Chapter 318

Without warning, Vincent lifted his left hand, and the chill in his voice sliced through the heavy silence in the room.

A simple platinum band gleamed on his ring finger for all to see.

Both Doyle and the security guard locked their attention on the ring, caught off guard for a split second.

Yet, Doyle's doubt only deepened. A sneering laugh escaped him as he turned a pointed look on Hannah."Oh really? Where's her ring, then? Strange-she isn't wearing one. What, couldn't keep the act going?You two think I'm some kind of fool?"

A fresh wave of tension swept through the room.

The security guard tightened his grip on his baton looking to Doyle for a signal.Hannah noticed their stance shift-shoulders stiffening, eyes narrowing. Her pulse quickened, and she instinctively squeezed Vincent's hand tighter.

Vincent responded by gently tapping her fingers,silent reassurance in the small gesture.

Off to the side, a young worker with grease stains on his shirt piped up, watching the scene unfold with interest. "Come on,Doyle, isn't it obvious? He's got a ring, but she doesn't. Probably just his mistress-too scared to show it off in public."

Hannah's eyes flickered. That angle might actually work.

She dropped her gaze in an instant, her face flushing with calculated discomfort, every bit of her posture leaning into the part-nervous, flustered, lips slightly parted as though she were ready to give in and accept the humiliating role they'd forced on her. But just as the words hovered on the edge of her tongue,someone spoke up.

"She's not." Vincent's voice came steady and quiet, but it cut straight through the noise. In the next breath, he moved to stand in front of Hannah, his broad frame blocking her entirely from the harsh looks aimed her way.

His gaze locked on the worker who had thrown out the accusation-so cold and piercing that the worker quickly looked away, shrinking under the intensity.

Vincent turned back to Doyle, his words ringing with absolute certainty. "She's my wife. My one and only."Hannah stared at him, caught completely off guard

by his sudden declaration.

Vincent didn't give anyone a moment to react. He reached into his pocket and drew out a sparkling diamond ring.

The crowd gasped at the sight of the massive stone -until they noticed the couple's plain, worn clothing and quickly dismissed it as fake. Their astonishment faded into skepticism.

Vincent's focus never wavered. He gently took hold of Hannah's left hand. With every eye in the room locked on them, he slid the ring slowly onto her finger.

A flicker of surprise crossed Hannah's face-this was the same ring from the day he'd asked her to marry him again. He'd kept it on him all this time?

Now, when they needed it most, the ring had saved them. Hannah exhaled, finally letting herself relax.

Vincent offered a simple explanation, lifting his head to meet the group's stares. "She hasn't been wearing her ring because I had it."

He paused, letting the moment hang, and added a touch of self-deprecation. "We got into a pretty rough fight a while back. She was furious that I spent so much time at work and not enough with her. In a burst of anger, she threw the ring off our balcony and demanded a divorce. Took some effort, but I found it again."

He threw Hannah a quick look as he finished his story. The guard nodded, the puzzle now seemingly fitting together. "So that's why she claimed you two were siblings before. Sounds like you were just fighting.Makes sense."

Hannah played along, giving Vincent's arm a gentle smack. "Maybe you should try a little harder not to get on my nerves."

"I'll do better," Vincent promised, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

She squeezed back and managed a soft smile."Sorry for the drama, everyone."

The workers broke into laughter, their earlier suspicion dissolving.

Doyle made a face but gave up with a grunt."Fine.Just a stupid misunderstanding. What a headache."

He shot them one last glare, then turned and shouted toward the back. "Get moving! Carville, keep your eyes on these two. If they.start slacking, show them the door!" Hannah and Vincent shared a discreet look, both feeling the tension in their shoulders melt just a little.For the moment, the danger had passed.

Carville motioned them into one of the workshop bays and then gestured vaguely at a pile of goods stacked in the corner.

"You two-move these bags of detergent into the back warehouse. Check the labels and match them to the boxes. Each box has a warehouse number on the tag.Keep the stacks neat and move quickly."

They didn't answer and simply set to work in silence.

A little while later, Hannah used a short break to make small talk. "Strange, I haven't seen any other workers around."

The hours dragged on, and still, only the two of them handled the detergent bags.

Carville glanced at her out of the corner of his eye,his posture still hunched. "Around here? Ask too many questions and you won't live long. Got it?"Something in his voice sent a chill down her spine.She nodded right away. "Got it. I understand."

She started to go back to work, but Vincent reached out and stopped her. "Take a breather. Let me take care of this part."

A sly smile played on Carville's lips. "What a thoughtful husband."

Carville turned and made his way toward Doyle's office,leaving them to their task.

The moment Doyle caught sight of Carville, he stood up straight. "Boss."

Carville dropped the act, his back straightening as he settled into the office chair. He kept his voice low."Still one man short for that shipment tonight?"

"Yeah." Doyle confirmed with a nod.

With his eyes closed, Carville sounded almost bored."Send a few guys to rape the woman. Make sure the man sees it. I want to know if he's got any fight in him. If he does, let's see if he can handle a run."