In the car.


    No matter how many times Hannah insisted she was fine, Yves wouldn''t let her go.


    The light turned red, and Yves eased the car to a stop. Leaning forward against the steering wheel, he turned to look at her and grumbled, “Well, I''m not."


    Hannah froze.


    A smile yed on his lips. "Just think of it as keeping mepany at the hospital. A perfect excuse to ck off."


    "...Alright, then."


    "Aren''t you going to ask me what''s wrong?"


    "Mr. Lancaster, what''s wrong?"


    "That was painfully insincere," Yves said, his gaze lingering on her radiant face. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and sat up straight. "I suppose Lionel is the only one you truly worry about."


    Hannah''s brow furrowed instantly. She had no idea why he would suddenly bring that up. "What happens to him is no longer my concern. Besides, someone else is worrying about him now."


    Yves smiled knowingly and pressed the elerator.


    He knew very well that Hannah was a terrible liar. Her eyes couldn''t deceive anyone, least of all him.


    When they arrived at the hospital, Hannah apanied him to pick up his test results. They were chatting as they walked,pletely oblivious to the two people standing in a nearby corner.


    "Lionel, isn''t that Hannah?" Sandra asked, pointing toward them.


    A cold glint surged in Lionel''s eyes, impossible to suppress. He stared at them, his gaze dark enough to kill.


    "Is Mr. Lancaster with her for a doctor''s appointment? Hannah doesn''t look too well," Sandra continued.


    "Pay them no mind. Sandra, it''s your turn," Lionel said, lowering his eyelids and retracting his gaze as he escorted her inside.


    Meanwhile, Yves led Hannah to a nearby café.


    "You can view the results directly on your phone. Why did you have toe all the way here to pick them up?" Hannah asked, puzzled.


    Yves leaned back in his chair, spreading his hands in a devil-may-care gesture. "Who knows what my mother is thinking. Maybe she thinks the digital copies can be altered."


    Hannah said nothing more, simply nodding as she lifted her coffee. Suddenly, two figures entered her line of sight.


    It was Lionel and Sandra.


    They were walking side by side, deep in conversation. Sandra looked pale, and Lionel was gently consoling her, the tenderness in his eyes as soft as a spring river it was a genuine Warmth that radiated from within, not some superficial act.


    "Careful drinking it that fast, you''ll give yourself heart palpitations," Yves said, cing his hand over her coffee cup. He nced at the coupleing through the door "For someone who ims not to care, you certainly seem to care a lot."


    Hannah''s pupils trembled. Flustered, she didn''t dare meet his eyes and offered no rebuttal.


    "Mr. Rosenberg, what a coincidence. We just saw each other yesterday," Yves called out cheerfully. Noticing Hannah hunched over like a timid quail, he gently nudged her foot under the table.


    Taking his meaning, Hannah took a quiet, deep breath and looked up, greeting him graciously. "Mr. Rosenberg."


    Lionel looked down at her. "What are you doing here?"


    "What a question, Mr. Rosenberg. What else does one do at a hospital besides see a doctor? Surely you''re not here on a date?" Yves teased "What''s the matter, is Ms. Woods feeling unwell How throughtful of you to personally escort your subordinate here."


    Sandra bit her lip gently and exined, "I skipped breakfast this morning and had


    a bout of low blood sugar. I told him I was fine, but Mr. Rosenberg insisted on bringing me."


    Hannah lowered her gaze, remaining silent. She knew he was deeply in love with Sandra, but she never imagined it ran this deep-he wouldn''t even let a simple case of low blood sugar go unattended.


    She remembered the time she was home with a fever of 104 degrees. She''d called him, begging him to take her to the hospital, but he had just told her to drive herself.