A tense silence fell over the table. Lionel stared at Peter for a long moment before letting out a humorlessugh.


    "Mr. Temple, I don''t know how you know Hannah, but this is a Rosenberg family matter. It''s none of an outsider''s business."


    Peter ignored him, his gaze fixed on Hannah. He had heard about the scandals in the news, and had initially thought Lionel was a man of deep feeling. But now, learning that his own niece was married to this two-timing maniptor who was trapping her in a sham marriage, he felt nothing but disgust.


    "He''s not an outsider. He''s-"


    "Wait," Peter interrupted, holding up a hand to stop Hannah.


    Hannah looked at him, confused, but Samuel''s gleeful, expectant expression told her that her uncle had a n.


    "And what if I decide to make it my business, Mr. Rosenberg?" Peter said with a chilling smile. "Right now, the world thinks Ms. Woods is the love of your life. Imagine their surprise when they find out you''ve been secretly married to Hannah all this time. If you''re not at the courthouse tomorrow morning to file that divorce, I will personally inform the press of your marital status-and your infidelity. How do you think the Rosenberg Group''s stock will react? I wonder what your board of directors will have to say about that."


    Hannah had tried a simr threat before, but Lionel had called her bluff, convinced she still loved him too much to ever truly ruin him. But this was Peter Temple. He had no such attachments. In fact, he would probably enjoy watching Lionel''s empire crumble.


    Rage red in Lionel''s eyes. He stared at Hannah, trying to understand. Why would she tell the Temples? Had she...


    A sharp, painful realization twisted in his gut.


    "Ms. Woods and I have done nothing wrong," he said through clenched teeth. "If


    you want to spread rumors, Mr. Temple, I''m ready for a fight."


    Samuel burst outughing. "Did he just say they''ve done nothing wrong?" he asked Hannah, incredulous. "Am I hearing things?"


    "You heard him correctly," Hannah


    l''


    replied, a wry smile on her lips. "He''s always said that. Personally, I manage to keep a professional distance from my male colleagues. Perhaps his definition of nothing wrong'' is different from ours."


    "Maybe it only counts if you get caught in bed together?" Samuel quipped, then


    added with a mischievous grin, "Did you ever catch them?"


    Hannah shook her head.


    The simple gesture sent a chill down Lionel''s spine. That shake of her head wasn''t a denial, it was an affirmation in her mind, he had already slept with Sandra. But he hadn''t. He had never...


    "Hannah, you know I would never-"


    "Whether you did or not doesn''t change the fact that you made me sign a fake divorce agreement just to appease her," Hannah cut him off, her voice t and devoid of emotion. "We''ll see you at the courthouse tomorrow. If you don''t show up M Temple will release the story. And don''t me me for being ruthless. You were the one who deceived me first."


    Mr.


    With that, she picked up her fork and began to eat, dismissing himpletely.