Chapter 208

Vincent had just received a clear update from the doctors and was about to set off and speak with Hannah's parents when the hospital room door burst open.

Hannah's parents charged in,their faces contorted with fury.

"Where did you take my daughter this time?" Margaret shouted, nearly hysterical.

"She's missing?" Vincent's eyes instantly darkened. Grasping the gravity of the situation, he sprang out of bed, ignoring the stabbing pain in his injured leg, and bolted out the door.

He moved with such urgency that Hannah's parents barely registered his swift exit.

Vincent raced straight to the hospital's security room, terrified that Hoffman's remaining associates might have abducted Hannah as revenge, especially with her blindness leaving her particularlyvulnerable.

He forced himself to remain composed, meticulously scanning every surveillance feed, desperately seeking any sign of her. Finally, his gaze locked onto the elevator footage.

Zooming in, he noted with dread that the elevator was ascending to the rooftop. His heart skipped violently,and without a second's hesitation, he raced toward the stairs.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Erica guided Hannah forward with a gentle touch on her arm. Suddenly, Hannah hesitated, sensing something was off. "Why can't I hear any doctors?" All she could hear was the wind whistling around them.

Erica casually lied, "They're busy with their rounds. I'm the only one operating the machine today."

Still uneasy, Hannah cautiously stretched out her hands to feel her surroundings.

At that precise moment, Erica withdrew her support, coaxing softly but deliberately, "Just like that, step forward a little more. I'll get the equipment ready."

As Hannah moved hesitantly, Erica stepped back with a sinister smirk. "That's perfect. Lie down right there. Everything's ready."

Erica's eyes narrowed as she closely observed Hannah's movements, repeating her instructions.

But Hannah abruptly stopped-her foot brushed against something. Instinctively sensing danger, she drew back.

Erica's face contorted in frustration. It was clear-she'd have to take matters into her own hands. All Hannah had to do was fall-it would appear as suicide, plain and simple. No one would trace it back to her. There was no way Hannah could survive a fall from thirty-plus stories.

Erica hissed inwardly, "Hannah, don't blame me-blame yourself for still occupying Vincent's heart even after the divorce."

Erica crept closer, each step silent as a shadow, her breath shallow with tension. Her hand hovered mere inches from Hannah's back.

Yet, Hannah, perhaps sensing the imminent danger, swiftly turned and caught Erica's wrist in a tight grip.Her voice cut sharply through the wind. "Who are you?"

Caught off guard, Erica froze momentarily. The act was up. With a decisive move, she shoved Hannah toward the rooftop edge, triggering a desperate struggle between them.

Driven by survival instincts, Hannah exerted her utmost power to fight back. She could feel her heart pounding, the adrenaline pumping. The fight was evenly matched, neither gaining an advantage.

Suddenly, rapid footsteps echoed from the stairwell. Cursing under her breath, Erica disengaged and disappeared through another rooftop exit.

Vincent burst onto the rooftop, heart pounding as he saw Hannah perilously close to the edge.Holding his breath, he cautiously approached, determined not to startle her.

Hannah steadied herself and managed to catch her breath. She mistakenly took Vincent's approaching footsteps for her attacker's and cried out, "Stay back!"

"Don't do anything reckless," Vincent urged, his voice shaking despite his effort to remain steady. "The doctors said there's hope-a way to fix the blindness."

"Vincent?" Hannah immediately recognized his voice.

"Yes, it's me." Slowly and carefully, he extended his hand. "Take my hand and come back from there."

Reassured by his familiar voice, Hannah reached out toward him, longing for safety.

Vincent immediately grasped her hand so tightly that it made her wince.

Hidden in the shadows, Erica watched with bitter resentment before slipping quietly away.

"Ow, you're hurting me," Hannah complained, trying to pull free.

But Vincent tightened his grip even further, swallowing hard. His voice thickened with emotion."Why would you try to end your life? If you really died, I-" He paused abruptly, changing his next words quickly. "What about your parents? Have you ever thought about their feelings?"

He understood how devastating sudden blindness could be, especially given Hannah's previous struggles with depression. Such trauma could easily push someone to the edge.

Hannah quickly pieced it together. No wonder Vincent was so shaken-he thought she'd intended to take her own life. "Did you really think I was trying to jump?" she asked.

Before Vincent could reply, she calmly continued, "I'd never take my own life."

She had already survived so much-slander, heartache, countless failed suicide attempts. She had withstood all that, and blindness seemed trivial by comparison. She had learned to accept life's trials. The good and the bad-she'd embrace them both.

"Ever since our divorce, my life has only improved," she remarked confidently. "Why would I kill myself over mere blindness?"

Oddly enough, instead of relief, a frown deepened on Vincent's face.