Chapter 645

Hannah found the family tradition Claude had mentioned absurd. "Come on, Claude. You're old enough to know how to stand up for yourself. Family businesses matter, yes-but not at the cost of being treated like this."

"Are you worried about me?" A flicker of hope danced in Claude's eyes. She had fallen for it, just as he expected-her compassion had taken over.

"No," Hannah replied crisply, her tone cooling in an instant. "I'm just speaking from a place of common decency, nothing more."

The spark in Claude's eyes dimmed. He inhaled deeply, his voice tinged with what seemed to be contrition. "Anna, I know I frightened you before.I went too far and lost control. But I am really going to settle down and take up my responsibilities. I swear, from this day on, I'll never cross that line again. I'll treat you only as a little sister."

His words carried a quiet desperation. "Could we just go back to being what we were-ordinary siblings?You know my biological parents never cared for me.Only you and your mother treated me like family. The thought of losing you completely is unbearable. That would be worse than death."

Hannah said nothing at first. She studied him-the man who had once chased butterflies with her under the summer sun. A tide of emotion rose within her.Yet,beneath it all, that memory of betrayal-those secretly taken photos occupying the walls of that room-burned like an unhealed scar.

When she finally spoke, her voice was calm but laced with frost. "Claude, those photos in your house... You might've thought it showed your affection, but I only felt fear. Being watched without knowing, having every step recorded-that's not love. It's control.It's trespass. You're no longer the brother I thought could trust."

Claude hurried to defend himself. "I'm sorry, truly! I already destroyed all of them, I swear! Anna, please-give me another chance. We can just be siblings again,I promise."

Hannah said nothing. Faced with her silence, he played his final card, the one he knew she couldn't easily dismiss. "I'm getting married soon," he said softly. "There's no way there could ever be anything between us now."

Hannah's eyes searched his, her face unreadable.

"I'd like you to come to my wedding," he continued,his tone imploring. "Please, Anna. It would mean the world to me. Without you there, I won't go through the ceremony. I want you to be there as a witness to the significant moment in my life." His words teetered between longing and emotional blackmail.

For a long moment, Hannah simply looked at him.Then, perhaps out of mercy-or fatigue-her heart relented. Maybe attending his wedding to see him settle down was the final thread she needed to cut.She exhaled quietly. "Fine. Send me the invitation when it's time."

A gleam of triumph flashed through Claude's eyes,though he masked it quickly with exaggerated gratitude. "Thank you,Anna! Thank you so much."

"I should go," she said, rising from her seat. "I've got work to do."

As Hannah's silhouette slipped through the cafédoor, the pleading mask on Claude's face fell away.In its place gleamed cold calculation. She was stil distant. But that was fine. The talk of their "brother-sister" relationship was merely a pretext to bridge.He couldn't risk falling apart from her now.

Once Bonnie gave him a child-his key to seizing the Hobbes family fortune-he would make sure Hannah would return to him, whether she wished it or not.They had all the time in the world.

Back at the company,Hannah wasted no time. She coordinated with the media, ensuring a thorough, transparent report on Rodney's case-laying out the timeline, the evidence, and the final verdict.

The piece painted the truh clearly: Hannah's courage as a victim, and Luminara Group's unwavering stand against corruption.

The tide of public opinion turned sharply in her favor once again. The company's stock soared, rising even higher than before.

Justice spoke at last. Those same executives who had once accused her of being reckless or short-sighted now had no words left. Facts had silenced them far more effectively than rebuke ever could.