Chapter 509

Claude lifted his hand-not to harm Hannah-but to reach for the monitor, cutting off the looping playback with a decisive press.

The screen went dark at once, casting back only their hazy reflections, two figures locked in confrontation.

Claude noticed how Hannah's body stiffened, her eyes sharp with fear and guardedness. She was left with only defensiveness. That realization pierced him to the core.

Leaning closer, his breath almost grazing her skin,

Claude asked quietly, "Are you afraid of me?" His fist clenched until the knuckles blanched. "Why would you fear me? Let the whole world tremble if it must-but not you!"

Hannah steadied her breath, forcing her fear down.

She dared not provoke him; she had to keep the

balance on this razor's edge. Summoning calm, she replied, "I'm not afraid of you, Claude. I just need a little time to take it all in..."

Claude gazed intently into her eyes, fearing he might truly scare her. Pushing too hard could backfire.Therefore, he stifled the obsession brewing beneath the surface, softening his tone with a hint of coaxing."Alright, I won't pressure you. Take the time you need. But I want you to see me-not as a brother,but as a man you could truly date and trust. Do you understand?"

"Okay," Hannah answered vaguely, her words chosen only to keep him calm.

Claude seemed somewhat pleased with her response, a meaningful smile curling at his lips. "hope this time, we can turn pretense into reality."

He was referring to their past, when they had acted as lovers to navigate social occasions.

"I'll think about it carefully," Hannah replied, weighing each syllable.

"Don't leave. How about you stay the night here?"Claude's tone thickened with pressure as he stepped closer. "Your room has always been ready, cleaned every day."

"No." Hannah refused instantly, her voice firm. "need to go back. Something awaits me at home."

Claude's brows drew tight, clear discontent flashing through his face. His words turned harder. "What could keep you there? Your mother is abroad. You live alone. What could be so urgent? Just stay here with me."

His persistence pressed like a tightening net, but Hannah dared not yield. Her mind raced, and she shifted the subject firmly. "Claude, let's not dwell on this. I actually came to discuss something else. It almost slipped my mind."

Claude studied her closely, reining in his control streak for the moment. "Go on."

"Let's move," Hannah suggested, walking toward the dining room, trying to sound casual. "I'm feeling a

little thirsty."

They entered the vast dining room.

The servants quietly brought two glasses of water and then melted away without a sound.

Hannah clasped the cool glass, steadying her

thoughts. "Today,your mother invited me for lunch."Claude's eyes chilled instantly. "What did she want?""She gave me a check." Hannah looked up, meeting his gaze. "Five million. The condition-she wants me

gone, cut off from you completely."

A flicker of anger flared across Claude's face. "Ignore her.Pay no heed to a word she said."

"Claude," Hannah said gently, placing the glass down, her words slow to stall for time. "You ask me to see you as my man, but I can't ignore your family.You're the heir of the Hobbes family. Your marriage will always be tied to interests, not entirely your own choice. That's the stark reality between us." Claude's brows knitted tight, clear displeasure brimming at her insistence. "Once I take full control of the family's empire, none of this will bind us.Believe me-three years, and I'll hold it all."

"And after that?" Hannah pressed. "Can we be together without any concerns then? Will your parents, especially your mother, simply step aside?"

"You've thought it through," Claude answered,convinced Hannah was already preparing for the challenges ahead. "Yes, my parents will be our greatest obstacle."

To continue stalling, Hannah intended to ask how he planned to resolve this.

But before she could speak, Claude proposed a bold plan. "So, we can start with a hidden marriage."

His voice carried a feverish excitement. "We'll register quietly, husband and wife in the eyes of the law. When the time is right, when power entirely rests in my hands, we'll tell my parents everything. But this means you might have to endure.Because until then, I might have to keep going on arranged dates openly and perhaps even agree to a formal engagement to keep my family pacified."

Hannah was so shocked by his outrageous plan that her words failed her. She could hardly comprehend Claude's train of thought.

Just then, a cold, cutting voice shattered the heavy air from the dining room entrance. "She doesn't agree."

Hannah turned to see Vincent's tall and commanding figure. Her taut nerves loosened at once. He finally came.