From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace novel Chapter 102

“Back then, Abbott and I were working together. The Austin family and the Baker family were just small players in Apex, barely making waves. We were both hungry for something bigger, looking for any chance to break out.”

“One day, someone gave us a tip about an opportunity in Verdian. Supposedly, it was the perfect chance to expand our businesses. Abbott and I didn’t hesitate. We put everything we had on the line, scraped together all our assets, and got on a ship to Verdian.”

“It wasn’t until we were out at sea that we realized what was really happening. We hadn’t signed up for a business venture. We were being trafficked, taken to work as forced labor, basically as slaves.”

“We were young, and we weren’t about to just accept it. So, we rallied the others on the ship, tried to lead a revolt.”

“But we were way too naive. We didn’t stop to think that people running a racket like that would have muscle, or weapons. We lost, badly. They took everything from us. We were beaten within an inch of our lives. Florrie... she was six months pregnant. She died right there. Abbott tried to protect her and almost died himself.”

“Right when it felt like all hope was gone, a couple showed up. They hid Abbott and me in a small compartment, kept us away from the people hunting us down.”

“The ship was chaos. The man risked his life to find a first-aid kit, but Abbott’s injuries were too serious. Even with help, he didn’t survive.”

“While we were hiding, we found out the couple was on the run too. They needed real identities to get into our country. So Abbott offered them his and his wife’s names. All he wanted was for them to look out for the Austin family.”

“With the couple’s help, we eventually made it home. That’s how the couple became Abbott and Bella.”

“The Baker family owes everything to the resources they gave us. The Austin family even more so. If they hadn’t worried that the Austins couldn’t handle such a big empire, they could’ve easily built a legacy in Cabinda.”

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