Chapter 256

In a flash, emotion overtook reason.

Hannah whirled with such speed that she barely managed to explain anything to Vincent. She glanced his way and then seized Vincent's uninjured hand in a swift, demanding yank.

Vincent lurched from the unexpected pull, wide-eyed. He glanced at their joined hands, startled."What's happening-"

"Quiet. Come." Hannah's words were hushed and shaky, loaded with haste. Her hold was alarmingly firm.

Before Vincent could ask anything, she was yanking him straight to her bedroom, almost toppling him.

A voice rang from outside the apartment-Margaret's, tinged with alarm and increasing volume."Hannah? What's happening in there? Open the door,

darling! Claude's with me!"

Hannah stiffened. Claude was with her mom? She faced Vincent and fired out a trio of orders, low and fast. "Hide. Stay inside. Keep silent."

With a muffled noise, the bedroom door shut behind her.

Vincent leaned against the cold frame, heart pounding-not from illness, but from the sheer madness of the scene. He'd just been tucked away like something scandalous. Because beyond the wall were her parents. And Claude.

Back in the living room, Hannah adjusted her rumpled top, tugging at the collar. She drew in a breath, setting her face before swinging the front door open. "Dad? Mom? What brings you back so early?" Her voice rose in artificial brightness, feigned surprise.

Raymond and Margaret entered, both grinning.Behind them stepped Claude, neat in a pale lounge suit, carrying a fruit basket with grace.

"We were having fun," Raymond began,”but youn mother caught a chill last night and had a bit of a headache. We thought we'd return earlier."

"You alright, Mom?" Hannah asked, tone soft with worry.

"It's nothing serious," Margaret replied with a wave-but her sharp gaze had aready started its sweep of the apartment. Her eyes locked on something. TwO used bowls on the dining table. And beside one of them-a man's watch. She froze.

Hannah traced the direction of Margaret's stare. Her gut twisted.

Margaret gestured toward the bowls and the unfamiliar timepiece, her brow tightening. "Hannah,do you have company?"

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Vincent caught every word-clear and distinct. The watch was his. A Patek Philippe Celestial. He had removed it earlier and forgotten to retrieve it.

Thoughts collided in Hannah's head. Her lies came out brittle and uneven. "A friend wasn't feeling great and dropped by. We talked. It got late, so l offered some food. She-she left early this morning.Rushed out. Forgot to pick up the watch."

She avoided meeting Margaret's stare.

Claude's grin remained easy and warm-but the panic behind Hannah's eyes hadn't escaped him.There was a flicker of steel in his gaze, though the smile stayed in place. He chose not to expose her.Instead, with the smoothness of playing along, he chimed in, "Hannah, that friend of yours has expensive taste. Be sure she comes back forit."

Color rose to Hannah's cheeks. She gave a stiff nod."Yeah. I'll remind her." Desperate to move on, she turned to Margaret. "Mom, I'm heading in to change."

The door of her bedroom had barely clicked behind her when Vincent lunged forward without warning.Before she could react, his injured hand shot up,slamming against the wall just beside her ear.

In an instant, she was caged between the door and the searing heat of his chest.

A faint, derisive laugh escaped Vincent-quiet but sharp as a blade.

His tone was husky, thick with dark amusement. He tipped her chin up gently. "Hannah, the situation right now..." He let the words hang, his eyes locked on hers, and then added with biting calm, "Doesn't it feel like we're sneaking around?"

His words threw Hannah off guard. Flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger, she tried to push him away-but he held her with unyielding strength."You're being absurd!" she snapped, panicked.

"AmI?" Vincent didn't budge. He leaned even closer,breath warm and steady. "What are you afraid of?"His voice dropped, but the words sliced clean."Terrified Claude might find out that you've stashed a man in your room?"

Her blood ran cold.

Vincent's emotions surged wildly, every word laced in poison. "He matters to you that much?"

His breath, still warm with fever, brushed her neck."You don't want him to see me here? Worried he'll be upset?"

Through the door came Margaret's voice in the living room-soft, curious. "Claude, just now, did you catch a noise in Hannah's room?"

Claude chuckled meaningfully, the corner of his lips rising. "Hmm... yes. Sounded like something strange."