Chapter 168

Hannah steadied her nerves and said, "Looks like I came to the wrong place."

Without warning, the tattooed man grabbed,her purse, rifled through it with little interest, and then pulled her even closer. "No need to panic,sweetheart. I promise I won't hurt you. I'm a gentle guy."

Hannah tried to sound calm. "My friend's on their way.They'll be here any minute."

A deep laugh rumbled from the tattooed man. "Even better. More company means more fun for all of us."

No matter how hard Hannah resisted, he was simply too strong. She found herself pulled into a private room against her will.

Inside, the scene shifted: several women reclined on plush couches, and fit young men hovered nearby, ready to serve.

The tattooed man finally released his hold on Hannah and then addressed the woman in the center with deference, "She's here."

"Don't be scared, sweetheart. You're in good hands."The woman offered a sly smile. Her sharp features and dramatic makeup were impossible to miss, her attire bold and eye-catching. With a flirtatious tilt of Hannah's chin, she purred, "A face like yours is rare.Tonight's little visit of mine just got a lot more interesting."

Forcing herself to remain composed, Hannah asked quietly, "What do you want from me?"

"Wrong question, darling," the woman answered,though a threat lingered beneath her sweet words."You should be grateful. If itweren't for me, the wolves out there would've torn you apart."

Pretending to play along, Hannah asked, "Could I use your phone? I need to call someone." At this point, Vincent's number was the only one she could recall. Even if she had every reason to resent him, right now, he was the only person she could rely on.

The woman's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "Of course, sweetheart. But not just yet. Wait until morning, and then you can make your call. And by the way, I'm Paige Morphew."

With a quick wave, Paige left the room with her entourage,leaving Hannah alone.

Hannah headed for the door, only to find it locked tight-there was no way out. Her eyes darted around the space, landing on a security camera pointed squarely at her.

Daphne returned to the guesthouse.

Brinley wasted no time, pulling Daphne aside with an eager glint in her eye.

"Word is, Hannah packed up and left by herself," Brinley said, her eyes twinkling as if she'd uncovered juicy gossip. She emphasized the phrase "by herself"more than once.

"Is that unusual?" Daphne didn't quite catch her drift.

Leaning in conspiratorially, Brinley explained, "You have no idea! Felix confessed his feelings to her last night. She probably rejected him-said he wasn't good enough or something. Now the poor guy's drowning his heartbreak at a bar."

"Oh, now I get it!" Daphne's face lit up with curiosity."Brinley, where did you hear all this? You have to give me the scoop!"

Brinley spun the tale with a bit of flair and then shifted the conversation to their flights home the next morning, her gaze repeatedly darting toward the entryway.

Time passed as they lingered in the lounge, waiting,until Vincent finally wandered back in.

Brinley sprang up to greet him, immediately catching the faint trace of alcohol on his breath. "Vincent,actually, Daphne and I are heading out first thing in the morning. Why not join us? It's always safer to travél together."

"I'll stick around for a few more days," Vincent answered, though his eyes betrayed him as they lingered on Hannah's closed room door.

Brinley didn't miss his reaction as her hands curled unconsciously into fists.

"By then, it'll just be you and Felix left here!"Daphne's tone was playful.

Vincent looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Hannah already left for home. Once we fly out,it'll just be you and Felix," Daphne answered plainly.

"Hannah already left?" Vincent repeated, his disbelief clear.

"That's right," Daphne confirmed with a nod.

A deeper crease formed between Vincent's brows. So Hannah was going out of her way to avoid him...His mood shifted, his voice low. "In that case, I'leave with you tomorrow."

A triumphant smile tugged at Brinley's lips. This was exactly why she kept Daphne close-no need to say anything herself, and no one would ever suspect her involvement.

Later that night, Felix stumbled back to the guesthouse,clearly wasted. He started pounding on Hannah's room door, his voice echoing down the hall."Hannah, open up! I'm not finished-I need to talk to you.Come on! Let me in!"

The commotion drew the attention of the front desk staff, who hurried over to intervene. "Sir, I'm sorry,but that lady already checked out."

"Checked out?" Felix blinked, the fog in his eyes clearing for a split second. So Hannah was avoiding him completely-she wouldn't even travel home together.

The realization sobered him instantly. With heavy steps, he trudged back to his own room, defeat written all over his face.

By the fourth morning, Felix, Brinley, and Daphne packed their bags and headed for the airport-everyone except Vincent.

The Elaria project hit an unexpected problem, forcing Vincent to take-charge and sort things out.

Brinley felt a wave of anxiety, but reminded herself this was a work problem-she had no right to meddle. Still, a flicker of relief surfaced. Hannah had been tricked into that unruly place, with no passport or a phone on her. There was no way Hannah could leave that place.

Meanwhile, Hannah hadn't dared to close her eyes all night, anxiety gnawing at her.

Just as dawn broke, Paige breezed into the room,smothering Hannah with exaggerated affection, even planting kisses on Hannah's cheeks. "My darling,you're something else. I was right about you."She added a few more kisses for good measure,leaving Hannah bewildered. "Wait. What's happening?"