Chapter 505

Alarm bells rang in Hannah's mind, and she instinctively straightened in her seat.

Evelyn's voice carried a sharp edge of irritation. "1never expected you to harbor such inappropriate thoughts about Claude. I always thought you were a sensible and discreet young woman. It seems I was mistaken."

Hannah could hardly believe her ears.

Evelyn reached into her handbag, pulling out a check she had clearly prepared in advance. She pushed it across the table. "Here's five million. Take it and leave Claude for good. Sever all ties with him from now on."

A sudden heaviness filled the air.

Anger surged through Hannah, though she forced

herself to take a steady breath. She tried to remain calm as she explained, "Mrs. Hobbes, I think there's been a misunderstanding. Between Claude and me..."

She wanted to clarify that nothing improper had ever happened between them, but Evelyn cut her off with a cold sneer. Her eyes brimmed with disdain and impatience. "A misunderstanding? Please. I've already seen enough to know the truth. Why keep pretending? Hannah, as a woman,you should at least be honest and direct. I detest those who act innocent while plotting behind the scenes."

Evelyn's words were pointed, filled with years of pent-up resentment. It was as if she saw in Hannah those women of the same kind who had once entangled themselves with Terrell, causing her immense pain.

If Terrell hadn't fathered an illegitimate child that threatened both her status and her son's inheritance,she would never have sent young Claude away.

Later, when Claude suddenly vanished, she'd traveled back and forth in desperation until she

confirmed that the Scott family had taken him in.Only then had she felt a measure of relief. But she'd left him there while she returned home, locked in a bitter battle with her husband's mistress.

It wasn't until shne'd finally defeated the mistress that she brought Claude home. Thus, she swore never to allow anyone-or anything-to jeopardize Claude's rightful claim to the Hobbes family legacy. To her,this seemingly virtuous Hannah was a dangerous threat, someone who mnight sway her son's heart and make him turn his back on the marriage alliance carefully arranged for him. That was something she was determined to stop with her own hands.

Hannah's expression cooled as she listened to the baseless accusations. Straightening her back, she met Evelyn's gaze head-on. "There is nothing between Claude and me. You've gravely misunderstood, and I see no reason to continue this meal.Goodbye."

She pushed her chair back, ready to stand.

"Nothing between you two?" Evelyn scoffed. She

pulled out a photograph and tossed it onto the table as though it were something filthy. "Then explain this."

Hannah's eyes flicked down instinctively, and in that instant, it felt as though her blood turned to ice. The photo had been taken from an odd angle,like a shot caught by a hidden surveillance camera. In the image, Claude's head was slightly tilted, nestled in the crook of her neck. From the perspective, it looked far too intimate-as if they were caught in a kiss.

Hannah's eyes widened in shock, her mind suddenly blank. When had this happened? No matter how hard she tried, she had no memory of such a moment.She believed she hadn't crossed the line with Claude.

Evelyn noticed the pallor washing over Hannah's face and curled her lips into a satisfied smile. Her tone grew even sharper. "What do you have to say now?Haven't you already shared a bed with him? lf l hadn't uncovered this, just how long did you plan to keep clinging to him?"

The initial shock gave way to a rush of violation and disgust. Lifting her head abruptly, Hannah tore her gaze from the disturbing image and fixed her eyes on Evelyn instead. Her voice trembled with suppressed fury. "Where did you get this photo?"

Evelyn hadn't expected Hannah's first reaction to be questioning the photo's origin rather than defending herself. For a brief second, she faltered before lifting her chin with arrogance. "Does it matter?"

Of course, Evelyn would never admit she had found it in a hidden room inside Claude's residence. After the auction, she had grown suspicious of her son's demeanor toward Hannah and began visiting his residence frequently under various excuses. By sheer chance, she had stumbled upon the hidden room lined with photos of Hannah-candid shots,portraits, distant glimpses, and close-ups. Her son seemed almost obsessed.

Determined to solve this, Evelyn had carefully orchestrated this lunch as both a warning and a test -to drive Hannah away once and for all.

"How can it not matter?" Hannah's voice cut sharply,loud enough to draw curious glances from nearby tables. "As the person involved, I was completely unaware. I don't even remember this happening. Let me make one thing clear: this photograph violates my right to privacy and my right to publicity. I have every right to report it to the police."