Chapter 247

A chill seemed to radiate from Vincent, his entire expression rigid and cold as steel. He dismissed Claude's provocation entirely, his cold gaze boring straight into Claude's eyes.

"Nervous? Hardly," Vincent replied, voice steady and deep-though it rumbled with underlying menace. "What I saw was someone who refuses to accept 'no,' keeps crossing boundaries, and doesn't care when they're not welcome."

The implication in his words needed no explanation.

Claude scoffed, as if Vincent's accusation were a joke. His grin grew, but his gaze sharpened into something frostier. "All that over a simple dinner invitation, Mr. Jones? Don't you think you're overreacting?"

A dark storm brewed in Vincent's eyes, anger almost breaking through his calm exterior. "There's a difference between being persistent and ignoring someone's discomfort. When you won't stop after they say no, that's not determination. That's crossing the line! That's coercion!"

Vincent had seen the way Hannah recoiled-the way her body language screamed refusal. There was no mistaking it.

Claude's smile slipped away, replaced by an icy, stony glare.

All the while, Hannah stayed behind Vincent, startled by how much he'd noticed. Had he really caught everything? And how could he read her signals so clearly, when others always missed them? A mix of surprise and something softer stirred in her chest.

Claude's voice sliced through the tension, sharp and cold as

Claude's voice sliced through the tension, sharp and cold as glass. "Coercion, you said? Impressive, Mr. Jones. You sure know how to throw around accusations."

Drawing in a slow breath, Hannah finally stepped out from behind Vincent's shield. She faced him, her features still tired but her eyes resolute. "Thank you, Mr. Jones."

She sent Claude a pointed look, noticing how his expression had turned to stone, and then turned back to Vincent. There was exhaustion in her voice, but also a calm honesty."I know what you think you saw, and I get why you'd see it as coercion."

Vincent's jaw tightened, his frustration evident as he asked,"Wasn't it?"

"He didn't," she answered, her tone steady and sure. "Claude isn't the sort of man who would force me physically or drag me somewhere against my will. He never crossed that line."

She searched for the right words. "He can be... relentless.Sometimes, he gets so caught up in what he thinks is best for me that he stops listening. Yes, he grabbed my arm, and yes,his voice got harsh, but it wasn't coercion. I'd already agreed to dinner."

"You agreed to it?" Vincent's frown deepened, his disbelief showing in every word. He couldn't help raising his voice. "I saw you trying to pull away. Your expression said you wanted nothing to do with him. He was practically dragging you toward the car, and you're telling me that wasn't coercion?"

His questions tumbled out, raw with concern, as if he needed her to confirm the truth he believed he'd seen.

Hannah's patience wore thin under the barrage. With a weary sigh, she spoke frankly. "Yes, I did try to pull my arm away-that part is true. I just wanted to go home and rest, but Claude was insistent. Dinner was his idea, and he wouldn't let it go."

Af+er=briefnause she added. "He wasn't trving to hurt

Afterr a briof pause, she added, "He wasn't trying to hurt me.There was no coercion, no real pressure. This is just how he is -bullheaded, convinced he knows what's best for everyone."

The momnent her words fell, Claude's jaw unclenched, and a strange, almost triumphant satisfaction flickered across his features. She understood him completely, right to his core.

In his warped view of the world, Hannah hadn't changed since childhood. The loyal girl who'd always have his back, no matter what he did. His gaze was fixed on her, smugness practically radiating from him.

At Hannah's calm explanation, Vincent's stiff posture faltered,only slightly, but enough to notice. Showing care in that way?That was what she called it? So all that pressure from Claude,all the pushing and refusal to listen-she simply chalked it up to concern? And by the sound of it, she not only understood it,but she seemed to accept it.

Vincent's eyes darted from Hannah's steady expression to the triumphant glint in Claude's.

A knot of fustration tightened in Vincent's chest, fierce and burning. "You know him that well?" His voice came out rough and sharp. "You're really that used to his so-called 'care'?"

Hannah froze for a moment. After everything she'd just explained, and still, he didn't understand? Swallowing down a tangle of emotions, she replied softly, "Think whatever you want." She turned her attention to Claude. "Let's just go.Dinner's waiting."

She figured there was no point dragging this scene out any further.

She'd barely taken a step toward the car when Vincent's voice rang out behind her. "Wait!"