After getting ready, she went downstairs. Just like yesterday, Lionel had made breakfast and was waiting for her at the table.


    Hannah didn''t even spare him a nce. With a happy smile, she walked right past him, got in her car, and drove off to get breakfast somewhere else.


    Work had been slowtely, giving the office staff plenty of time to gossip. The conversation drifted from Sandra deleting her public apology overnight to sightings of her on another blind date, before finally settling on new designer handbags.


    Hannah found herself curious. Sandra had been quiet for a few days, and she''d expected Lionel to have forced her into some kind of humiliating consequence. It seemed he was all bark and no bite, still unable to let his precious Sandra suffer in the slightest.


    Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Sandra''s room was in a state of chaos.


    "Are you two insane?" she screamed at her parents. "I have a broken leg and I''m in a wheelchair, and you''re still trying to force me into blind dates? Is this how low you''ll sink to sell your own daughter? Are you even human?"


    Just yesterday, while she''d been trying to figure out her next move, her mother hade in, all sweet and concerned, which had immediately set off rm bells. When she asked what was going on, her mother had simply said she''d bought a new cake and wanted to share it. Before she could refuse, she was wheeled downstairs-right into an ambush with a prospective suitor.


    She had erupted in fury, screaming at the man until he fled in terror. Her parents, of course, had berated her for it. She thought that would be the end of it, but now her mother was back, trying to set her up again.


    "Are you still dreaming of being Mrs. Rosenberg?" her mother retorted. "If Lionel really loved you, would he have made you post that apology? Would he have stayed away? Would he have pulled the plug on all our business projects?"


    "Sandra, I''m telling you, you should be grateful anyone is still willing to pay a high price to marry you. Don''t push your luck! The man will be here any minute. If you refuse to go down you can jump off another building for all I care, but I won''t be calling an ambnce this time!" her father added venomously. "You had a golden opportunity with the Rosenbergs and you threw it all away. If you cause any more trouble, you might as well just die!"


    Sandra stared at her mother, stunned. The woman who had once cherished her was now speaking with such cold cruelty. How could her heart be so poisonous?


    "Get yourself ready and get downstairs. I''ll wait right here," her mother said,


    determined to prevent another dramatic escape attempt.


    Around noon, Samuel stopped by


    Hannah''s office and invited her to


    lunch, saying he


    anted to introduce her to the person she had been


    curious about. Hannah thought for a


    moment and agreed.


    They arrived at an elegant restaurant with private rooms. When Samuel opened


    the door to their booth, Peter was already waiting inside.


    "Ms. Green, it''s a pleasure,” he said, extending a hand. “I''m Samuel''s uncle, Peter."


    Seeing her again, he was struck by how much she resembled his sister. It was as if they were cast from the same mold.


    “Mr. Temple,” Hannah replied, shaking his hand. "Your nephew said you wanted to see me about something. What is it?"


    Impressed by her directness, Peter didn''t beat around the bush. He slid a file across the table toward her.