Chapter 500

Hannah's eyes flickered with surprise and doubt. "You really don't want children?"

Vincent's answer came without pause. "No."

Her breath hitched, caught off guard by/his blunt certainty.She frowned,pressing the reality he couldn't sidestep. "But the Jones Group-it needs an heir. It's a massive empire..."

Vincent cut her off, "The Jones Group can groom an heir from a branch family. That's no issue."

He spoke as if steering a corporate titan and selecting its successor were mere trifles.

Hannah shook her head, her gaze piercing. "Will your grandmother agree? Your mother? They won't stand by and watch the Jones bloodline fade. You'll face more than just business pressure."

"That's my burden," Vincent said, brows knitting, his tone resolute. "I'll handle it."

He was trying to shield her, crafting a future free of weight for her. But as his eyes met hers, a sharp realization struck him. He stepped closer, his gaze pinning her. "Is this why you keep pushing me away and dodging me?"

His voice lowered, cutting through her defenses with grim precision. "Because you can't have children, you never planned to start over with me. Telling me to chase you-was that just a ploy to string me along? So you could claim we're not suited and walk away for good when the time's right?"

Hannah's breath faltered. She turned her head, evading his searing gaze, her voice unsteady. "I just think we're not right

searing gaze, her voice unsteady. "I just think we're not right for each other."

Meeting his eyes again, her tone hardened, cold and clinical."Vincent, you can find someone better-someone who can give you children. You'll be happier with her."

"But she wouldn't be you," Vincent rasped, grabbing her wrist,his voice thick with restrained pain.

Hannah winced, tugging against his grip, her voice icy to maintain controL. "I'm talking reality seriously. Stop pulling it back to sentiment."

"I'm serious too." His hold tightened, eyes burning into hers."Hannah, look at me. Tell me about your concerns. Is not having children truly a matter?"

Hannah steeled herself, resolved to crush his hopes with every harsh truth. She met his gaze, her words slow and deliberate."Fine. Let's say we ignore everything, pretend the problems don't exist, and get back together.Then what?"

Her voice carried grim certainty. "You won't withstand your mother and grandmother's relentless pressure-their complaints, their tears. Maybe you'll take it all on yourself,never blaming me. But me? I'll end up believing it's my fault,that I caused this. Every day, I'll think-if we hadn't reunited,you wouldn't be trapped and at odds with your family.All we'd have left is reproach, resentment, and growing distance until we repeat our past mistake and divorce again. Is that what you want?"

Vincent recoiled at the bleak picture she painted, refusing to accept it as their future. Pain and frustration flared in his eyes."Why can't you trust me, just once? Trust I can fix this? I won't let you face it alone!"

Hannah's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Fix it how? By standing between me and your family, tearing your home apart? That's

between me and your famnily, tearing your home apart? That's not fixing-it's brewing a bigger disaster we could never resolve.Tell me,how long would we lastin that mess?"

Vincent fell silent. He opened his mouth, but her brutal logic left his arguments hollow.

Hannah's gaze held his, her heart growing colder,harder,with each moment. She forced his clenched hand open, her voice detached. "So yes, asking you to pursue me was just a spur-of -the-moment excuse to pacify you. Let's end this now."

She turned, avoiding his eyes. "You said it yourself-feelings fade. In time, you'll love someone else, someone truly right for you. I'll have my own life too."

As she stepped away, Vincent's hoarse voice broke through."What about when we made love, Hannah? If you don't love me,why did you let me into your bed?"