She looked up at Lionel, her eyes shimmering with tears, then gasped as if a thought had just urred to her. "Lionel, don''t tell me... was that case originally Hannah''s?"


    Lionel gave a curt nod, his face grim.


    Sandra sucked in a sharp breath, covering her mouth with her hands. “No wonder... no wonder..."


    "No wonder what?"


    She opened her mouth, then closed it again, a picture of conflicted hesitation. After a few moments of tense silence in the hospital room, she finally whispered, "No wonder she refused to help when you asked her. She must have resented me for taking her case. But I swear, I didn''t know! I thought it was a case nobody wanted. I only took it because the client was so desperate."


    Her gaze dropped, her brow furrowed with self-reproach.


    "It''s not your fault," Lionel said, his voice heavy. "You have nothing to me yourself for."


    Sandra bit her lower lip, nodding weakly as silent tears streamed down her face.


    The next day, when Hannah arrived at the office, her colleagues immediately swarmed her, asking about her Facebook post and demanding she introduce them to her new "boyfriend." Hannah justughed and insisted he was only a friend, but no one believed her. If it weren''t for an impending meeting, they probably would have pestered her for photos.


    After the meeting, Yves asked her to stay behind.


    "Are you feeling better?" he asked.


    Hannah was a little surprised by his genuine concern. "The fever''spletely gone."


    Yves propped his chin on one hand, idly tapping a pen with the other. "You know, you get sick the minute you leave that ce. Maybe your fortunes are just cosmically ipatible with the Rosenbergs."


    Hannah considered it. He might have a point.


    "From your post, it looks like you stayed at Quennel''s cest night?" Yyes raised an eyebrow, his gaze pointed. "Those two brothers don''t get along. Aren''t you worried Lionel will pick another fight with you for staying there?"


    "He doesn''t know I''m at Quennel''s."


    She had thought about that. Until the divorce papers were signed, she had no intention of letting Lionel know where she was.


    A shadow crossed Yves'' eyes, but he forced a smile. "Alright then. But if you decide you need another ce to stay, I have a spare apartment you''re wee to use."


    Hannah was taken aback. She knew Yves was a good person, but she hadn''t expected this level of kindness. Was he this generous with everyone?


    "Mr. Lancaster, why are you helping me so much?"


    He knew she was hiding from Lionel, he''d approved her business trip without question, and now he was offering her a ce to live. It felt like more than just a boss being kind to an employee.


    "I went to a lot of trouble to recruit you. You think I''m just going to stand by and let someone push you around?"


    A dark, unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes, and his usual yful tone vanished. "Hannah, you work for me now. I won''t let him bully you again. If you have any problems, you Come to me first. Understand?"


    His words left Hannah momentarily stunned.


    It wasn''t until Yves stood up, walked around the desk, and gave her a light pat on the head that the tension broke. His teasing demeanor returned Go on get back to wor


    You take one day off, and this whole ce nearly falls apart."


    She nodded, a strange feeling swirling inside her as she touched the spot on her head where his hand had been.


    After work, Hannah headed to a department store to pick up some necessities. While she had her luggage from the hotel, there were still a few things she needed.


    As she was walking down the street, a car horn red aggressively behind her.