That afternoon, after receiving the servant''s message, Hannah immediately called Tess to let her know Lionel wasing to see her again. She was determined to find out what he wanted this time.


    Lionel was surprised at how smoothly the appointment was made, and that it would be at her home.


    He had expected Hannah to make things difficult for him again, to pick some other location for their meeting.


    However, just likest time, they met in the backyard of the Temple estate. Hannah still wouldn''t allow him into the main hall, as if she felt he was unworthy of setting foot inside.


    But he didn''t care where they met. As long as he could see her, that was all that mattered.


    And this time, Hannah didn''t make him wait. When he arrived, she was already in the backyard waiting for him.


    "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting," he said, apologizing as soon as he approached her.


    Hannah ignored him, her gaze fixed on him.


    "I''m sorry,” he began again. “I made a mistake yesterday by acting on my own. I tried to have Tess transferred back. She''s already rejected the offer. I thought she would ept, since it would mean she coulde back and see you, but I was wrong."


    Hannah picked up her cup, still not responding.


    “I don''t know if Tess told you about this, but after thinking it over, I felt it was best to tell you myself, to avoid any more misunderstandings about my intentions toward her."


    Lionel''s voice faltered slightly as he spoke. He finished and waited patiently for Hannah to say something.


    But she remained silent, calmly sipping her tea.


    "I know I shouldn''t have made such a decision on my own. That''s why I came here today, to tell you this specifically."


    "Let me guess," Hannah said suddenly, setting down her cup.


    "The reason you''re suddenly acting so... strange, so out of character, anding here to tell me this is because you had some expert advice, right?"


    Hannah raised an eyebrow, a smirk ying on her lips. "It was Sandra, wasn''t it? She told you to do this? Toe and tell me?"


    The moment Hannah said it, Lionel''sposure shattered. His eyes widened in disbelief.


    He hadn''t mentioned Sandra once during their entire conversation. He hade here with a sincere apology.


    But somehow, Hannah had deduced that Sandra was the one behind it, advising him.


    It was so bizarre. Had she nted a listening device in his house or something?


    "Are you wondering how I figured it out?"


    She let out a deep sigh, her eyes filled with scorn.


    "It''s simple. This isn''t something you would ever do. You would never havee to me on your own. For you to suddenly show up to talk about whilepletely ignoring the Sandra kidnapping incident, don''t you think your behavior is a little contradictory?"


    "The only logical exnation is that


    you and Sandra discussed it, realized that your move was too


    impulsive and would make me


    angry, so you rushed over there to here to


    apologize. I''m right, aren''t !?”