Chapter 387

From the moment the relentless watch over her subtly eased,Hannah had maintained steady communication with Claude.

Using the roster of potential institutions Hannah had handed over, Claude had eventually located Margaret inside the Mirrorlake International Wellness Center-an elite sanctuary famed for impenetrable security and uncompromising discretion.Removing anyone from there, especially a heavily guarded patient, unnoticed bordered on impossible. A direct extraction carried far too much risk. Any misstep, and Vincent would be instantly informed.

Hannah had thought it through. The sole achievable strategy was to maneuver Vincent into authorizing Margaret's release himself. This had become the silent motive threading through every act that looked "on a whim." Thestaged pregnancy, the insistence on the extravagant garden proposal-all of it served as a calculated progression, coaxing him into lowering his defenses piece by piece.

In the days that followed, Vincent immersed himself entirely in orchestrating the flawless proposal at Cloudcrest Valley. Every arrangement received his personal attention. He vowed to deliver a breathtaking surprise, one that would atone for past failings and remain etched in Hannah's memory forever.

At times, he would settle beside Hannah on the sofa,a tablet balanced in his hands, his usual stoicism melted into an almost boyish delight as he displayed sketches of floral arches and bursts of fireworks.

One afternoon, drowsiness overtook him on the sofa, the tablet slipping to the side. On the lit screen rested the finalized tablet slipping to the side. On the lit screen rested the finalized proposal itinerary.

Hannah swiftly transmitted the vital details to Claude-"Peninsula P1, Cloudcrest Valley"; "16:15, September 5";"escort Margaret to the venue."

She appended the site map and emphasized a key element."The northeast auxiliary helipad lies buried within a valley, ten minutes from Peninsula P1. It sits beyond the main surveillance grid. In seeking privacy for the proposal, Vincent barely placed guards there."

Hannah sensed that presented their single exploitable chance.

Vincent remained oblivious to all this. Because nearly every moment, Hannah lingered beside him-affectionate, obedient,flawlessly convincing. She often drew him by the hand into maternity shops, pausing among rows of pastel blue and delicate pink baby outfits, tilting her head with a smile as she asked, "Which one do you think is sweeter?"

To Vincent, that was proof. Proof that she'd embraced their future. Proof that she'd anticipated their child. Proof she had finally ceased resisting him.

With every gentle gesture from her,his suspicion weakened. He even scaled back internal monitoring within the estate, leaving only the outer perimeter under routine patrol. In his view, with a child binding them, there could be no stronger tether. She wouldn't-couldn't-leave him again.

The long-awaited day finally arrived.

On the P1 Peninsula of Cloudcrest Valley, the scene unfolded like an enchantment.

Countless ivory freesias entwined with golden roses, shaping archways and walkways drawn from a fable. A chamber group of violinists, clad in formal tuxedos,carried a soft,flowing harmony through the air.

By the water, a towering cascade of champagne sparkled under the gentle daylight, and an extravagant dessert spread stood ready for indulgence.

Among the attendees, Sharon and Danica appeared in full splendor.

Even Margaret attended. Sharon stood beside her, speaking quietly, while a nurse hovered nearby, vigilant yet restrained.

Margaret looked outwardly calm, though a faint unease flickered in her gaze.

Dressed in a deep charcoal bespoke suit, Vincent stood apart,waiting for Hannah's arrival. For the first time, nerves had unsettled him more than any tense negotiation.

Then, a whisper traveled through the gathering.

At the aisle's end, Hannah appeared. She wore a pale gold satin dress, her form poised and radiant as she advanced unhurriedly.Every step she took drew every eye.

As Hannah passed her mother, she didn't stop, but her glance conveyed a message that words could never capture.

Margaret's lips parted faintly, but silence prevailed.

At last, Hannah reached Vincent.

The violins flowed seamlessly into a warmer, more intimate refrain.

"Hannah..." Vincent's throat tightened on her name.

Before he could finish, she spoke. "I do."

Her gaze fastened on him, steady and seemingly sincere. Her gaze fastened on him, steady and seemingly sincere."Everything you prepared today, I love it all. These past days,I've witnessed your care, the effort you've poured in. You gave me the proposal I once dreamed of. So yes, I want to marry

you."

Those two words-"| do"-meant more to Vincent than any practiced vow. All the planning, all the expectation, all the unease that had weighed on him-dispersed in one surge of elation.

She held out her hand. He gazed at it with reverence, sliding the ring onto her finger with care.

Then, before the crowd, Hannah leaned upward, framed his face in both palms, and kissed him.

It was fleeting yet indelible. A kiss that branded his lips, and deeper still-his spirit. In that instant, nothing existed but her.

He returned the kiss, deepening the bond. For the first time in years, he'd felt absolutely assured-they had a future. He,Hannah, and their unborn child-they would remain bound together forever.

This was the happiest day of his life. He just didn't realize how short-lived that happiness would be.