Standing behind the door, Hannah felt a warmth spread through her chest as she listened to Quennel defend her.


    Lionel took a deep breath, ignoring the other man''s words as he walked toward the door. But as he took a step closer, Quennel grabbed him again.


    "Let go! Quennel, I''m warning you, stay out of this. Don''t think I don''t know what''s going on in that filthy mind of yours!"


    With a cold expression, Quennel dragged him a few steps to the side.


    "Whatever''s on my mind, it''s better than you. While you''re still married, you''re telling everyone you''re single, fooling around with one woman at home and another on the side. Do you have any respect for Hannah? Get lost, or don''t me me for what happens next!"


    Lionel ignored the warning. He could see Hannah standing just behind the door, watching them, and he had to go ask her himself.


    But as he moved to step forward again, Quennel''s fist came flying at him.


    He instinctively raised a hand to block it, but Quennel feinted and drove a hard punch into his stomach.


    "I told you I wouldn''t hold back!"


    Quennel followed up with a vicious kick, then another,nding them squarely on Lionel''s body. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Lionel had no time to dodge and stumbled to the ground.


    "Quennel! Quennel—!"


    Seeing the scene unfold, Hannah rushed toward them, dragging her IV pole with her.


    "Quennel, stop! Please, stop fighting!"


    In a panic, she grabbed Quennel''s hand, wrapping her arms around his bicep to pull him away.


    “Hannah, after everything that''s happened, are you still defending this scumbag? Can''t you see him for who he really is?" Quennel demanded, though he allowed her to pull him back a few steps, away from Lionel.


    Afraid he would lunge again, Hannah clung to Quennel''s arm, tears welling in her eyes.


    "I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I know... I''ve known from the very beginning that he never loved me. I''ve always know."


    If there had been any love left in his heart for her, they never would have ended up like this.


    "Then why are you protecting him? Let me just beat him to a pulp!"


    Lionel pushed himself up from the floor, blood trickling from the corner of his


    mouth as he stared at Hannah.


    “Because... because..." Hannah''s eyes, red and swollen, turned to meet Lionel''s.


    Their eyes locked, and the air seemed to freeze.


    She bit her tower lip, her brow


    furrowed in pain as she looked back


    at Quennel. "If you keep fighting,


    you get hurt Quennel... It''s got


    worth it.”


    Those simple words were enough to dissolve the anger in Quennel''s heart.


    A smirk touched


    his lips as he shot a


    mocking nce at Lionel. He then looked down at Hannah, who was still holding his arm, and said gently, you''re so worried about me, then I''ll listen. I won''t touch him. Let''s go back inside so you can rest."


    Hannah pursed her lips and nodded, finally releasing his arm.


    Quennel turned and saw she was still standing frozen. "Hannah," he called softly. "Let''s go."


    Looking at Lionel''s battered state, her heart grew colder, and a sense of despair washed over her as she turned to leave.


    "Hannah!"


    Watching her walk away, Lionel felt a surge of panic for the first time, and her name burst from his lips.


    Hannah took a step, then paused.


    Quennel looked down at her but didn''t rush her.


    "Lionel, you shouldn''t havee," she said, her voice hollow. "If Sandra wakes


    up and you''re not there... what will she do?"