The team, finally grasping the situation, looked at Hannah with a new sense of rm. Yet the woman at the center of the storm remainedpletelyposed, focused on her work.


    Anna couldn''t help but ask, "She''s ndering you like this. Aren''t you going to fight back?"


    Hannah paused, tilting her head. "They''re all calling me a homewrecker. But for that to be true, those two would have to actually be a couple. From what I saw at the firm... they never acted like one." A mocking smile yed on her lips.


    The implication was so staggering that it left everyone speechless.


    The unknown number called again. Hannah stared at it for a moment, then stood up and walked out to the balcony to answer.


    "Hello?"


    "It''s me."


    Recognizing the deep, familiar voice, Hannah''s eyelids fluttered. "What is it?"


    "The news online. Have you seen it?"


    "I have."


    Silence stretched between them. Hannah didn''t press him. After a long ten seconds, Lionel finally spoke. "Did you do it? I''m trying to get the story taken down, but I can''t."


    She knew this call wouldn''t be pleasant, but she hadn''t expected him to ask that. And yet, this time, it was her doing.


    But she wouldn''t admit it. After all, she''d only made a suggestion in the car. She hadn''t lifted a finger herself.


    Hannah sighed, her hand tightening on the railing as she looked out at the city below. "Lionel, why don''t you just say I was the one who sent a client after Sandra with a knife?"


    "Why don''t you say I was the one who lured her out in the middle of the night and pushed her in front of you?"


    "Why don''t you say I orchestrated her brother''s car ident?"


    "Why don''t you say I''m the one responsible for the Woods family''s financial crisis?"


    "Thank you, Lionel, for thinking so highly of me."


    She closed her eyes, a wave of despair washing over her. She suspected that, at some point, he had probably considered her guilty of all those things. Yves had told her that Lionel had investigated her after Sandra''s brother''s ident. He had suspected her. If she hadn''t had a rock-solid alibi, she might never have cleared her name.


    She couldn''t understand how two people who had once been so in love could end up like this.


    The silence on the other end was deafening. "Lionel," she asked quietly, "do you remember something?"


    "What is it?" he asked, his voice low and raspy.


    “I am your wife. But right now, online, I''m the homewrecker who destroyed your marriage to Sandra. I''m the woman everyone wants to see ruined My career and my reputation are being torn to shreds, and the


    first thing you do is caff and ask if I''m behind it."


    A single tear escaped and slid down her cheek.


    "I could post our marriage certificate right now and prove my innocence. But because you demanded we keep it a secret, I''ve had to bear all of this alone. And now have to face your usations on top of it all."


    She let out a hollowugh. “Lionel, I''m a person. I have feelings. Why are you torturing me like this?"