Chapter 215

Softening her tone, Danica acted as though their earlier argument had never taken place. "Vincent, your uncle's business is in trouble. All it would take is a phone call from you to straighten things out. He's family and that company's still part of the Jones Group."

A sharp glare flashed in Vincent's eyes. "You've got a lot of nerve bringing that up. If you hadn't forced my hand, none of this would've happened. The company wouldn't be his, and the Jones Group wouldn't be the punchline to everyone's jokes."

No warmth lingered in Vincent's expression as he watched her.

Words dried up in Danica's throat, but the memory of her brother's desperate phone call drove her to push on.She edged closer, her voice pleading. "Vincent, please, we're talking family here. Are you really going to stand by and watch your uncle's company get shut down? His whole family depends on him."

He didn't blink. "You've got it wrong. They're not counting on him. They've always counted on you. All the money you've siphoned off to your side of the family? You actually thought Grandma and I didn't notice?"

A cold laugh escaped her. "What, so my family suddenly doesn't matter to you now? We're supposed to be one and the same."

"Grandma is the only family member I care about. The rest don't matter111Vincent replied, his mouth twisting in distaste.

Shock overtook Danica's face at his harsh words. "How dare you talk like that?"

Without hesitation, Vincent moved for the door. "I'm not lifting a finger for him. His company's got flammable materials stacked up, and people died because of shoddy production. It got reported."

Danica opened her mouth to make one last effort, but Vincent didn't give her the chance. "I'm the one who reported it."

Her skin turned pale as the truth hit. "You reported your uncle?" Everything suddenly made sense- Vincent's late-night return and furious confrontation. "So this is all about Hannah, isn't it?"

"Consider it a lesson for you," Vincent replied, his tone unyielding. "Cross the line again, and I won't hold back."

Danica's audacity in slipping the contraceptive drugs into Hannah's food and medication to keep her from getting pregnant was something Vincent would never forgive.

With a sharp motion, Vincent swung open the car door and hurled a parting shot over his shoulder."1fyour brother means that much to you, then move out of this place. I'll explain to Grandma for you."

Danica's hands trembled with fury. "You! You're nothing but an ungrateful child! All those years, wasted on raising you!"

"Raising a kid means pouring in time and love. You only gave birth to me, but you never raised me," Vincent replied, his voice unflinching. In his heart, Sharon was the one whno'd truly brought him up.

A squeal of tires marked Vincent's exit as he sped off into the night.

Left standing alone, Danica pressed her hand to her chest, a cold pallor settling over her face.

From the shadows, Erica lingered just out of sight, having overheard every barbed word exchanged. She had egged Danica on to drug Hannah, never guessing Vincent would figure it out so quickly or that he would side with Hannah so decisively. Nothing about the situation had unfolded as Erica hoped.

Stepping out, Erica approached Danica, her words soft and soothing, though they did little to help.

···

At the villa in Mapleridge, Vincent rolled in past three in the morning. He didn't go upstairs to his room like he usually did. Instead, he walked quietly into Hannah's room.

He stood near her bed, staring at her sleeping face in silence. He didn't turn to leave until the first hint of dawn crept in through the curtains.

When morning arrived, Hannah immediately sensed something had shifted. The usual caregivers were nowhere to be found, having been replaced overnight. She brought it up with the butler, who gave a half-

hearted reply about some being dismissed for pulling off some tricks or not pulling their weight.

Later on, as Hannah moved through the garden, tapping carefully with her cane, a sharp trace of Vincent's cologne drifted into her nostrils. Unable to see, she played it off like she didn't notice.

But he didn't let the moment slide. He called out to her.

Hannah kept her tone steady as she replied, "What brings you out here?"

A weight lingered in Vincent's eyes as he spoke. "Marie prescribed you new meds."

"I know." A question hovered on Hannah's mind, prompting her to tilt her head. "If my vision never returns,do you intend to keep me trapped here forever?"

A faint parting of Vincent's lips signaled hesitation. "That's not what I want."

Hannah stiffened, left uncertain whether he meant her eyes would heal or he wouldn't keep her caged. No urge compelled her to dig deeper for clarity.

Vincent's stare grew intense. After a long pause, he said softly, "I'm sorry."

Hannah's hand stilled on her cane, a faint smirk tugging at her lips."Anapology doesn't cut it. I'm not forgiving you for keeping me captive here."

A dry rasp colored Vincent's next words, emotion catching in his throat."My mother..." He faltered, voice cracking. "She had your meals and medication laced with infertility drugs. I can't tell you how sorry l am."

A short, almost bitter laugh left Hannah. "So that's what you apologized for."

Shock rippled across Vincent's features. "You already knew?"

"Of course," she answered, her tone cold and distant.

Danica's cruelty had never come as a surprise to Hannah. A few years back, even after Hannah had packed her things and left the Jones family estate behind, Danica had still found ways to slip contraceptive drugs into her meals. She had skipped every tainted meal and confronted Danica, drug analysis report in hand.

However, Danica had brushed Hannah off without a care and counted on Vincent never listening to Hannah's calls. And she wasn't wrong. Vincent hadn't bothered to pick up a single call.

Back then, Hannah had been shattered. But now, she felt a strange kind of freedom.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Vincent asked, his voice tight and hoarse.

Hannah responded coldly, "What difference would it have made?"