Chapter 10

Lucas looked at Hannah standing before him, and a strange look crossed his eyes.

The first time he had seen her, she had been so pure and lovely that he fell for her at once.

But Margaret glared at her with open malice and spat the words out.

"Hmph. Get out of here, you vixen! If Luke hadn't protected you all these years, I'd have thrown you out of the Hale house long ago. Letting you freeload off us this long was already generous. From today, you vanish from this family for good!"

"That's right, Mother," Sabrina said. "Once she's gone, have the maid scrub the spot where she stood. And look at those cheap clothes. Revolting."

From his wheelchair, Raymond tried to calm his wife. "That's enough. She and Luke were husband and wife, and the Hales have treated her well over the years. Let's part on decent terms and not make this awkward for everyone."

"Father, you're too soft," Sabrina said. "'Decent terms'? That's just for show. Which couple doesn't tear each other apart in a divorce? Things have come this far. Why should we save face for her?"

Margaret nodded fiercely. "Sabrina is right! You men are all the same. You can't look away from a woman with even a little beauty, can you? Even now, you're taking her side. If this vixen hadn't been hogging his life, you might be holding a grandson by now!"

"Exactly, Father. Didn't you always say the Hale line would end with her? Well, now it's solved. Luke is finally free, and he'll marry Miss Ashford. The Hales will have an heir soon."

Raymond was overjoyed to hear it, but he kept his face still.

His health had never been good. Besides his beloved daughter, he had only one son, Lucas, now nearing middle age. He had hoped that after Lucas married, there would be many grandchildren, and the family would flourish. Then he learned Hannah couldn't bear children, and he had been furious.

Now that his son had finally cast off that useless woman, he couldn't have been happier.

Still, he was a shrewd businessman who knew not to let success go to his head. It was always wise to leave room for future meetings. So he urged his wife and daughter not to go too far.

In Lucas's arms, Victoria sensed it keenly: his heart had already drifted back to Hannah. A flash of resentment crossed her eyes. Then she turned to Hannah with feigned concern, her face full of pity.

"Hannah, you're leaving the Hales with nothing, aren't you? Shall I lend you some money, so you can hire a carriage and find an inn for the night?"

Before Hannah could even refuse, Lucas cut in impatiently. "Vicky, you will not lend her a single coin! Isn't Hannah so proud? Then she shouldn't accept charity from anyone. Let's see how long she lasts."

Sabrina clapped and cheered. "Luke, you should have done this ages ago! I told you not to be too good to a woman like her. She's an ungrateful wretch! You should have listened and let her parents send her to Silas Crowe. It wouldn't have come to this. But you insisted on marrying her, and look how it ended. What was the point of all that?"

Margaret added, "Yes, Luke, don't be foolish again. Open your eyes wide and see clearly. Never let some vixen bewitch you again." She didn't forget to glare at Victoria as she said it.

Her barbed words left Victoria standing there, her face flushing red, then draining white.

Lucas sighed. "That's enough, Mother. When will you stop?"

Margaret said awkwardly, "I meant nothing by it. I was only reminding you."

But Hannah was unmoved by the Hales' jeering. Her voice was ice.

"Have you all finished?"

Margaret's eyes flew wide. "What kind of attitude is that, you vixen? What's wrong with us saying a few words to you? Shameless creature, are you still putting on airs?"

Sabrina suddenly chimed in. "Mother, don't you know the saying? Some people are just pretentious."

She covered her mouth and giggled. Margaret laughed meanly along with her. "Ha! Sabrina is right. That's exactly what she is."

Sabrina went on, "All right, Mother, stop laughing. Let's search her together. Who knows if she's hidden something valuable on her. We can't let her walk away with it for free."

Margaret rubbed her hands. "Yes, we must search thoroughly. If she sneaks something out, it all belongs to the Hale family."

She stepped forward to grab Hannah.

Hannah's fury surged at the insult. When she heard they meant to search her, she pulled out the small craft knife from the bedroom, pointed its tip at the two women, and said sternly:

"Stay back! Or I'll get rough with you!"

Sabrina and Margaret went pale. They froze, not daring to take another step.

"Hannah, are you insane?" Lucas shouted.

Insane?

Hannah's eyes burned with resentment as she looked at Margaret and Sabrina.

"Yes. I've gone mad. I have nothing left. I have nothing to lose, and you have everything to lose. Say one more word, and I won't mind dying with you. My life is worth nothing anyway. If I fall, I can drag you down with me. Wouldn't that be something?"

She fixed her gaze on Sabrina and lowered her voice. "Even if I can't take your life, I can still cut your face. Don't you think so, Sabrina?"

To Sabrina, Hannah looked like a demon that had crawled out of hell. Terrified that she would lunge and slash her face, Sabrina trembled and shrank back, her voice shaking.

"Hannah... I won't search you anymore, all right? Please don't do anything rash..."

Margaret, clearly rattled, hurried aside to clear a path.

Only now did she understand why Raymond had urged restraint. She still had a happy family. Hannah had nothing left. Push her too far, and who knew what she might do.