Chapter 191

Hannah arched a brow, making no effort to deny the obvious.

Only then did Erica remember to introduce herself. "Hi, I'm Erica Stanton, Vincent's aunt. Work's kept me out of town for a long time."

Letting out a gentle sigh, she continued, "I missed your wedding entirely. Never imagined I'd come back to find you two in this situation. It's really such a pity."

Hannah met her gaze with a cool, almost amused smile."It's not quite a pity. You still get to attend Mr.Jones' wedding when he remarries."

Erica's heart skipped a beat. She asked tentatively,′′WVait, are you saying you and Vincent are getting back together this quickly? Freshly divorced, and now a remarriage is on the horizon? Then it's time for the preparation of the big day."

Realizing Erica got the wrong idea, Hannah remarked, her smile slipping away, "You've got it wrong. He is free to marry whoever he wants-just not me."

Vincent's gaze fell to the floor, his expression unreadable.

Erica glanced at him and then gave Hannah an awkward smile.

The hospital room fell into an uncomfortable hush.

After a moment, Vincent headed toward the door, his voice quiet but firm.′′Weshould get going. Let's not disturb her any longer."

Erica nodded and trailed after him.

Not long after they left, Rena breezed in, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Hannah, who was that woman with Vincent just now?"

Without looking up, Hannah unlocked her phone and scrolled through a news app. "His aunt," she answered flatly.

"His aunt?" Rena's brows shot up in surprise. "She looked so young." She then lowered her voice in a whisper. "I saw her trailing after Vincent, standing outside your room for a while before finally coming in.Honestly, it looked like she came here just for you."

Hannah remembered Erica's earlier words and gave Rena's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I'm done with the Jones family. No more tangled connections."

Aside from Sharon, Hannah had no intention of ever dealing with any of the Jones family again.

Meanwhile, in Vincent's hospital room, Erica lingered at the foot of the bed after a few questions about his condition, visibly hesitating before she spoke. "Life's funny, isn't it? I honestly thought you left Hannah because of Brinley, but now look-Brinley's locked up."

Vincent's eyes turned stormy as he muttered, "I never had any romantic feelings for Brinley."

Masking her glee, Erica pressed on. "Then what really happened? Why did you and Hannah split up?"

Keeping his tone icy, he answered, "She's the one who wanted the divorce."

Erica masked her eagerness to know his feelings toward Hannah with a light tone. "Oh? From the way you're sulking, don't tell me you're still hung up on her?"

Vincent's patience snapped. Erica had been digging into his love life since her return. He turned away,refusing to respond.

Erica shifted into his line of sight. "Vincent, I just care about you, that's all."

He scowled, his jaw tight. "If you're that worried, maybe focus on my work instead of my private life."

Lately, Vincent had thrown himself into launching a high-stakes project-one with the power to double the Jones Group's value if it took off. The entire company was watching his every move.

Erica let out a soft laugh. "What's the point of worrying about whether you've faced any obstacles in work when you're that exceptional? You've always handled business better than anyone."

An awkward quiet settled between them, the silence stretching until Vincent finally broke it. "How long are you staying this time?When do you plan to head back?"

"I'm not leaving this time," Erica declared, her gaze drifting to the window, a faint smile softening her features.

Vincent's brows lifted in mild surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. "That's good. Grandma will be glad to hear it."

A wistful smile curved on Erica's lips. Years ago, everyone thought she'd stormed out of the Jones family estate after some petty spat with Sharon. But the real reason had always been Vincent-she couldn't stand the prospect of him getting engaged to Brinley, so she left before her jealousy could swallow her whole.

Later, when Brinley moved overseas, Erica had dared to hope again. Maybe, finally, it was her turn. But Hannah had arrived in Vincent's life like a storm, and once more, Erica had been forced to wait on the sidelines.

After hearing about Vincent and Hannah's divorce, Erica hadn't even been delighted as she was certain Brinley would marry Vincent soon. No one saw Brinley's downfall coming-until she was handed her prison sentence.

Erica had never wanted the role of Vincent's aunt. She yearned to be the woman by his side. This time, she was determined to fight for her chance, no matter the cost.

Still, the way Vincent spoke about Hannah made it clear-his heart hadn't let go. And as long as Hannah lingered in his life, Erica knew she'd never stand a chance.

Two days later, Hannah was discharged from the hospital.

To thank Rena for taking care of her over the past few days, Hannah invited her out for a little retail therapy at Vista Mall.

They wandered into an upscale boutique. Rena moved slowly between displays, examining handbags with quiet fascination, while Hannah settled onto a plush sofa nearby, stretching her legs and letting herself relax.

The peaceful atmosphere shattered as a sharp, mocking voice rang out from across the showroom.

"Ma'am, be careful where you're putting your hands. If you break anything, you won't be able to pay for it," a male sales assistant sneered, her arms folded and chin lifted in contempt. "These are designer handbags,not bargain-bin ggroceries."

The target of her scorn-lrene Whitaker, dressed in simple, unfashionable clothes-smiled politely,undeterred. "Don't worry. I'm being very gentle. Could you please show me the red one up there on the top shelf?"

The sales assistant shot her a look of pure disdain. "Absolutely not. Those are part of our premium collection.If you mess one up, you think you could pay for it?"