But this time, no amount of pleading, pouting, or begging had any effect. Lionel''s face remained a cold mask as he pulled his hand away.


    "Sandra, you know as well as I do that if you don''t apologize properly, Hannah will sue you."


    From the posts by Hannah''s colleagues, he had a pretty good idea of how serious the situation was. Hannah wouldn''t have let it get this far unless she had been pushed to her absolute limit. She had never threatened to sue before, despite everything that had happened.


    "And you know the state of my rtionship with Hannah right now. If it were a matter of money, maybe I could talk to her, ask her to drop it. But she''s serious this time. If I try to defend you now, it will only make her hate you more."


    The events of the past few weeks had made him painfully aware of Hannah''s feelings. If he took Sandra''s side at this critical juncture, their marriage would be over for good. He didn''t want that. He didn''t want them to end like this.


    "Lionel... is there really no other way?"


    Lionel didn''t answer, just sighed deeply.


    Sandra''s face went white. She stumbled backward and sank onto the sofa, a cold sweat breaking out on her palms. Her lips trembled.


    This wasn''t right. This wasn''t how it was supposed to go. ording to her n, by now, Hannah should have been the one apologizing to her.


    She swallowed hard, her brow furrowed as she looked up at Lionel. "Lionel... you haven''t... fallen in love with Hannah, have you?"


    The moment the words left her mouth, her heart leaped into her throat. The sweat on her palms intensified, and her breathing grew shallow.


    If he wasn''t in love with her, he wouldn''t be acting like this.


    And if he was... would they still go through with the divorce?


    Her mind reeled with panic as she stared at him, waiting for an answer.


    Lionel''s brow creased in confusion at her question.


    "You''re about to divorce her, so why are you still defending her?" Sandra pressed her voice rising with desperation. Why can''t you just fet me have this one thing? Even if I do apologize, do you really think Hannah will ever forgive me?"


    His silence was all the confirmation she needed. A sharp pain shot through her chest. She closed her eyes, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek.


    The only sound in the room was her quiet sobbing.


    After a long moment, Lionel finally spoke, but Sandra cut him off. She stood, her eyes filled with a mixture of despair and heartbreak.


    "If it weren''t for my help, my financial support, would you be where you are today, Lionel? Hannah may


    have saved you ance, but was on my


    way to save you too! I was just a littlete!"


    "I''m the one who truly saved you! How can you be so cruel as to hurt me for another woman?"


    "You said you loved her, that you wanted to marry her. I went against my parents'' wishes and called off my own engagement for you! And now, you''re forcing me to apologize to her? Do you have any conscience at all?"