Chapter 125

Inside the VIP lounge of the Obsidian Club, Vincent realized how long it had been since he last shared a drink with Bobby and the others.

Most nights, when Bobby called, Vincent always had an excuse to bail.

But tonight, inexplicably, Vincent showed up-and spent hours tossing back whiskey in moody silence.

The group could barely contain their curiosity about the swirling rumors. Since Bobby was closest to Vincent, all probing eyes fell on him, silently begging for an opening.

Bobby finally broke the tension, tapping his glass to Vincent's with a lopsided grin. "Hey, take it easy. Good liquor's for savoring, not drowning in."

Vincent's gaze was icy, slicing through the haze. "What gives you the right to lecture me about how I drink?"

Vincent's mood was unmistakably dark. Bobby, realizing he'd picked the wrong moment, fell silent and shrank back, his earlier bravado gone in a heartbeat.

A sudden laugh broke out from a man of the group, his gaze glued to his phone. "Well, look who's finally shooting his shot-Issac Stanley."

Bobby cocked an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "What's Issac up to now?"

The man grinned, mischief in his eyes. "Apparently, he scored a date with Hannah Scott. Kinda wild,considering she shut him down hard the last time he tried."

He smirked, sneaking a glance across the lounge, clearly hoping to catch Vincent's reaction.

He didn't have to look far-Vincent had silently appeared at his shoulder, eyes narrowed on the glowing phone screen.

"What do you mean by that?" Vincent's voice was low, but the weight behind it made everyone freeze. The man fumbled, nearly dropping his phone in panic.

Vincent's stare grew even colder, the shadows sharpening the angles of his face. "I asked y/ou,what do you mean Issac Stanley has a date with her?"

"I don't know the details. Issac bragged about it himself in the group chat. Said he was at Obsidian Club...I think it's happening right here."

Bobby took one look at Vincent's dark expression and posed the question. "So it's true? You actually married Hannah, and now she's walking out on you?"

Bobby kicked himself for skipping Sharon's seventieth birthday party. Most of their group's parents had attended, and the wild rumors afterward were all hearsay-hard to believe. Like the one about "Hannah going from Vincent's long-term mistress to his wife." The whole thing sounded utterly absurd.

Vincent's jaw tightened, giving nothing away. "You're getting awfully nosy." He set down his glass with a dull clink, then pivoted and strode off.

Bobby watched him leave and then called out, "Done drinking already? Where're you heading off to?"

Vincent didn't bother looking back. "Restroom," he muttered with an even tone.

Bobby leaned in, lowering his voice with certainty. "He's not headed for the restroom. I guarantee it-he's on his way to find Hannah."

"Oh, come on-didn't he just say he was heading to the restroom?"

Shaking his head, Bobby remarked, "You don't get it. Vincent has a possessiveness over her that runs deeper than he realizes."

Bobby prided himself on his instincts when it came to matters of the heart. He remembered one particular night-Hannah drinking alone at a bar, Vincent nowhere in sight. Bobby had texted Vincent, barely finished the message before Vincent came charging in, wild-eyed and ready to start a fight at the first sign of anyone talking to her. Vincent simply couldn't stand seeing another guy anywhere near her.

··· Inside Issac's private room, it was only him and Hannah.

Issac angled his phone and snapped a picture of Hannah, the camera flash catching in her wary eyes.

She shot him a look, suspicion hardening her voice."What's that for?"

Issac barely looked up from his phone. "Isn't it obvious? Gotta show off a little." His fingers flew across the screen, grinning slyly.

Hannah twisted her lips into a sharp, mocking smile.

Issac popped the cap off a bottle of tequila, pouring generous shots into three waiting glasses. "Let's start with a few drinks to get things going," he suggested, his tone teasing.

He nudged a glass her way and remarked, "This one's yours."

Hannah answered with a cool, easy smile, "Sure. I'll drink first." She leaned in, fingers curling around the glass, bringing it just shy of her lips.

Issac's gaze burned with anticipation, every muscle tense as he watched her.

But before he could savor the moment, Hannah hurled the contents of her glass straight onto his face,drenching him in cold tequila.

Issac erupted in rage. "What the hell? Are you fucking insane?" he bellowed, alcohol dripping from his jaw and collar, humiliation burning across his cheeks.

He lunged at her, fingers grasping for her arm, but Hannah slipped out of reach with practiced ease.

"I don't take kindly to threats." Her tone was ice, every word slicing the air.

Her expression hardened into something letal. She slammed the empty glass onto the table's edge-sharp crack, fragments scattering. With effortless bravado, she plucked up a jagged shard and offered Issac a sly,dangerous grin.

After what had happened during the kidnapping, Hannah had learned one thing. To make it out alive, she had to outmatch her enemies, no matter how ruthless. She'd realized that appearing weak only encouraged people with malicious intentions to keep coming. And Issac-who was now harassing her for a second time -was the perfect case in point.

Issac's eyes locked on the shard in her grip, voice shaky as he started to edge away. "What on earth do you think you're doing?"

She tilted her head, never breaking eye contact. "What do you think? Giving you a little lesson."

She launched forward without warning, driving her foot straight into his stomach.

Issac crumpled onto the couch, clutching his stomach, barely able to catch his breath as Hannah pressed the jagged shard against his throat.

A frosty smile tugged at her lips. "Careful now. Try anything and I'll make sure you bleed."

Issac's entire body trembled. "You... If you lay a hand on me, my family will ruin you," he stammered, his words shaking as hard as his hands.

Hannah's voice cut through the air,icy and steady."Oh? But I am dead set on laying a hand on you.What are you going to do about it, Issac?"

She leaned in, the glass biting closer to his skin. Her words dropped to a venomous whisper."Do you really think your father would lift a finger to help you? He's been looking down on you. Always the disappointment,always the mess."

"You!" The words struck him dead-on. He was gasping for breath but didn't dare to move.

"I'll say this once. Stay the hell away from anyone I care about. Next time, it won't just be a drink in your face."

Issac had always assumed Hannah as harmless-a docile woman who'd never raise her voice, much less her hand. He never could have imagined this kind of rage simmering just beneath her surface. He'd read her all wrong.

Raised in luxury, Issac had beenshielded from real danger his entire life. Now, faced with a woman who refused to play victim, he was completely out of his depth.The fear was plain in his eyes as he stared at her, helplessly stammering, "Don't do anything reckless..."

His pitiful attempt at self-preservation only amused Hannah. Men like Issac thrived on picking apart the vulnerable, but the moment they encountered true defiance, their bravado melted away.

With an icy smile, Hannah lowered the jagged shard, using it to slice through the buttons on his shirt one by one. The glass tip wandered across his chest, leaving a trail of torn fabric and shallow scratches. He looked utterly disheveled-his dignity shredded along with his shirt. There would be no talking his way out of this.

A sudden crash broke the tension as the door swung open. Hannah's body relaxed, sure it was Felix bursting in.

She flung the shard aside and pivoted, only to recognize the figure in the doorway wasn't Felix at all.