A cold fury seized him. He lunged for the elevator, stabbing at the button, but it was toote. He mmed his hand on the button for the adjacent elevator.


    On the fifteenth floor, he burst through the fire escape door and raced to Hannah''s room, just as Quennel was stepping out.


    Quennel ignored him, pulling out his own key card, but Lionel grabbed his wrist.


    "She''s asleep. Don''t bother her."


    "She''s my wife. Get out of my way."


    Quennelughed, a cold, mocking sound. He snapped the key card in half and threw it on the floor. "Wife? Did you think about your wife when you were with Sandra? If you don''t love her, let her go. Why do you insist on tormenting her?"


    Lionel''s eyes, cold as ice, locked on the broken key card. "Let her go so you can have her? Don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to, Quennel."


    He grabbed Quennel by the cor, his voice a low growl. "Even if we get a divorce, she will never marry you. Don''t even think about it."


    From the moment he had brought Hannah home, he had seen the way Quennel looked at her. He had tried to convince himself he was imagining things, but when he announced his engagement to Sandra, he had seen the relief in Quennel''s eyes. After that, Quennel had hovered around Hannah, treating her like a precious sister, always iming he was just grateful to her for saving Lionel''s life. But his "gratitude" had crossed a line And when Lionerand nnat were forced to marry, Quennel had immediately taken a six-month assignment abroad, as if he couldn''t bear to witness their union. His intentions were painfully obvious.


    Quennel looked down at Lionel''s white-knuckled grip and smirked, easily prying his hand away. "Are you so sure she still loves you? Because she''saved you orce? Because she stood by you? There''s something you don''t know. I met her long before you did."


    Lionel froze.


    "How many days left until your divorce? Twenty? Neen?" Quennel''sughter echoed in the hallway. "Using a divorce agreement to cate your mistress. You''re a real ss act, Lionel."


    He turned and walked away, leaving Lionel alone with the closed door. A sharp painanced through his chest. He reached out, his fingers tracing the cold wood fighting the urge go get another key card ando confront Hannah.


    Inside, Hannah had just finished her shower, oblivious to the confrontation outside. She had expected to lie awake all night, reying Quennel''s words in her mind. But she had slept soundly, waking up before her rm.


    She dressed in a simple, elegant dress and applied light, natural makeup. Only


    the faint puffiness around her eyes betrayed the tears she had shed the night before.


    As she came downstairs, she saw Lionel and Sandra standing near the entrance, talking intimately.