Chapter 476

Vincent halted his movements. His dark pupils shimmered with a tangled feeling. He spoke no further,simply letting Hannah press her lips against his.

Dozens of meters away, Erica observed everything distinctly-Hannah and Vincent entangled in an intimate kiss inside the car. It was intentional. Hannah intentionally staged the moment for her to witness.

Erica's eyes burned with fury as comprehension struck-this had been Hannah's real purpose! Hannah had not arrived to uncover her secrets but to display triumph. To parade how swiftly she had taken possession of Vincent! How effortlessly she could caress him-claim him. Exactly like that intimate picture on the mattress.

Erica bitterly realized that Hannah was thrusting the bitter truth in her face. Mocking her for every manipulation, each desperate tactic, even altering her appearance, her pitiful begging! Still, she gained nothing. Not a single glance fell from Vincent.

Erica screamed furiously in her heart.

Inside the vehicle, Hannah sensed the charade was enough. She panted faintly, lips parted as she ordered the chauffeur,"Drive."

The chauffeur promptly ignited the ignition and pulled away from the Jones family estate.

Once the car cleared the entrance and flowed into the avenue, Hannah abruptly shifted back, severing all proximity to Vincent. It looked as though the passionate kiss had never occurred. She even brushed her fingertips against her slightly swollen lips, her expression restored to icy composure, laced with cool detachment.

The yearning in Vincent's stare drained swiftly, like waves withdrawing from the shore. He turned aside, his tone resolute as he stated, "You did it on purpose."

He needed no explanation. From her abrupt proposal to visit the Jones estate, to her pointed remarks before Erica that he would stay at her place, and then the staged display of a kiss in Erica's sight,every detail aligned instantly. Hannah hadn't come for a meal; she had come to make a statement. Hannah had wielded him, striking directly at Erica's raw wound, and then savored her collapse.

Hannah locked eyes with him steadily, even tilting her head with a teasing curve at her lips. "Do you not like it when I kiss you?"

She tossed the inquiry at him airily, attempting to shroud his accusation in uncertainty.

Vincent's stare hardened further, his jaw taut. "Don't change the subject."

Hannah let out a light laugh, refusing retreat and instead leaning forward, erasing the gap once more.

The space between them vanished quickly.

She raised her lashes, her clear gaze fixed on him, her look pure."A|Iright, I get it. You dislike it. I won't kiss you next time."

Vincent faltered briefly at her sudden yielding. That wasn't what he meant. Dissatisfied, he retorted, "But if I like it, will you kiss me daily?"

Hannah's grin stiffened, clearly unprepared for Vincent's words. Her eyes wavered briefly, sliding away, her body instinctively retreating, regaining distance. She gave no reply.

Quietness instantly settled within the car.

Vincent noted her fleeting alarm and silence, the gnawing sense of being manipulated still twisting inside him-now sharpened further by her avoidance. He inhaled deeply, pushing down the roiling feelings, and diverted the topic. His voice steadied as he said, "You told Erica I stayed at your place. What exactly are you implying? I am not the type for careless entanglements."

Hannah's eyes turned to the swiftly fading scenery outside the window, her tone even and detached as she answered, "Literal meaning. Aren't you also living in Sterling Heights, same as me?"

She dodged the hidden meaning in his remark, reducing it to plain facts that blocked his attempt at depth.

Vincent felt something lodged within his chest, stirring unrest. He paused for several beats and then muttered,"Fine."

He added, "Honestly, if you have any plans, you can tell me. There's no reason for tricks."

He alluded to her use of him to needle Erica. He didn't oppose helping but despised being blindsided,treated as a pawn.

Hannah kept gazing through the glass. She lingered silent and then murmured, "I don't have any plans."

Vincent studied her outline. Perhaps she believed vengeance upon Erica was her own war. So she cloaked herself in armor, warding off any intimacy or understanding.

Afterward, stillness filled the car, and neither spoke further.

The following day, Hannah was stirred from sleep by the bell chiming at noon. She assumed it might be Vincent; they had parted with tension the night before. He might have arrived seeking to mend the rift.

But when she opened the entrance, the figure outside wasn't Vincent.