"Is Hannah with you?" Lionel''s voice on the phone suddenly turned grim. "Did she threaten you? Put her on the phone. I''ll talk to her!"


    His tone grew sharper, and Hannah could just make out his angry words from where she stood.


    "No, Lionel, it''s not like that! This has nothing to do with Hannah. It''s my own decision. I... I have to go." Sandra quickly hung up and walked over to Hannah.


    “Hannah, about lunch today... I wasn''t trying to show off. I just wanted to sit and eat with you."


    Hannah looked at her, her expression unreadable. "You don''t have to exin anything to me."


    "I..." Sandra bit her lip, unsure of what to say.


    Hannah couldn''t stand that damsel-in-distress act. Sandra could do nothing at all, but the moment she put on that pitiful expression, it was as if Hannah hadmitted some unforgivable crime.


    The two stood in silence for a few awkward moments until Hannah''s phone buzzed, breaking the tension. It was a message from Anna, asking where she was; the afternoon session was about to start.


    Hannah read the message and turned to leave. Just as she took a step, Sandra''s phone rang again.


    "It has nothing to do with Hannah. It''s my decision. Lionel, please, just drop it."


    Hannah didn''t have to guess who was on the other end, ming her for everything once again.


    For the afternoon session, either the organizers had intervened or Sandra had requested it, but their seats were no longer together. Hannah didn''t see Sandra for the rest of the conference. But when she went to the underground garage to get her car, she ran into Lionel, who was there to pick Sandra up.


    He was holding Sandra''s purse, and the two of them were standing by his car, talking quietly. Sandra''s fox-like eyes were red and swollen from crying, a picture of delicate sorrow. As she sniffled, she looked up and saw Hannah. Her expression flickered with surprise before she quickly looked away.


    That subtle movement immediately caught Lionel''s attention.


    He turned, and his face hardened as he saw Hannah.


    Hannah cursed her luck under her breath and turned to leave, nning to call a cab instead.


    But she had barely taken a step when his voice rang out behind her.


    "Hannah, if you don''t exin yourself right now, I will make sure Tess''s career is finished!"


    His words stopped her in her tracks. She spun around, incredulous.


    "Get over here and apologize to Sandra!"


    Hannah''s hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms, but she felt nothing. Gritting her teeth, she walked toward him each step heavy with resentment


    "Why," she bit out, each word dripping with fury, "should I apologize?"


    Lionel looked at her, at the verge of breaking down yet still defiant, and his voice grew harsher. "Because you humiliated Sandra in public. For that, you owe her an apology!"


    Humiliated? So that''s what he called it?


    Hannah''s eyes, burning with unshed tears, finally overflowed. She raised her


    hand and pped him across the face.


    The sharp crack echoed through the garage.


    Lionel''s head snapped to the side. His jaw tightened, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    Sandra gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.


    "She was humiliated because of you!" Hannah''s hand throbbed, red and swolten. "You''re the one who got her into the Rosenberg Group, who made people suspicious and started the gossip! What does that have to do with me? If you want to protect her, go after them! Why are youing after me?"