darcy in the same place was a no-no for everyone.

"Don't call me unless it's urgent," Leo said strictly and hung up.

He was hearing Dominic shouting in the background, but he pretended as if he couldn't hear. Dominic was shouting for Darcy to put him on the line.

Thank goodness he had hung up before Darcy put him on the line. Leo's mind was preoccupied with the document he had found. It was a loan statement, and his eyes widened as he saw the amount: $21 million.

He couldn't believe that Abi was paying such a huge loan without telling him. He felt a mix of emotions: anger, worry, and concern. Why did she keep it a secret? Was she afraid of his reaction? Leo's mind was racing with questions.

He needed to talk to Abi and find out what was going on. He quickly dialed Abi's number, but it went straight to voicemail. He left a message, asking her to call him back as soon as possible.

Leo's headache was getting worse, and he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. He lay down on the couch, closing his eyes and waiting for Abi's call. His phone began to ring after three minutes of waiting. He answered on the second ring and put the phone to his ear.

"Hi," his wife sounded excited, and he was glad to hear it.

"How are you?" he asked her.

"I'm good. I just met a celebrity," Abi shrieked in excitement.

Leo's eyes lit up with interest despite his headache. "Really? Who was it?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Abi giggled on the other end of the line. "Guess who? It was Emily Chen, the famous actress!"

Leo's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, that's amazing! What was she like?"

Abi's voice was bubbly with excitement. "She was so nice and down-to-earth! We talked for a bit, and I even got a selfie with her."

Leo chuckled, feeling happy for Abi. "That's awesome, love. I'm glad you got to meet her."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Abi spoke up again. "Hey, Leo? How are you feeling? You sound a bit off."

Leo hesitated for a moment before responding. He didn't want to worry Abi, but he also didn't want to lie to her. "I'm okay, love. Just a bit tired and I have a headache. I think I'm coming down with something."

Abi's voice was filled with concern. "Oh no, Leo! You should take care of yourself. Do you want me to come home and take care of you?"

Leo smiled, feeling grateful for Abi's love and concern. "No. I'm fine. Just go back to work and don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

Abi hesitated for a moment before responding. "Okay, Leo. But if you need anything, just call me, okay?"

"Sure. I have something to ask", He began and heaved a sigh.

"What?", Abi asked.

"Abi, what's going on? Why did you take out a $21 million loan without telling me?"

Abi hesitated on the other end of the line. "Leo, I...I didn't take out the loan."

Leo's confusion deepened. "What do you mean? The loan is in your name."

Abi took a deep breath before explaining. "My father took out the loan in my name, Leo"

Leo's anger flared up, but he tried to keep his cool. "Why didn't you tell me about this, Abi? Why did you keep it a secret?"

Abi's voice trembled on the other end of the line. "I was ashamed, Leo. I didn't want you to think less of me or my family. And I was also scared. I didn't know how you would react."

Leo's anger dissipated, replaced by concern and understanding. "Abi, we'll figure this out together, okay? We'll find a way to pay back the loan"

Abi's voice cracked with relief. "Thank you, Leo. But I can pay it alone"

Leo's voice softened. "It's okay, Abi. We'll get through this together. I love you."

Abi didn't say it back but Leo understood. He has been itching to hear those words from her ever since he realized he had feelings for her.

Leo took a deep breath, trying to process everything Abi had just told him. He couldn't believe that her father had taken out such a large loan in her name without her knowledge or consent.

"Abi, can you tell me more about what happened?" Leo asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

Abi hesitated before speaking. "I don't know all the details, Leo. My father just told me that he had taken out the loan and that he would pay it back. He promised me that everything would be okay."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "And you believed him?"

Abi's voice was defensive. "What was I supposed to do, Leo? My father is in trouble, and I want to help him."

Leo sighed. "I understand that, Abi. But taking out a $21 million loan is not a small thing. We need to figure out how to pay it back."

Abi's voice was filled with worry. "I know, Leo. I've been trying to think of a way to pay it back, but I don't know what to do."

Leo's voice was reassuring. "Don't worry, Abi. We'll figure it out together. I'll talk to my financial advisors and see what we can do."

Abi's voice was filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Leo. I don't know what I would do without you."

Leo's voice was soft. "You'll never have to find out, Abi. I'll always be here for you."

The two of them talked for a while longer, discussing the loan and what they could do to pay it back. Leo reassured Abi that everything would be okay, and that they would get through this together.

As they talked, Leo couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He didn't like the fact that Abi's father had taken out such a large loan in her name without her knowledge or consent. He didn't like the fact that Abi had kept it a secret from him.

But most of all, Leo didn't like the fact that Abi was in trouble. He didn't like the fact that she was worried and scared.

Leo's instincts told him that something was off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew that he needed to get to the bottom of things.

"Abi, I need to ask you something," Leo said, his voice serious.

"What is it, Leo?" Abi replied, her voice cautious.

"Can you tell me more about your father's financial troubles?" Leo asked, his eyes narrowing.

Abi hesitated before speaking. "I don't know much, Leo. My father just told me that he had lost a lot of money in a bad investment."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "And you believed him?"

Abi's voice was defensive. "What was I supposed to do, Leo? My father is in trouble, and I want to help him."

Leo sighed. "I understand that, Abi. But I need to know more about what's going on. Can you ask your father to come see me?"

Abi's voice was hesitant. "I don't know, Leo. I don't know where he is. He left us"

"Oh gawd", He ran his fingers through his hair.

The two of them talked for a few more minutes, discussing the details of the loan and what they could do to pay it back. Leo reassured Abi that everything would be okay, and that they would get through this together.

As they talked, Leo couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew that he needed to get to the bottom of things.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Leo and Abi said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Leo sat back in his chair, his mind racing with thoughts and questions.

What was going on with Abi's father's finances? Why had he taken out such a large loan in Abi's name? And what did Abi's father have to do with the loan?

Leo's eyes narrowed as he thought about the possibilities. He knew that he needed to get to the bottom of things, and he was determined to do just that.

Just then, Leo's phone rang. He picked it up, hoping that it was Abi calling to give him an update. But instead, it was his assistant, Darcy.

"I have some information for you," Darcy said, his voice professional.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "What is it, Darcy?"

Darcy hesitated before speaking. "I've been doing some research on Abi's father, and I think I've found something interesting."

Leo's eyes snapped with attention. "What is it?"

Darcy's voice was cautious. "It looks like Abi's father has a history of financial troubles. He's been involved in several shady business deals, and he's even been accused of embezzlement."

Leo's eyes widened in shock. "What? That's not possible."

Darcy's voice was firm. "I'm afraid it's true, Leo. And I think it's connected to the loan that Abi's father took out in her name."

Leo's mind was racing with thoughts and questions. He knew that he needed to get to the bottom of things, and he was determined to do just that.

"Darcy, I need you to dig deeper," Leo said, his voice firm. "I need to know everything about Abi's father's financial troubles. And I need to know it now."

Darcy's voice was professional. "I'll get right on it."

Leo nodded, even though Darcy couldn't see him. "Good. I'll be waiting to hear back from you."

The two of them hung up the phone, and Leo sat back in his chair, his mind racing with thoughts and questions. He knew that he had a long night ahead of him, but he was determined to get to the bottom of things.

As he sat there, Leo couldn't help but think about Abi. He knew that she was innocent in all of this, and he was determined to protect her.

But as he thought about Abi's father, Leo's expression turned cold. He knew that he would stop at nothing to get to the truth, and to make sure that Abi's father paid for what he had done.

The game was on, and Leo was ready to play.

**

Here is the continuation of the story:

Abi walked through the front door of her childhood home, exhausted from a long day at work. She had stopped by the grocery store on her way home to pick up her mother's favorite food, chicken noodle soup. Abi had been taking care of her mother, Whitney, for months, ever since she had been diagnosed with cancer.

As she walked into the living room, Abi called out to her mother. "Mom, I'm home! I brought your favorite soup."

But there was no response. Abi's heart began to beat faster as she walked over to the armchair where her mother had been sitting earlier that day.

And that's when she saw her. Whitney was slumped forward in the chair, her eyes closed. Abi's heart sank as she rushed over to her mother's side.

"Mom! Mom, wake up!" Abi cried, shaking her mother's shoulders.

But Whitney didn't move. Abi's eyes welled up with tears as she realized that her mother was gone.

Abi sat down next to her mother's body, holding her hand and crying uncontrollably. She had known that her mother's cancer was terminal, but she had never expected her to go so suddenly.

As she sat there, Abi's mind began to wander back to all the happy memories she had shared with her mother. She remembered the way her mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl, the way she used to read her stories and tuck her in at night.

Abi's eyes landed on a piece of paper on the coffee table in front of her. It was a letter from her mother, addressed to her unborn baby girl.

Abi's eyes welled up with tears again as she read through the letter. Her mother had written about how much she loved Abi, and how much she was looking forward to meeting her new granddaughter.

As Abi read through the letter, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. She knew that her mother was no longer in pain, and that she was watching over her and her unborn baby girl from heaven.

Abi took a deep breath and stood up, wiping away her tears. She knew that she had to be strong for her baby girl, to take care of her and make sure she was okay.

As she stood there, Abi felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to make sure that her baby girl knew all about her grandmother, and the love that she had for her.

Abi took one last look at her mother's body, and then she turned and walked away. She knew that she had a long and difficult road ahead of her, but she was ready to face it head-on.

As she walked out of the house, Abi felt a sense of peace wash over her. She knew that her mother was no longer in pain, and that she was watching over her and her unborn baby girl from heaven.

Abi took a deep breath and began to walk down the street, feeling the warm sun on her face and the cool breeze in her hair. She knew that she had a long and difficult road ahead of her, but she was ready to face it head-on.

She quickly called for the ambulance even though her mother was already gone. She didn't want to believe it yet so she called for them and told them that her mother had collapsed.

She was glad that Ava was still in the dark. She doesn't want to break the news to her yet. She was on a date with her boyfriend since morning. Abi sat in the hospital room, her eyes fixed on the bed where her mother lay motionless.

Abi's body shook as she let out a loud, anguished cry. She had never felt such a deep sense of loss and grief before. Her mother, her rock, her confidante, was gone.

Abi's cry echoed through the hospital room, a raw and primal expression of her pain. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of sorrow, unable to catch her breath.

As she cried, Abi's mind was flooded with memories of her mother. She remembered the way her mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl, the way she used to read her stories and tuck her in at night.

Abi's cry grew louder, more intense, as she thought about all the things she would never get to do with her mother again. She would never get to share her pregnancy with her, never get to introduce her to her new baby girl.

Just as Abi thought she couldn't cry anymore, she heard the door to the hospital room open. She turned to see Leo standing in the doorway, a look of concern etched on his face.

Abi's cry grew louder, more intense, as she saw Leo. She felt a wave of emotion wash over her, a mix of grief and relief.

Leo walked over to Abi, his eyes filled with compassion. He sat down next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, Abi," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "I'm here for you."

Abi turned to Leo, burying her face in his chest. She cried uncontrollably, her body shaking with sobs.

Leo held her close, stroking her hair and whispering words of comfort in her ear. He was sick, but he had come to the hospital to be with Abi, to support her through this difficult time.

As Abi cried, Leo held her close, feeling his own heart break with sorrow. He knew how much Abi's mother meant to her, and he knew how hard this must be for her.

But even in the midst of her grief, Abi felt a sense of comfort and peace with Leo by her side. She knew that she could always count on him to be there for her, to support her through the tough times.

As the minutes ticked by, Abi's cry slowly began to subside. She took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm wash over her.

Leo held her close, his eyes filled with compassion. "I'm here for you, Abi," he whispered. "We'll get through this together."