Chapter 651

The remark sliced through Vincent like a blade drawn across bare skin. His gaze turned to ice-cold, unyielding,stripped of all warmth. "I shouldn't have come here in the first place," he muttered with biting mockery.

With deliberate movements, he fastened the final button of his shirt,straightened the stiff collar, and thought bitterly that only a fool with nothing better to do would show up in the dead of night just to be humiliated.

Hannah watched his aloof demeanor, eager to distance himself,her own chest heavy with a storm of anger and hurt. Unable to restrain herself, she prodded him with venomous sarcasm."What's this? Already leaving? Not staying to take things further?"

Vincent's eyes lowered, filled with disdain so sharp that it could cut. "Hannah," he said coolly, "is there truly nothing inside your head except sex?"

A bitter laugh escaped her, sharp and hollow. "Yes, that's all I think about," she spat. "I crave men endlessly and can't resist them. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

For a fleeting moment, Vincent regarded her as if he were seeing a stranger and then shook his head slowly. When he finally spoke, his tone was heavy with disappointment."Sometimes,I genuinely question how I ever ended up marrying you. It seems my judgment-before I lost my memory-was abysmal."

His words pierced through Hannah's chest, clean and deep like the twist of a knife. She swallowed the ache rising in her throat and forced out a cold, brittle laugh. "If that's true, then mv

and forced out a cold, brittle laugh. "If that's true,then my judgment was worse. I wasted eight years of my life on someone as heartless and self-centered as you."

Vincent offered no reply; exhaustion had dulled the sharpness of his anger. His face settled into calm detachment as he changed the subject, his voice distant and resolute. "The whole idea of bed partners is off the table. Considering how many men orbit around you, I wouldn't stand a chance anyway."

Without waiting for her reaction, he turned toward the door and walked away, his steps steady and final.

Hannah's vision blurred with rage. Watching his cold, retreating figure, all the resentment, humiliation, and pain she had buried deep came bursting forth. She seized a glass from the table and hurled it with all the strength in her trembling arm.

The glass struck Vincent squarely between the shoulders before bouncing onto the carpet, miraculously unbroken.

He froze, turned slowly, and touched the spot where it had landed. His gaze met hers-glacial, unreadable.

Hannah hadn't expected it to hit. A flash of panic crossed her face, but she refused to let it show. "You deserved it!" she snapped defiantly.

Vincent's expression remained inscrutable as he studied her in silence for a few long seconds. Then, in a voice so quiet that it carried more weight than a shout, he said, "Unbelievable,"

He turned again and exited, not sparing her a final glance.

The door slammed shut behind him.

Hannah's strength collapsed all at once. She sank onto the sofa,her heart pounding, her mind spinning. She had meant to ask him about the woman at the airport, but now, after this bitter exchange, it no longer mattered, All that remained between them was disappointment and exhaustion.

She sat in silence, tears threatening but unspilled, wondering if Vincent had been right all along. Perhaps they were simply never meant to be.

Downstairs, Vincent entered the apartment he had barely set foot in since that unexpected night between them.

However, sleep evaded him. The air felt thick with traces of Hannah's scent, an invisible presence clinging to every corner.

He lay restless in the dark, turning over every harsh word in his mind. He knew he'd gone too far. But watching her surrounded by men, hearing her deliberate provocations-something inside him had snapped. Logic had crumbled.

What was it about Hannah that unbalanced him so completely?Why did she have such a power to strip away his composure every time?

The hours bled away until dawn broke pale across the windows.He didn't have a wink of sleep the whole night. Without hesitation, he drove to the office.

He buried himself in endless work, hoping the mechanical rhythm of meetings and documents would drown out the noise in his chest.

As the evening settled, his phone began to vibrate relentlessly.

First came a cheerful message from Vera. "My party is about to start! Hurry up-everyone's waiting for you!"

Then, a text followed swiftly-this time from his mnother."Vincent, make sure you attend Vera's party. Don't make it difficult for me or disappoint her. You know the address."

He furrowed his brows. He flipped the phone facedown and returned to his paperwork, ignoring the buzzing that persisted across the table.

Moments later, the screen lit up with a call from his grandma.

He sighed, rubbing his temples before finally answering.

"Still busy, Vincent?" came Sharon's gentle yet firm voice from the other end.

"Yes, Grandma," he replied, his tone softening."Do you need something?"

"I know how you feel about crowded events," Sharon said kindly, "but this is Vera's first time back after so many years.She doesn't have much family here anymore, and our families have always been close. It's only right to show a bit of courtesy.I'm not asking you to stay long-just show up, greet everyone,spend around twenty minutes at most, and then leave if you must. How does that sound?"