Chapter 388

Applause swept through the hall, a warm tide of approval that made Sharon's eyes glisten. After so many obstacles, Vincent and Hannah had finally found their way back to each other.

Danica pressed her lips together, her silence laced with disapproval. Yet, she couldn't voice her objection here, and she had no choice but to stand witness. Her son always had a knack for pissing her off.

When mingling, Vincent was hemmed in by guests offering blessings and congratulations, his joy practically radiating off him.

Hannah remained close at his side, her fingers resting lightly on his arm as they moved together, graciously receiving one greeting after another.

Sharon clasped Hannah's hand, speaking to her warmly.Hannah leaned close and listened.

Danica stood off to the side, pointedly avoiding conversation.

After making the rounds with a practiced smile, Hannah gave Vincent's sleeve a subtle tug and lowered her voice. "I'm going to take my mom to the lounge. She's not used to all this noise -she seems a bit uneasy."

Vincent's spirits had been so high that he agreed right away."Of course. Don't be long," he replied with easy warmth.

Hannah gave him a gentle nod before slipping her arm through Margaret's, the two of them strolling out together.

Ten minutes ticked by.

Vincent lingered with a glass of champagne in hand, exchanging easy conversation with an older family acquaintance. As he easy conversation with an older family acquaintance. As he laughed politely at a story, his gaze strayed to his watch.Hannah was supposed to be back already.

Another ten minutes slipped past.

The smile that had been playing at Vincent's lips dimmed,unease tightening his jaw. He tuned toward the lakeside lounge,a faint crease appearing between his brows.

One of Vincent's bodyguards, standing nearby, caught on to Vincent's unease immediately, lifted a discreet comms unit, and murmured into it, "Report on Mrs. Jones's activities in the lakeside lounge."

A confused voice crackled back through the speaker. "Mrs.Jones? She hasn't come this way. I've been stationed outside the lounge from the very start of the ceremony, and I haven't caught sight of her."

Vincent's face drained of all color, leaving him ashen. His tone sliced through the soft hum of the reception. "What do you mean, you haven't seen her?"

The icy question silenced the room. The once-lively chatter collapsed into a tense hush, as though someone had muted the entire hall.

Guests exchanged uneasy glances, startled by Vincent's sudden loss of composure.

Catching the tension, the bodyguard stepped forward with urgency. "Mr. Jones, I'll deploy men to sweep the grounds right away."

Danica and Sharon locked eyes, both instantly realizing that something had gone terribly wrong.

Danica opened her mouth to interject, but Sharon's hand brushed her arm, a quiet signal. "Let him handle it," she insisted. Reluctantly, Danica bit back her words.

Within minutes, updates poured in from every checkpoint,each one reporting the same thing-no sign of Hannah.

Then,a guard from the outer perimeter burst in, chest heaving as he shouted, "Mr. Jones! Bad news! Mrs. Jones-she's making for the auxiliary helipad to the northeast. She's not alone-someone's helping her. One of our men was knocked unconscious on the trail leading there!"

Vincent staggered slightly, the floor seeming to tilt under his feet. Every seemingly tender glance from Hannah, every apparently soft smile, the warmth of her leaning into him, the anticipation of today's proposal-all of it unraveled in his mind.Was all of it a lie?

The security, the joy; the illusion of love-everything she'd given him was nothing but a carefully laid snare. She had hunted him with the patience of a predator, drawing him in step by step until he was stripped of all defenses, and only when his guard was down did she strike.

His chest tightened with disbelief. He couldn't accept it-wouldn't accept it. He had to hear the truth from her own lips.With a sharp crack, the champagne flute shattered and scattered across the floor. "Find Hannah!" he snarled,his voice ragged and burning

Bloodshot eyes blazing, Vincent surged forwvard like a storm breaking free, his bodyguards rushing to keep pace.

Panic rippled through the room as guests broke into frantic murmurs, confusion and uncertainty spreading like wildfire.Sharon and Danica hurried to quiet the crowd, their strained voices barely cutting through the chaos.

At the northeast helipad of Cloudcrest Valley, the rotor blades At the northeast helipad of Cloudcrest Valley, the rotor blades of a modified private helicopter were already whirling, slicing the night air with a piercing metallic hum.

Claude stood waiting with his men, urgency etched across his face. "Hurry up! Get on board!" he urged, motioning sharply.

Hannah steadied Margaret with a firm hand as she guided the latter toward the aircraft. Just as Margaret lifted her foot to stepinside, Hannah's gaze snapped up, her eyes narrowing

A black Cayenne burst out of the tree line, tearing through low -hanging branches before skidding violently to the very edge of the helipad, tires screaming

The car door flung open.

Claude's stomach clenched. Of course, heknew who it was-Vincent. Every nerve in his body went taut. Vincent was fast.Much too fast.

Vincent emerged from the car like a storm unchained, rage radiating off him. His bloodshot eyes found Hannah and held,burning through everything else. Forcing his fury into words, he extended a hand toward her, his voice rough and low. "Get back with me right now. I'll act as if none of this ever happened."

Hannah steadied Margaret into the helicopter and then turned back, her gaze glinting like sharpened steel. "Vincent," she said,her tone frigid and cutting, "I've torn myself apart to get this far,paid for every damn step. Do you honestly believe I'd be stupid enough to throw it all away and go back with you?"

Claude's confidence soared with Hannah's words, his voice suddenly level and commanding. "Mr. Jones, please leave. I've brought plenty of men this time. You won't be taking her away from me again."