Chapter 529

The tension in the air was so sharp that it could have cut glass, and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.

Sensing the storm within Vincent, Hannah gently pressed down on his arm. She gave a slight shake of her head, her eyes calm yet resolute. "Let me handle this."

Stepping out from Vincent's shadow, Hannah's gaze swept the room and landed on a glass of champagne resting on a waiter's tray. Without the faintest hesitation, she seized it and, with a sharp flick of her wrist,flung the icy liquid straight across Claude's face.

Golden drops streamed dowvn from Claude's well-groomed hair to his cheeks, soaking into the pristine white of his suit. The man who prided himself on elegance now stood in utter disarray.

A hushed silence fell across the room; no one dared even breathe.

Hannah casually discarded the empty glass, her eyes glacial as they locked onto Claude. Her voice, laced with warning, cut through the stillness. "Claude, for the sake of our childhood friendship, I'll only splash you a glass of wine this time. But if you dare try such vile tricks to forcefully take me away again, you won't get off so lighly."

Her fury burned cold, her eyes gleaming with unyielding determination.

Then, without waiting for Claude's reply, she did something that left the crowd even more stunned.With both hands, she clutched the ornate hem of her wedding gown-and tore it in one fierce motion.

The sharp rip of fabric echoed through the hall.

The gown that once swept the floor in luxury was now stripped to a knee-length dress, its grandeur discarded.

She tossed the torn fabric aside as if casting away refuse. Turning, she seized Vincent's hand, her voice steady and commanding. "Let's go." Vincent's fingers tightened around hers, his gaze sweeping coldly across the hall.

At Vincent's silent cue, his bodyguards stepped forward, cutting off any who might block their way.

Hannah and Vincent strode toward the exit, hand in hand, never sparing a backward glance at the chaos or the Hobbes family's darkened faces.

The bodyguards cleared a path for them like blades through undergrowth. The sight was like a pair of warriors breaking their chains, bold and resolute.

Back in the banquet hall, champagne dripped from Claude's cheeks. He licked the remnants from his lips,and instead of fury, a wild light of excitement flickered in his eyes. This was Hannah, the woman he loved.She was thorned, never yielding. Even cornered, she found the strength to strike back. The process of conquering her would make his blood boil.

Evelyn and Terrell swallowed their humiliation, busy soothing guests, desperate to salvage a shred of dignity for the Hlobbes family.

Bonnie drew in a deep breath, fighting for composure. She 'stepped forward, slipped her trembling hand through Claude's arm, and forced a fragile smile. "Claude, shall we... Shall we toast the guests?"

She tried, against all odds, to stitch this farce back together.

Claude turned, his gaze sweeping over her pale, compliant face. A smile curved his lips, but it carried no warmth."Alright."

He lifted his hand and patted Bonnie's head, his tone filled with faint approval. "You've been very obedient today."

He inwardly commented that Bonnie was much more obedient than Hannah.

Bonnie's body flinched with fear, but Claude didn't give a damn.

Outside, the night air was cool, brushing away the suffocating tension of the hall. Vincent clasped Hannah's hand firmly, his stride quick and unrelenting.

Only when they were well away from the building did he stop, pulling her into his arms. His embrace was iron-strong, his voice trembling with a hint of lingering fear he could not hide. "I never should have listened to you and sent the two bodyguards to book that restaurant."

Vincent's stomach churned with remorse. It was Hannah's decision to dismiss her bodyguards to reserve the restaurant for the client meeting. Alone, she had been vulnerable-easy prey for abduction. Had the bodyguards been at her side, the whole kidnapping incident would never have happened.

Hannah could feel Vincent's heart hammering in his chest, each beat carrying his terror. Gently, she patted his back, her voice calm as still water. "It's over now. Look at me-I'm safe, not even a scratch."

Slowly, Vincent loosened his hold. His hands cupped her face, searching for the smallest trace of harm,and finally sighed in relief when finding none. Yet, his brow remained deeply furrowed. "He took your security wristband and shut it off. The tracking signal went dead. I almost turned the entire city upside down looking for you."

His voice rasped, hoarse from strain. "I barged into several places that might be hosting events before finally finding this one. Yet, I was still late."

He dreaded to imagine what would have happened if he'd come even a minute later. Who knew what madness that lunatic might have tried?

Hannah saw the red veins threading Vincent's eyes, his anxious face laid bare. Her heart softened. She shook her head gently. "Honestly, even if you hadn't arrived, Claude wouldn't have dared harm me. At most,he'd use those maddening tricks to force me to bend to his will, feeding that twisted need for control."

By saying so, she wanted to stop Vincent from drowningin self-reproach.

But Vincent caught the subtle undertone of her words, and his brows drew even tighter."You didn't want me to come?"