Sandra''s hand froze as she took the menu. She had expected some reaction- annoyance, jealousy, anything—but Hannah remained infuriatingly calm. Was she not doing enough?


    Lionel poured a ss of water and downed it in one gulp, an unfamiliar tightness in his chest.


    After the food arrived, Hannah took out her phone, opened a photo, and ced it on the table.


    "Ms. Woods, there was something I wanted to ask you," she said, pushing the phone toward her.


    "What is it?"


    "Is this the man you were on a date with?"


    The warm smile on Sandra''s face vanished. She stared at the photo, her jaw tightening as she struggled to find a response.


    "You went on a blind date?" Lionel asked, breaking the silence.


    "I..."


    "It was the day before yesterday, wasn''t it?" Hannah answered for her. "He seemed quite taken with you, Ms. Woods, though I gather things didn''t end well."


    Sandra nodded. "My mother arranged it. I only went because I didn''t want to upset her. It was just a formality."


    "He''s involved in a legal dispute with Keystone Group," Hannah said, taking her phone back with a sigh. "I was hoping if you knew him, you could help me get some information. But it seems that''s not an option now."


    Sandra''s face was pale. She snuck a nce at Lionel and met his cold, unreadable eyes, quickly looking away.


    "You two go ahead and eat. I need to use the restroom," Hannah said, cing her phone face down on the table as she left the room.


    The door clicked shut, leaving Lionel and Sandra alone. The memory of Hannah showing her the photo of her blind date, a clear act of mockery, made Sandra''s blood boil. That bitch was doing it on purpose.


    "Why the sudden blind date?" Lionel asked, breaking the tense silence.


    Sandra''s lips trembled. She looked down for a moment, then let out a long, theatrical sigh. "After my brother passed away, I found out the family business was in trouble. My parents are at their wits end Theye. were hoping I could marry someone who could help... help the Woods family."


    She took a deep breath and leaned back, her eyes meeting his with a look of helpless resignation. "Lionel you know I''m just a juniorwyer. I''m not as capable as Hannah. If it weren''t for your help all these years, I don''t know where I''d be. But... you''re Hannah''s husband You can''t keep helping me forever."


    Lionel said nothing, his thumb tracing the rim of his teacup.


    Sandra clenched her fists under the table, her knuckles turning white "Sometimes I envy Hannah. No matter what happens, she always hasy


    you to fall back on. But I have no one. I don''t know what to do."


    The image of her oafish blind date shed in her mind, a stark contrast to the


    handsome man sitting across from her. A bitter wave of resentment washed over


    her.


    Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Sandra quickly changed her tune. "I''m sorry," she said with a self-deprecatingugh. "We were having such a nice time. I shouldn''t have brought the mood down."


    She raised her teacup. "Lionel, a toast. Thank you for everything you''ve done for me over the years."


    Lionel lifted his own cup. "Are you sure you want to marry this man?"