"Mr. Rosenberg, are you staying for dinner?" Samuel asked cheerfully. "If so, let''s talk about something else. I''d hate to lose my appetite.”


    Peter said nothing, simply picking up his own silverware.


    Lionel stared at the three of them, a perfect, imprable unit. A lump formed in his throat as he looked at Hannah, but he knew there was nothing more to say. He turned and walked out of the restaurant. He would wait for her at home. He would make her listen.


    But as evening fell, Hannah didn''t return. He waited on the sofa for over half an hour, his anxiety mounting. He reached for his phone to call her, then remembered she had blocked his number.


    He took a deep breath, set the phone down, and continued to wait. The sky outside grew dark, but there was still no sign of her. His patience wore thin. He got up and began to pace in front of the house, craning his neck to look down the long driveway every few seconds.


    Lily, watching from the doorway, wanted to suggest he eat something, but the memory of what had happened to her own daughter stopped her. She was terrified that if she said the wrong thing, Lionel would send her away too.


    "Sir, perhaps you could use my phone to call the missus?" she offered tentatively, holding out her own device. She knew it was probably pointless. Even when Hannah dide home, she never ate with him. A phone call would likely just lead to another fight. But she didn''t dare say that aloud.


    Lionel hesitated for a moment, then took the phone. He quickly dialed Hannah''s number from memory. After a few rings, she answered.


    "Where are you? It''ste, why aren''t you home?" he demanded.


    Hannah let out a derisiveugh. "It''s thest night. It doesn''t matter if Ie back


    or not. Just be at the courthouse at eight tomorrow morning. Peter and I meant what we said."


    She had learned a bit about the


    "Don''t think I''m bluffing, Lionel," she continued, her voice hard. "The Hannah of three years ago might have been, but I''m not her anymore. I don''t love you, so I don''t care what happens to you. Eight amte."


    won''t beat


    She hung up, added the new number to her block list, and tossed the phone onto the bed. She walked out onto the balcony, the cool night air doing little to calm the chaotic mix of excitement and anxiety swirling within her. This was it. Thest night.


    The next morning, Hannah drove to the courthouse. As she pulled into a parking spot, she saw two figures waiting by the entrance. The press conference about her family reunion and dealing with her unpleasant rtives would have to wait.