Chapter 19

Hannah stood stunned, unsure how to respond.

Then the young man stepped forward and looked her over. A flash of disgust crossed his eyes and was gone in an instant.

"Father, Mother, is this my real sister?"

Edmund and Eleanor nodded quickly.

"That's right, Sebastian. She is your sister."

The young man showed no surprise. He gave a slight nod, his expression distant, his eyes cool and aloof.

He extended his hand and spoke calmly.

"Hello. I'm Sebastian Harrington, your older brother. If calling me 'brother' feels too familiar, you may simply call me Sebastian."

It was as stiff and formal as the opening of a business meeting. There was none of the warmth that should have existed between siblings.

Hannah was puzzled by his manner. She hesitated, then politely shook his hand.

"Hello, Sebastian. I'm Hannah Winters..."

Before she could finish, Edmund cut in. "Hannah, now that you're home with the Harringtons, it's time to introduce yourself differently."

Her heart tightened, and she corrected herself quickly. "I'm Hannah Harrington."

Sebastian nodded and drew his hand back.

To her shock, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped his palm, as though touching her had made it dirty.

Edmund and Eleanor looked grim.

"Sebastian, what are you doing? She's your own sister!"

His expression was cold and proud, with a trace of contempt in his eyes. "Mother, you know I can't bear uncleanliness. It's a compulsion of mine."

Eleanor glared at him with her lovely eyes. "How can you be so rude, child?"

Edmund said nothing aloud, but his darkened face showed how displeased he was.

Seeing the awkward mood, Hannah quickly put on an easy smile. "Mom, Dad, I'm fine."

Sebastian chuckled at how accommodating she was. "She says she's fine, Mother. Why are you still angry?"

Then he turned to Hannah. "I hear you're married. Where is your husband? Why didn't he come home with you?"

Eleanor added, "Yes, Hannah. Didn't you say yesterday you'd bring your husband with you?"

Whenever Lucas was mentioned, a pang of pain and helplessness struck her.

Her voice was low. "He and I... we're divorced."

Edmund's brow furrowed deeply, and his face turned grim. "What happened? Everything was fine yesterday. How can there be a divorce so suddenly?"

Hannah explained quickly. "When I got back, I found out he'd been cheating on me behind my back. So... I divorced him."

"What?"

Eleanor's eyes flew wide, her face full of disbelief and fury. "How dare he! A boy from a lowly family like the Hales, cheating on my precious daughter? Does he want to die?"

"Hannah, what exactly happened? Tell us everything," Edmund said. Compared to his wife's outrage, he was much more composed.

Hannah drew a deep breath and slowly told them.

Eleanor frowned. "Hannah, didn't you tell them who you really were?"

She shook her head. "I wanted to, but when I got back, I saw him with another woman. After that, what was the point? It was better to divorce."

Edmund's voice rang out. "Do you want your father to teach the Hales a lesson for you?"

"What would you do, Dad?"

"We'll destroy the Hale family and make sure they can't stay in Eldermere. They dared to bully the Harringtons. They're asking for death!"

Hannah shook her head and sighed. "No need, Dad. The Hales mean nothing to me now. I don't think I'll ever see them again. It's pointless to go after such small people on my account."

Edmund thought for a moment. "Hannah, you're truly willing to let them go?"

She nodded.

She didn't hate Lucas. Without him, she might have become Silas Crowe's plaything. What she hated was Margaret and Sabrina.

Especially Sabrina, who had caused her to lose the child she had fought so hard to conceive, and left her struggling to have children.

Yet Sabrina was hateful and pitiful at once. After her own divorce, she had to raise a five-year-old daughter alone.

Now that Hannah and Lucas were divorced, if he married a strong-willed woman, Sabrina wouldn't have an easy life in the Hale house.

It was only because Hannah hadn't been firm enough back then, and her family had dragged her down, that things had turned out this way.

Seeing her resolve, Edmund gave up. "If you don't want to punish the Hales, then forget it. Your father won't trouble them."

Eleanor stroked Hannah's hair, tears filling her eyes. "My poor child. How could such a thing happen to you? You've suffered so much..."

Hannah hugged her gently. "Mom, I'm not suffering. Now that I'm with you, I'm happy. I feel no pain at all."

"Come inside, quickly. Don't you feel hot standing in the sun?"

Sebastian's words shattered the warm moment between mother and daughter.

Edmund agreed. "Sebastian is right. Let's go in. The sun is too strong out here."

The three of them led Hannah inside. The moment she stepped through the door, she felt as if she had entered a palace.

The decor was elegant and refined, and every piece of furniture breathed wealth. Each detail spoke of its owner's taste.

The sitting room walls held more than a dozen priceless original paintings. She had only ever seen such works online, and now they hung before her eyes.

All were signed by famed masters of the realm, and their brushwork and color together gave the house a rare artistic air.

Eleanor held Hannah's hand tightly, as if afraid she might feel nervous or out of place. Her voice was gentle as spring wind.

"Hannah, from now on this is your home. Relax. You needn't feel any restraint."

"Your mother is right, Hannah," Edmund said. "Welcome home!"