Chapter 217

News from Marie brought an unexpected burst of joy to Hannah. The blood clot in her mind had finally dissolved, clearing the way to have retinal surgery in just a month. Finally, there was progress in her eye treatment.

Waves of relief crashed through Hannah as she listened. It meant she'd be out of this place one month later.Hope had stirred inside her for the first time in what felt like ages.

Not everything changed for the better, though. Vincent started turning up by her side nearly every single day. Silent most of the time, he simply lingered nearby-watchful, yet saying nothing at all.

One day,without warning, Vincent showed up carrying a pile of Braille books in his arms. When Hannah's fingers swept across the covers, she turned to the caregiver and asked, "Are these for me?"

A light laugh slipped out of Vincent."NO,not for you," he said.

Mentally, Hannah couldn't help but scoff. She hadn't asked him. Why did he answwer her question? And who else would need Braile books here besides her? The idea that the books might be for someone else was laughable.

Actually, Vincent didn't lie. He'd brought those books for himself. With no one suitable to step in and take the reins of the Jones Group, he had begun preparing for the worst-case scenario. If blindness ever came for him post-surgery, he still needed to keep the company running.

Reading Braille became his fallback plan, just in case he ever had to review confidential reports or balance sheets without relying on anyone else. He'd thought things through. If he ever went blind, he would vanish abroad under the excuse of business, so nobody suspected he couldn't see.

Yet, the idea that this month might be the last time he would ever be near Hannah haunted him. That fear pushed him to hover in her presence these limited days as much as possible.

Thus, these days, caregivers often caught Vincent by Hannah's side. Questions about Hannah's

whereabouts had become routine-Vincent would quietly ask and then trail after her without a word,blending into the background.

This evening was no exception. Finished with paperwork, Vincent dropped into the seat beside Hannah, his fingers tracing Braille letters with intense concentration.

Restlessness gnawed at Hannah, who did her best to pretend he wasn't there. Silence hung between them until she finally broke. "Why're you so into learning Braille anyway?"

Letting herself get sentimental over his sudden interest in Braille wasn't part of her plan. She wouldn't be moved because of this.

A sly edge crept into Vincent's tone as he leaned closer. "How did you know..."

If it were in the past, Hannah would have pulled away from his advances, but being temporarily unable to see,she had no clue he'd inched toward her and stayed where she was.

Boldness pushed Vincent to close the gap between them further until barely any space remained, their faces nearly touching, though he dared not go further.

Hannah didn't respond to his question. She could tell from the rustle of pages and his focused vibe. And just now, she'd pickedup his quiet footsteps, his presence growing even more obvious. Instinct made her lean back, putting a little distance between them.

Vincent noticed her reaction, a trace of annoyance slipping through his face. Fixing his gaze on her, he asked, "Want to try reading it?"

Without skipping a beat, Hannah answered, "I'll pass."

Persistence filled Vincent's voice. "Come on. Just give it a shot." He didn't wait for approval, sliding next to her and wrapping his arms around her.

Hannah squirmed, swatting at him. "Back off."

Vincent stated in a serious tone, "I'm trying to teach you Braille."

He placed his hand over hers, guiding her finger so she could feel the pattern ofraised dots along the paper.

Hannah felt uneasy with him being so close, so she sprang to her feet. "I don't need to learn this," she said.

Vincent kept his eyes on the floor. "I know," he said quietly. He remembered her upcoming surgery. She wouldn't need Braille.

With her cane in hand, Hannah turned away and began walking off.

Vincent called out after her, "The word you just touched? That was Scott."

Hannah kept going and did not look back.

Vincent tried again. "Your last name."

She didn't pause, walking away without responding.

He let his fingers rest on the page, head lowered. He could feel disappointment settle inside him. The first word he'd ever learned to read in Braille had been her name. But she couldn't care less about it.Or him.

···

Since that episode, Vincent eased up on his watch over Hannah. She finally got the chance to talk to her parents.

Inside the sunroom, a caregiver stepped in to help her make the call.

Hannah spilled the news about her surgery, and they were more nervous than she was.

After the call, the caregiver took the phone away.

Hannah sensed Vincent was nearby and couldn't help but comment deliberately, "What's the harm with letting a blind person keep her phone? Taking my phone away this quickly? You're making this way more dramatic than it needs,to be."

Vincent's expression did not change. "It's better to be careful," he replied. Even then, his nerves would not settle. His team still had no leads on whoever had brought Hannah up to that hospital rooftop weeks earlier.

Hannah pressed her lips together, soaking up the sun to kill time.

Vincent leaned over and asked her, "Are you bored?"

With clear irritation, Hannah retorted, "Isn't that obvious?" She waved him away. "Go study Braille and quit bothering me."

Vincent refused to move and made himself comfortable next to her. "How about I fill you in on what's happening with your company?"

Hannah's eas perked up, alarm bells ringing. "What's going on with my company?"

He kept his eyes on her. "Nothing serious. Just a few things I thought you'd want to know about."

She stretched her hand out. "Give me my phone. I'll check for myself."

He shook his head. "That's not happening. Either let me tell you, or you can keep sitting here, bored. The choice is yours."

Hannah had no real options. She had been desperate for updates on how her company was doing,especially Polaris Tech's gaming projects. She let out a breath. "Fine. Go on."

Vincent jumped right in, sharing the glowing feedback on the Nova Tech wristband and highlighting the major progress made with Polaris Tech's gaming projects. He laid it out clearly, tossing in his own sharp insights.

Every idea he brought up seemed to fit with what Hannah had imagined for the company's future. She found herself pulled into the discussion, even offering her own thoughts here and there.

This marked the first time she'd ever talked business with Vincent, and his sharp business sense took her by surprise. He was more than capable-he knew how to cut through complications with real precision.

Finally, Hannah said, "Thank you."

He didn't hesitate to ask, "If you really want to thank me, come out with me tomorrow."