Chapter 257

Vincent's questions hung in the air, and Hannah turned her head away to avoid his eyes.

A heavy hush settled between them.

The stillness seemed to stretch forever, laden with sorrow.

No answer came from Hannah.

Vincent's gaze remained locked on her. Under his relentless questioning-after he'd laid everything bare-she chose silence. Her refusal to speak wounded him far more than any argument or denial ever could. To him, that silence was as good as confession.

He stopped pressing for answers. His hand,which had been locked under her chin, slowly released its grip. Even the tension in his other arm vanished as he dropped it from the door. No longer boxing her in, he

straightened, retreating without a word.

Instinctively, Hannah reached out, searching for something,anything to hold onto.

Suddenly, MAargaret called out from the hallway,worry coloring her tone, "Hannah? Are you in there with someone? Open the door and tuck away your friend's watch. It's expensive!"

The doorknob rattled as Margaret tried to force it open.

The lock held fast.

Vincent's gaze flickered to the lock, hoping the door would open and Hannah's family would find him inside her room.

Hannah wasn't too panicked as she had locked the door.

The door remained shut.

Hannah had been ready to brush her mother off when she caught sight of Vincent reaching for the

door handle. Absolutely not.

Alarm bells rang in Hannah's mind, every instinct screaming at her to act. Her parents could not find him here, no matter what. Reflex took over before her thoughts even had time to catch up.

In one swift move, she lunged at Vincent, desperate to block his path. Her whole weight pressed against him, and her knee found his abdomen in the chaos.At the same time, her palm slammed down on his bandaged right hand.

A strained groan tore from Vincent's throat as his body doubled up from the pain.

Their struggle sent them careening backward,neither able to stop their momentum.

With a bone-jarring thud, Vincent's back crashed against the wall.

A loud thud shook the air, and right behind it came a crisp clicking sound.

Vincent had collided with the wall, his weight

pressing against the light switch.

Instantly, the gentle glow from the wall sconces vanished. Pitch darkness swallowed the room. Every sound and touch became painfully vivid.

Just as Vincent tried to make another dash for the door, Hannah caught his injured hand, yanking him toward her.

Pain etched across his face, Vincent tried to wrench free,but she pulled him in closer.

Both tumbled onto the bed in a tangled heap.

Unexpectedly, Hannah's lips brushed right against his mouth, open from his pained gasp.

A jolt of electricity seemed to crackle between them.With the world reduced to black, every nerve in their bodies felt on fire.

For a split second, time stood perfectly still.

Every ounce of fight, anger, and pain in Vincent seemed to evaporate at the soft, unexpected warmth

that pressed against his lips. Loose strands of Hannah's hair drifted down, brushing teasingly against his heated skin. Shallow breaths escaped her, each one mingling with his.

Shock had rooted Hannah in place, leaving her mind a blank slate. Vincent's lips moved ever so slightly,the faint friction brushing against hers, causing Hannah's breath to catch momentarily.

Margaret's concern sharpened as she called out from the other side of the room, "Hannah? Why did you turn off the light? What's happening?" More urgent knocking rattled the door, her tone rising."Open up! Unlock the door!"

That interruption struck like lightning, snapping Hannah out of her daze. She scrambled to push Vincent away, her hands shaking. Inhaling slowly,she fought to steady her voice and disguise her nerves."It's nothing, Mom. I was just looking for something to wear, and everything tumbled out. I must have hit the wall and turned the lights off by accident."

One flick of the switch flooded the room with light,

causing both of them to blink in the sudden brightness.

The chaos seemed to settle. Vincent quieted down,his urge to leave gone.

Margaret continued, "Then let me in-I'll help you find it!"

Thinking quickly, Hannah fired back, "Mom, I'm still changing! With Claude waiting outside, shouldn't I at least look presentable? How could I face anyone like this?" She raised her voice deliberately, balancing shyness with a hint of youthful defiance toward her mother.

Margaret conceded, her voice softening, "Claude's practically family." With that, she finally moved away.

Meanwhile, Vincent's thoughts remained tangled around the kiss, his words coming out rough and unsteady. "Why?" He wondered why she kissed him.

On instinct, Hannah reached out to gently cover his mouth, whispering, "Quiet now."