Chapter 513

The sea breeze swept past with a bitter chill, sending loose strands of hair dancing around Hannah's face.

Vincent's revelation had unleashed chaos within Hannah's chest. Confusion clouded her expression."That can't be possible. My memory is crystal clear.Rena was the one who found me first."

According to her recollection, she and Vincent had engaged in a vicious argument. Acting on pure impulse, she'd hastily packed her belongings and stormed away from their home, swearing never to return.

Afterward, she'd found herself alone at the coastline,purchasing numerous bottles of beer before settling on the sand to drink herself into oblivion. Upon awakening, she'd discovered herself tucked into a hotel bed with Rena seated beside her, providing

gentle care.

Vincent's brow furrowed deeply, his voice carrying absolute conviction. "That's completely wrong.Following our argument, the household staff came running to inform me of your disappearance. Your phone remained unreachable, sending everyone into a panic. Without hesitation, I cancelled every important meeting on my schedule and rushed out to search for you."

The memory of that frantic anxiety flickered through his eyes. "I scoured every location you frequented-shopping centers, coffee shops, even your closest friend's apartment-but found nothing. Eventually,the seaside occurred to me."

Vincent's gaze held hers steadily. "I recalled you mentioning once that whenever sadness overwhelmed you, the ocean called to you. So,l drove there straight away. When I finally located you,several empty beer bottles surrounded your spot on the sand, and alcohol had clearly taken its toll. Rather than showing relief at seeing me, you erupted in fury,

shouting that I was a 'heartless bastard' and an 'unfeeling monster,' accusing me of 'complete indifference' toward you."

Pausing, he added, "Recognizing your intoxicated state, I avoided escalating the confrontation and attempted to escort you to a nearby hotel for proper rest. Yet, you fought against me with desperate determination, ultimately shoving me from the room and securing the door against my entry."

Vincent released a weary sigh, the frustration of that moment still vivid. "Left with no alternatives, I contacted Rena to provide the care you needed,since your drunken hostility made my presence impossible. Has all of this truly vanished from your memory?"

Hannah stared in stunned disbelief, her mind frantically searching through her recollections yet finding absolutely nothing. Those heated confrontations, his desperate search, his genuine concern for her safety... All those memories had been drowned beneath waves of alcohol, leaving

behind only the comfort of Rena's presence and the crushing loneliness that greeted her awakening.

Hannah's voice carried uncertainty and doubts."Then why wasn't I able to see you the following morning?"

"Just before sunrise, an emergency call came through. A critical overseas business arrangement was collapsing, requiring my immediate flight to salvage the situation." Vincent's explanation held a somber weight. "Since you appeared to bé resting peacefully under Rena's watchful care, I departed.My intention was to have a proper conversation once you'd recovered. However, when I returned several days later, you never brought up the incident again."

Hannah's smile turned bitter. "Of course... That makes perfect sense."

From her viewpoint, it represented yet another Chapter of disappointment and abandonment.Vincent's absence always seemed to coincide with her moments of greatest need. This pattern of neglect had woven itself throughout the fabric of

their entire marriage.

"I was..." Vincent began, intending to elaborate on that deal's crucial importance to the company and the impossibility of being present in multiple locations simultaneously. Yet, his explanation shifted into something far more vulnerable. "Work was consuming everything at the time. But my feelings for you, Hannah, run deeper than you could possibly fathom.That incident won't happen again."

Both promise and personal vow colored his declaration.

Hannah redirected her attention toward the endless expanse of ocean. Wind played through her flowing hair as silence stretched between them. Eventually,she released a quiet laugh. "Our interpretations exist in completely different universes."

Her tone grew gentle. "From my perspective, this marriage was something I essentially forced upon you from the very beginning. You consented to wed me because circumstances left you without alternatives, didn't you? Throughout our entire

wedding ceremony,tension never left your features-not even a trace of joy appeared. I've always believed you resented having to marry me. Our union felt like something you grudgingly granted as a favor."

Vincent felt the breath leave his lungs at Hannah's revelation. His gaze fixed on her profile while a tempest of emotions raged within him.

Several heartbeats passed before Vincent collected himself enough to respond. "Unhappiness had nothing to do with it. What you witnessed was pure nervousness."

"Nervous?" Hannah swiveled toward Vincent with genuine surprise, as though encountering an entirely foreign concept. The notion seemed impossible-Vincent experiencing nervousness?