Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 96: Trust

[You were scared earlier, weren’t you?] Abigail asked Josh, and he nodded.

”I don’t want to get Pete in trouble with daddy,” Josh said, and though Abigail didn’t like that he was referring to his biological father as Pete and Ryan as his daddy, she smiled at him and patted his hair.

[You did good. Tell me again. How did you meet him at the airport?] Abigail signed, curious to know how Jamal could have crossed paths with Josh.

”I was lost and scared, and he came to help,” Josh said, explaining it as it happened, and Abigail couldn’t help but marvel at how the strings of fate kept pulling them all together.

She hoped that when it was time to take Josh away from Ryan, that the universe will help her make it easier on Josh.

[So, why do you want him to be my boyfriend?] she asked, and Josh giggled.

”He is kind and very handsome like me. And you are kind and pretty too,” Josh said and Abigail laughed silently.

She wished she could just drop the act and communicate with him normally instead of pretending to be mute, but she knew Josh wasn’t ready for that yet.

He was a brilliant kid and she knew in time he would be ready for it. First she was going to slowly let him see the kind of liar that Ryan was, so that he would not trust him so much.

[I see. I don’t want Pete to get in trouble too. So, give me a minute to ask Pete what you should say if you’re asked what he told you.] she signed and he bobbed his head, glad that she was helping him out.

Abigail unlocked her phone and typed out a text for Jamal.

> Abigail: He saw you whispering to Josh and he’s wants to know what you told him. What do you want him to say?

A couple of seconds later, Jamal who was in his room responded to the text.

> Jamal: I figured. Tell him to say I shushed him and asked him to stay quiet because that was his father’s study area and he shouldn’t be a noisy young man.

Abigail smiled as she read the text.

> Abigail: Alright. Chat later.

Abigail cleared their chat history before she communicated what Jamal had said back to Josh, and then after Josh rehearsed his response a couple of times and Abigail was satisfied with his performance, she went on to freshen him up so they could go have dinner with Ryan.

As much as she didn’t like that she was teaching him to tell lies at such a young age, she knew it was a necessary evil.

As far as she was concerned this was going to be the least lie Josh was going to tell to Ryan if she had her way.

Slowly she would make him realize who she was to him and establish her place in his life. After she had done that and had gotten his trust, she will then be ready to deal with Ryan fully.

After she finished getting Josh ready, she led him to the dining to meet Ryan, who was already seated at the head of the dining waiting for them.

”There you are,” Ryan said with a wide smile when he saw them approaching.

While he waited he had been wondering what Pete had said to Josh and why it had seemed like Abigail had hurried off with Josh in order to avoid his question.

”Look how handsome you are. Your pajama is cute,” Ryan said, noticing that it seemed like a new outfit.

”Abi bought it,” Josh said, looking down at the reindeer pajamas with a grin.

[I bought it a long time ago while I was away and kept it hoping it would still be a perfect fit by the time I’m able to give it to him.] Abigail explained.

The pajamas had been a family set, and she had loved it, so she had gotten it even though she didn’t exactly have a family for it.

”It looks good on him. Now that you’re here perhaps you will supervise his caregivers,” Ryan said and this time Abigail held his gaze.

[Now that I’m here he doesn’t need caregivers. I can take care of himself.] Abigail signed, while Josh looked from Ryan to Abigail following their discussion.

”He still needs caregivers. You’ll be going to work. Who will watch over him while we are all away?” Ryan asked reasonably and Abigail hesitated.

[He could go to school like every normal kid. I will find a school close to the office. He should go to school and meet kids around his age. He should have friends.] Abigail signed, remembering what Jamal had said about her childhood.

She could see that Ryan was trying to raise Josh the same way her mother had raised her and she didn’t want that for Josh. She didn’t want a genius son. She wanted a happy and well rounded son.

Ryan looked at Abigail. He could see that she was very possessive and protective of Josh and seemed to have a lot of opinions on how best to raise him.

”Why don’t we have this conversation later? This is time for dinner. Let’s eat,” Ryan said with an easy smile, gesturing to Abigail to eat, and she gave him a nod and picked up her cutlery.

”So, Josh, you didn’t tell me what Pete was talking to you about,” Ryan said after they had eaten in silence for a while.

He watched Abigail from the corners of his eyes wanting to see if she would try to change the subject again, but Abigail merely looked at Josh with curiosity as though she too wanted to hear what Pete had said to him.

Like Abigail had taught Josh, he didn’t glance in her direction. Instead he looked at Ryan.

”He asked me not to run around the hallway of your study because you need it to be quiet when you work. And so that I wouldn’t trip and hurt myself. And he said I should be a quiet young man,” Josh said, not remembering the exact words Abigail said but knowing it was along those lines.

Abigail almost smiled at that. Josh was indeed a smart kid, she mused as she continued eating.

”So, what did you say to him?” Ryan asked, since he had seen Josh say something back.

”I said I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” Josh said, and Ryan nodded with approval. ”And he said he wasn’t a stranger. He said he works for my daddy. And then Abi came.”

”I see. That’s good,” Ryan said, satisfied with the explanation. ”Pete is the new driver. He drives your sisters around. But don’t go too close to him. He’s just a driver not your friend,” Ryan advised, looking from Josh to Abigail.

Abigail’s fingers tightened around her cutlery but she didn’t let her expression give away anything. Instead she forced a smile and nodded as she looked at Josh.

[You can’t just trust anyone, okay? Be more careful.] she signed, and Josh nodded, smiling at her.

”But I trust you,” he said, and she smiled back.

[Of course, you should.]

”You both trust me too, don’t you?” Ryan asked, and Josh bobbed his head as he looked at Ryan.

Ryan raised a brow as he waited for Abigail’s response. [I don’t think that question is necessary between father and daughter.] she signed with a sweet smile and Ryan chuckled.

”You’re right. I wish Genevieve was here with us. I really enjoy meals better with my kids,” Ryan said with deep contented sigh.

Hearing Genevieve’s name, Abigail smirked when she remembered that Genevieve was busy having fun with Stefan, thinking he was Jamal.

She couldn’t help but wonder how their date was going.