Chapter 485

Evelyn turned to Terrell, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. "Come on, Terrell, speak up!"

Terrell finally broke his silence, adding his voice to the persuasion. "Claude, I'll admit that Ms. Scott does command my admiration. Her vision and courage are truly extraordinary."

His tone shifted, growing stern. "But that doesn't mean she's suitable to be your wife! Listen to your mother. This matter isn't open for discussion."

Evelyn immediately seized the moment, her voice taking on a coaxing tone. "Be reasonable, Claude! Marriage is a significant family affair that can't be treated lightly. It must be between equals,respectable and fitting!"

A chill settled in Claude's heart, defiance blazing in his eyes.Looking at his father, his voice carried a probing edge. "What if I only want to marry Hannah,and no one else?"

Terrell's gaze sharpened like a blade. "Then we might have to reconsider your position as heir to the Hobbes family. Are you certain you want to sacrifice the entire family business for just one woman? Abandon everything you've worked so hard to achieve all these years? Give up all that's within your grasp?And if you surrender all of this, how can you be sure Hannah is willing to face life's hardships alongside you?"

Evelyn rushed forward, her fingers digging into Claude's arm as desperation crept into her voice. "Yes, Claude, she's just a woman! Why surrender everything over her? At worst, marry someone suitable and keep her as your mistress afterward. We won't say a word! Why fall out with your family over her? She's simply not worth it!"

Listening to Evelyn's "generous" proposal, bitter irony flooded Claude's chest like poison. These were his biological parents,the very people whose bloodline he carried. This was the "family love" he'd gained after reconnecting with them years back.When money and the sacred "family reputation" were at stake, his heart and dreams became disposable trash. They casually demanded he discard the woman who owned his soul and then magnanimously permitted him to keep her as a secret plaything after marriage. How ironic!

Claude's eyes drifted shut. When they opened again, every trace of struggle, defiance, and rage had been swept away like dust in the wind. His voice emerged flat and hollow, stripped of all emotion. "Understood. I'll comply with your wishes."

"That's my good son!" Evelyn's face transformed instantly,blooming with triumphant relief as though she'd just solved the world's greatest crisis!

Terrell gave a curt nod, satisfaction gleaming in his calculating eyes.

Claude's expression remained carved from stone. So this was his reward for reconnecting with his biological family. Complete submission to their every whim! Step out of line, and they'd dangle his inheritance like a carrot before a starving horse.These suffocating days made his time with the Scott family feel like paradise lost.

Hannah skipped the taxi ride home, choosing instead to visit a private art gallery. She settled quietly on the second floor,observing the scene unfolding below.

Erica was here as well. She lingered before an Impressionist masterpiece, weighing whether it might capture Sharon's approval.

After considerable deliberation, Erica reached her decision.

After considerable deliberation, Erica reached her decision.Beckoning the gallery owner over, she gestured toward the canvas. "I'll take this piece. Please have it wrapped for me."

The gallery owner, a polished middle-aged gentleman named Gibson Shaw, appeared genuinely troubled. Regret flickered across his refined features. "I'm terribly sorry,but this painting has already been claimed."

Hannah and Gibson were longtime acquaintances. She'd warned him that whatever caught this particular woman's eye should be declared unavailable.

If Hannah hadn't given the heads-up, Gibson might have gasped, even thinking they were the same woman. Their resemblance was truly striking.

Erica's brow creased with irritation. "So soon? I just set my eyés on it, and it's already sold?"

Gibson offered a respectful bow. "My sincere apologies, but another customer secured it first. We're preparing to package it now."

At his subtle gesture, staff members began wrapping the artwork.

Erica's teeth found her lower lip, her voice rising with entitled demand. "I'll pay twice the asking price. Sell it to me instead!"

Gibson maintained his professional composure. "Miss, integrity forms the foundation of all business dealings. That simply isn't possible."

After a calculated pause, his tone shifted subtly. "However, the buyer is actually here today, relaxing upstairs. Why don't you speak with her directly? Maybe she'll be willing to part with it?"

Weighing her chances of securing the painting and earning Sharon's favor, Erica gave a sharp nod. "Fine. Where is she?"

"Right this way, please." Gibson gracefully stepped aside to guide her path.

The moment Erica climbed to the second floor and spotted Hannah lounging comfortably on the sofa, completely at ease,she froze mid-step. Her expression soured instantly. "Why are you here?"