A short whileter, a servant came in, ced a tray of food on the table, and left.


    At first, Sandra ignored it, but eventually, the gnawing hunger became unbearable. She forced herself to use the wall for support and made her way to the table.


    Halfway through her meal, she noticed a piece of paper tucked under her bowl. She picked it up, and as she read the words written on it, her eyes widened in shock. In an instant, all her confusion vanished.


    That afternoon.


    Sandra quietly and obediently got into the car with Lionel, heading for the Temple estate.


    She spent the entire ride looking silently out the window, a stark contrast to her earlier behavior.


    Seeing her this way, Lionel felt a sense of relief. He had expected her to put up another fight or threaten to harm herself, but now she was being surprisingly cooperative. It seemed his words at noon had finally sunk in.


    "Sandra, I''m d you''vee to your senses. Don''t worry, after you speak with Hannah, I''ll make sure you get the best medical care. And I''ll give you a sum of money. You can go wherever you want, and from then on, we''ll have nothing to do with each other."


    Lionel finished speaking and waited for Sandra''s response. When a few moments passed and she said nothing, as if she hadn''t heard him, he raised his voice slightly.


    "Sandra, I was talking to you. Did you hear me?"


    Sandra didn''t turn to look at him. She just kept her eyes fixed on the scenery outside and replied nonchntly, "Yes, I heard you."


    "So you know what you need to doter?"


    She still didn''t turn around, her response just as t. "Yes, I know what to do."


    Her distracted demeanor struck Lionel as odd, but he didn''t press the issue.


    He figured she was probably just having a hard time adjusting to the new, distant nature of their rtionship.


    Soon, they arrived at the Temple estate.


    Lionel had the Temple family''s butler announce their arrival to Hannah.


    About ten minutester, the butler returned and led them to the backyard, not into the house.


    "Ms. Hannah said you are to wait for


    her here. She''s busy with something at the oment but will be down


    you when she''s finished."


    The butler left after delivering the message.


    No one was sent to attend to them, no chairs were offered, no refreshments. They were simply left standing there.


    Lionel knew Hannah was angry and didn''t expect to be weed, so he didn''tin.


    But Sandra, in her injured state, couldn''t stand for long. She found a step and sat down.


    "Lionel, I never thought Hannah


    would be so cold-hearted. It seems


    something interesting have


    happened between you two while t


    was away. The tables have certainly turned. How rare."


    Sandra couldn''t resist a sarcasticment.


    Lionel remained silent, unconsciously clenching his jaw.


    He couldn''t say he waspletelyfortable with Hannah''s new attitude, but he had a nagging


    attitude but he had not


    feeling that this was exactly how he used to treat her.


    Hannah was simply giving him a taste of his own medicine.


    He was finally starting to understand what it felt like for her back then.


    After waiting for fifteen minutes with no sign of Hannah, Lionel started to feel that something was wrong and went to find a servant.


    He asked, "When will Hannah be finished with her work?"