After a dozen agonizing seconds, he finally answered.


    "Hello?"


    The voice that came through the phone wasn''t Sandra''s. It was a cacophony of arrogant, demeaning insults.


    A look of rm crossed Lionel''s face. He hung up, stubbed out his cigarette, and strode back toward the room.


    He arrived just as Kim and his parents were leaving.


    Miranda Rosenberg recognized Lionel and gave him a contemptuous once-over.


    "I hear Mr. Lionel Rosenberg is going through a messy divorce. You should probably sort out your own family problems before you start meddling in other people''s business. Otherwise, you might lose your wife and your mistress on the same day."


    Miranda had always looked down on this prodigal son. So what if he was blood? He had been left for dead years ago and had scraped his way up from nothing. If it wasn''t for Quennel''s family taking him in, he''d be a nobody.


    "Mrs. Rosenberg," Lionel said, his expression icy. "Yourpany has been losing money for years. I''ve already had my team take over your projects on the east side. You and your husband can enjoy afortable retirement living off the dividends."


    "You-!"


    Miranda seethed, unable to form aeback. She could only watch as he walked away.


    "Forget it, Mom. Why get angry with him?" Kim said. "He can''t take all the projects. Does he think Quennel is just a decoration? His dear older brother?"


    "You''re right, son. Let''s go home. This hospital is bad luck."


    Miranda shot her husband a look, and the three of them left.


    Lionel walked into the room to find Sandra sobbing uncontrobly. He sat beside her, gently trying tofort her.


    Cora emerged from a corner, quickly filming the scene on her phone before sending the video to Hannah.


    Hannah had been waiting at home, but he never came. Thest flicker of hope she''d been clinging to finally died.


    When she saw the video from Cora, she wasn''t surprised. She had expected it. But seeing it still sent a sharp, painful jolt through her heart.


    She pursed her lips, watching the man in the video, so tender, so caring.


    With a nk expression, she saved the video.


    "Why do you do this to yourself? Just block her. Out of sight, out of mind," Quennel said.


    Hannah shook her head. "This is the best evidence I have of his infidelity. It will be very useful."


    As she said the words, a chilling coldness seeped into her bones. She


    emitter self-mockingugh.


    let out a


    All those years of study, all those court battles... and now she was using all that experience on herself.


    Well, at least it was something. Without this evidence, given the Rosenberg family''s power, he could drag out the divorce indefinitely. Now, she could at least file awsuit and get a share of their assets.


    Hearing her words, Quennel felt a pang of pity mixed with a strange sense of


    irony. She was both pitiful and absurd.


    “Let me take you out to dinner tonight. It''s not good for you to be cooped up in the house all day."


    "It''s fine. I''m used to it."


    She wasn''t in the mood. She just wanted to sit alone, to let her mind go nk.


    "I booked a table at a rooftop garden


    restaurant. The atmosphere is wonderful," Quennel said


    l.ne


    start


    breaking some of your bad habits, shall we?"


    Hannah''s lips thinned. Quennel always had a way of saying things in that gentle


    voice of his that made it impossible to refuse.


    She finally nodded in agreement.