Betrayed by Fiance, Embraced by Hidden Tycoon-Chapter 187: Unexpected Encounter!

"Why are we having dinner with him? Is his granddaughter coming?" Abigail asked Sawyer in a hushed tone, loud enough for him to hear.

Sawyer immediately shook his head; only three people, including Abby and himself, would be having dinner tonight.

Before agreeing to bring Abigail to this dinner, Sawyer had already ensured that Grandpa Philips would come alone. He had forbidden Grandpa Philips from telling anyone, including his butler. His driver was the only person allowed to accompany him because he didn’t trust anyone in the Philips family.

Abigail was relieved to learn that Serena wouldn’t be joining them. If that woman came, too, she feared the dinner would become a nightmare.

How could she possibly sit at the table with Sawyer’s ex-girlfriend, who still harbored feelings for him? She couldn’t even imagine that scenario.

When she returned her gaze to the older man standing before them, looking at his broad, happy smile, an odd feeling stirred in her heart. She couldn’t quite identify his strange expression. Still, she remembered that James Philips’s aura felt different from the last time they had met at Sawyer’s grandfather’s house.

That day, the older man had seemed like a threat to her, especially when his granddaughter, Serena, was with him.

But now? His expression was complicated to describe. However, one thing stood out: the usual clear and proud gaze in his bright gray eyes now appeared gloomy, as if deep regret lingered within them.

Just as Abigail was about to speak, James suddenly grabbed her hand. Her eyes widened in shock, and she glared at him in anger. However, her anger slowly faded when she noticed his eyes were slightly red, as if he were holding back tears.

’What happened to him? Why is he crying?’ she wondered, trying to find an answer.

Abigail glanced at Sawyer, but surprisingly, his expression also looked gloomy, and he didn’t seem angry at all about the older man grabbing her hand.

"Abigail, I’m so happy to meet you again finally. I need to introduce myself properly," James said, his smile gentle. Yet, Abigail felt confused by it.

"I’m James Philips. You can call me Grandpa James or Grandpa Philips, as Sawyer usually does." His voice trembled a bit, and his grip felt tight.

Surprisingly, Abigail didn’t feel any discomfort; instead, a warm sensation flowed from his hand, making her feel at ease.

Although confused, Abigail tried to remain polite and casual. With a thin smile, she responded, "Hello, Grandpa Philips. It’s nice to meet you, too."

"Oh, dear Abigail. You are so beautiful. Since our first meeting, Sawyer has told me so much about you," James continued, expressing his happiness while gently patting her hand.

Abigail remained silent but glanced at Sawyer; with her gaze, she asked, "What’s going on here? Why does he seem so friendly? Why are we having dinner with him? He is your ex-girlfriend’s grandpa..."

However, Sawyer seemed to understand her question poorly. Instead, he smiled and said, "Grandpa Philips, let’s sit down. Abby might get tired if we stand here for too long." He took her hand from James’ and led her into the room.

"Oh, yes, let’s sit first..." James said, immediately returning to his seat. His broad smile still framed his face as he looked at Abigail and Sawyer seated across from him.

"I’m sorry to confuse you, Abigail. I invited you here tonight to dine with me," James said, pulling Abigail’s attention back to him.

Abigail stared at him, tightly holding Sawyer’s hand under the table. She was confused and curious about why James wanted dinner with her. It was even more puzzling that Sawyer had allowed them to meet—he was supposed to distance her from the Philips family, right?

"Abigail, when we first met, I was shocked to see how much you resemble someone who had been very dear to me in the past. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to speak with you that night. I know my sudden appearance with my granddaughter may have caused you some inconvenience, and I apologize for that. I really do."

Abigail remained silent and calm. But deep inside, she was utterly baffled by his words, especially when he mentioned that she resembled someone from his past. She listened as James continued.

"In the past, I met a woman who looked strikingly like you, and she was around the same age. We fell in love, and after I proposed to her and began planning our wedding, she suddenly disappeared from my life."

’This... Why does this story sound so familiar?’ Abigail felt a chill run through her. The more she listened, the tenser she became, as his story seemed to be linked to her grandmother.

"I don’t know why she vanished," James said, his voice heavy with emotion. "I searched for her and never stopped hoping to find her again." He recalled the painful memories of Sophie, the woman he loved, leaving him without explanation.

As James fell silent, the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense.

Abigail waited, watching James as he seemed to gather his thoughts. A few more minutes passed, and he said nothing but exhaled a few times.

Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, "The woman who left you—my grandmother, Sophie Lewis? Are you my grandfather?"

Both James and Sawyer were taken aback by Abigail’s straightforward question. They quietly exchanged glances, their expressions curious, while waiting to hear her feelings about this truth. But Abigail didn’t seem to continue to say something.

"A-Abigail, you can guess...!?" James Philips asked after a few moments of silence.

James felt mixed emotions swirling inside him as he waited for Abigail to reply. He felt joy at the thought that Abigail understood what he was about to say, but he was also worried that this young girl might hate him.

Abigail nodded and said, "Of course, I can guess easily. Your story is similar to one I heard from my grandmother. And, as you mentioned, I resemble someone from your past..."