Chapter 416

Sharon had been in the hospital for several days.With careful treatment and rest, her condition had stabilized-her life was no longer in danger.

At her bedside, Erica sat quietly, her expression artfully arranged into remorse and self-reproach."Sharon, I'm so sorry..." Her voice trembled faintly."If I hadn't asked you to go shopping with me that day,you and I wouldn't have been kidnapped."

Sharon patted her hand kindly, her voice gentle."Silly girl, how could this be your fault? It was those kidnappers-they were deranged. What matters is our safety.These old bones of mine can still hold up."

Across the room, Vincent sat on the sofa, silent,his gaze dark and distant. After a moment, he checked his watch. "Grandma, get some rest. I have a meeting at the company, so I'll head out now."

At his words, Erica rose to her feet, carefully imitating Hannah's detached tone. "Can we talk? Just a moment."

Vincent glanced at her and then nodded lightly. "All right."

They walked to the far end of the corridor, away from the ward.

Erica repeated Claude's advice in her mind: stay distant, keep boundaries clear, stir guilt by invoking the past.

She angled her body slightly away from Vincent,her voice steady but edged with finality. "Thank you for yesterday. But there's nothing between us anymore.I hope we won't have any further ties."

Vincent studied her in silence, his brows faintly furrowed. "You truly don't want any connection with me?" His voice was low, uncertain.

Erica forced composure, letting just the right amount of pain flicker in her eyes. "Yes. I can't forget the days you kept me locked away." Her words hit hard. Vincent's eyes darkened with conflict, emotions churning beneath the surface.After a long pause, he gave a nod, his voice hoarse."I understand."

Satisfied with his reaction, Erica lowered her gaze. "If there's nothing else, I'll go back to stay with Sharon."

He murmured, "Alright."

She didn't look back as she returned to the ward.

Vincent remained in the corridor, unmoving.Suddenly, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Derek's name flashed on the screen.

Vincent answered, his tone clipped. "Speak."

"Mr. Jones," Derek reported, "It's confirmed-Ms.Scott has returned to the country."

The words struck Vincent like thunder. "I see," he rasped, forcing down the turmoil inside.

Vincent hung up and let his gaze fall through the glass onto the "Hannah" inside the ward. All evidence pointed to the woman inside being Hannah.But was she really Hannah?

Meanwhile, in the Luminara Group, since the day Hannah ousted Leonard, humiliated Marissa,and secured her position as supervisor, the Data Analytics Department's atmosphere had shifted completely.Employees who once ignored or belittled her now greeted her respectfully whenever she passed.

Marissa had changed the most. Her arrogance was gone; each time she encountered Hannah, she lowered her head quickly and slipped away.

Hannah never went out of her way to make things hard for Marissa, assigning tasks strictly by the book.Still, the unspoken pressure left Marissa walking on eggshells.

Calvin had been quiet lately-until the company's new initiative, the TrustLink Project, was announced.Hannah could sense his restlessness growing again. Eventually, Calvin extended an invitation to dinner.She accepted.

At precisely seven that evening, Hannah arrived at the decorated private dining room. But only Calvin was inside. He greeted her warmly and gestured for her to take a seat.

After a few drinks, his smile grew more familiar, his tone more indulgent. He set down his glass and leaned forward, assuming the air of a superior addressing his subordinates. His tone carried both warmth and subtle authority as he said, "Natalie,you've worked tirelessly these past few weeks. You stepped in as supervisor, straightened out the chaos Leonard left behind, and under crushing pressure,managed to bring order to the company's tangled project data. That wasn't just work-it was endurance, persistence. Truly, it couldn't have been easy."

Hannah smiled modestly, her humility perfectly measured. "You flatter me, Mr. Briggs. I was just doing my job." Beneath the table, she tapped her phone to start recording.

Calvin's eyes gleamed. "I've seen your abilities. Tell me,are you interested in earning more money?"

Inwardly, Hannah sneered. Outwardly, she played along, her smile tinged with just the right hint of ambition. "Well, isn't that why we all work-to make more money?"

Calvin slapped his thigh and chuckled. "Ha-ha! I like that! Straightforward. No nonsense." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper."So, how about joining us? We can make some real money together."