"He got into a car ident, speeding through a storm for another woman," Quennel stated, his voice devoid of warmth as he stared at Lionel. "He''s lucky he''s not dead. The public might not know you''re married, but our families do. How could you do this to Hannah?"


    Hannah''s head snapped around to look at him, her breath catching in her throat. "Quennel... what are you talking about? Who did he crash for?"


    Quennel''s gaze softened as he looked down at her, then hardened again as he turned back to Lionel. "Are you going to tell her, or should I?"


    Lionel''s jaw was tight. He slowly lifted his heavy eyelids to meet Hannah''s gaze. "Sandra," he said, his voice t. "She slit her wrists, then jumped from a window. She''s in surgery right now."


    His tone was even, betraying no emotion, but Hannah could feel the undercurrent of rage directed at her.


    She looked at the glowing light above the operating room door, her mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.


    Lionel pushed himself to his feet and walked heavily toward her. "She did this because of you. Because you forced her to marry Kim. She would rather die than marry him." He pointed a finger at the operating room doors. "She''s in there right now, and we don''t know if she''ll live or die! The doctor said even if she survives, her legs are so badly broken, she might never walk again!"


    A look of pure shock crossed Hannah''s face. She couldn''t believe it. She never would have thought someone like Sandra would do something so extreme. But... but none of this had anything to do with her!


    "I told you, I never asked Quennel to arrange her marriage to Kim," she said, her fingers trembling. A chill spread through her body. Her eyes filled with hurt and confusion. wasn''t me I would never doe he something like that."


    Her tearful denial was nothing but noise to Lionel.


    "It wasn''t you..."


    "Her parents came to me," Quennel interrupted, pulling Hannah behind him protectively. "Mr. and Mrs.


    Woods knew Kim''s parents weren et


    looking for a match for him, and they asked me to make the introduction." He fixed Lionel with a withering stare. "If you want to me someone, me her parents for selling their daughter for profit, Don''t stand here and me your innocent wife! Lionel, do you have any idea how pathetic you look right now?"


    Hidden behind Quennel''s broad, secure frame, Hannah felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest. She clutched her heart, stumbling back and sinking onto a bench, gasping for air.


    "Hannah!" Quennel heard the sound and spun around. Seeing her pale face, he knelt in front of her. "What''s wrong? Are you hurt?"


    Hannah gripped her chest, her face contorted in pain as she looked at Lionel, tears streaming down her face. She tried to speak, but another sharp spasm seized her.


    "Don''t be scared. I''ll get you a doctor!" Quennel scooped her into his arms and


    ran.