Hannah sighed in exasperation as she stood outside the Harrison's porch, unable to persuade the driver to drop her off on the street. Reluctantly, Hannah decided to face Alden, no matter what. She quickly opened the door and entered the house.
Apparently, Alden was on the back patio, eating breakfast, though it remained untouched.
Hannah approached Alden cautiously, keeping her distance. She cleared her throat quietly, but Alden didn't respond. This time Hannah cleared her throat louder, causing Alden to turn his head.
"What now?" Hannah asked.
"You broke the agreement," Alden explained.
"What agreement?"
"To have breakfast with me." Alden motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit down."
Annoyed, Hannah sat down facing the plate of fruit slices and salad dressing.
"Aren't you eating?" Alden asked.
It was the first thing Alden had said after they had breakfast together and actually talked. Hannah was suspicious. What di
Hannah entered the house and felt like crying when she saw the leftover pancakes on the dining room table. With a heavy heart, she cleared away the breakfast dishes and washed them. Even John hadn't finished the pancakes that were still on the table.After tidying up the dining room and kitchen, Hannah went to John's bedroom. She opened the half-closed curtains and let all the sunlight in.John's bed was still unmade and Hannah wondered what Francesca had been doing. She seemed reluctant to tidy the room at all. Hannah opened the bedside drawer and was startled to see that the bottles of medicine were still intact.These were the medications John was supposed to take when he got home from the hospital, but they had just been left in the drawer. Hannah couldn't understand why John hadn't taken his medicine."Oh, God," Hannah murmured quietly.She felt like exploding with anger, but she tried to control herself. Hannah quickly grabbed John's picture
Hannah's hesitant footsteps echoed down the corridor leading to the morgue. The air was piercingly cold, and Hannah felt like she was in a dream. Her heart refused to accept that John was really gone.Moments earlier, John had passed the critical stage of surgery, and the doctors had assured Hannah that he would recover. There was no indication that John would suddenly pass away like this.Was fate playing a trick on Hannah? Just when she felt that everything was under control and that all she had to do was live out her days with Alden, even if she had to be subservient to him.Hannah's chest tightened as she saw Francesca leaning against the wall next to the morgue door. So everything that had happened hadn't been a dream.As Hannah approached, Francesca wiped away tears. "What took you so long?" Francesca grumbled."I tried to come as soon as I could.""Go inside." Francesca nodded toward the morgue door.Hannah took a deep breath a
Hannah sighed in exasperation as she stood outside the Harrison's porch, unable to persuade the driver to drop her off on the street. Reluctantly, Hannah decided to face Alden, no matter what. She quickly opened the door and entered the house.Apparently, Alden was on the back patio, eating breakfast, though it remained untouched.Hannah approached Alden cautiously, keeping her distance. She cleared her throat quietly, but Alden didn't respond. This time Hannah cleared her throat louder, causing Alden to turn his head."What now?" Hannah asked."You broke the agreement," Alden explained."What agreement?""To have breakfast with me." Alden motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit down."Annoyed, Hannah sat down facing the plate of fruit slices and salad dressing."Aren't you eating?" Alden asked.It was the first thing Alden had said after they had breakfast together and actually talked. Hannah was suspicious. What di
Whether it was the right decision or not, Hannah wasn't sure as she stood at the door of her home. But there was no other place for Hannah to go but back to her father's house. With hesitation, Hannah knocked on the door.Shortly after, the door opened to reveal Francesca's sour face."What are you doing here?" Francesca asked as if she was really bothered."I'm coming home."Hannah walked straight in, ignoring the shocked look on her stepmother's face. The door was heard to be hastily shut, and before Hannah started down the stairs, Francesca intercepted her."What do you mean, 'coming back'?" Francesca asked in a hushed tone."This is still my home.""You're married, Hannah. You belong to your husband.""Well, apparently we're getting divorced," Hannah replied casually.Francesca's hand immediately grabbed Hannah's arm."No! Get out of my house!" Francesca demanded."What is your problem, Mom? This is my
Hannah stared at Jeffrey in disbelief. Before, Jeffrey had always been sweet, his words soft, his behavior never bad.But the man Hannah faced now seemed like a stranger. It only made Hannah more disappointed and dejected.Tears almost fell, threatening to wet Hannah's cheeks, and she desperately held them back."Can't you answer me, Hannah? Everyone wants to know what you can do for this company," Jeffrey pressed."I-I..." Hannah stuttered."We're starting the meeting! If you want to make a scene, please leave," Susan interjected, half driving Jeffrey away.Jeffrey would surely stop and sit down again, as Hannah suspected. But the faces of the people there began to show disgust as they looked at Hannah."Please, Hannah. Sit down," Susan pleaded.Finally, Hannah could only sit, too afraid to do anything. Because what Jeffrey said was true, Hannah didn't have the ability to understand her job description at Texco. Hannah had alr
"You belong to me," Alden said.The man's face hardened, his gaze full of power as he looked at Hannah."Why do you speak to me this way? Do you feel that your dignity must be respected? You have nothing, and only I have the right to say anything about you," Alden continued.Hannah swallowed her saliva.What Alden said hit Hannah hard. But as if fingers snapped in Hannah's head, she realized that she had once said that her life was in Alden's hands. Even slaves in the past couldn't fight their masters.Hannah's position wasn't much different, and if she expressed her feelings to Alden, she would surely be condemned. How disrespectful it might seem in Alden's mind for Hannah to behave so rudely."I'm sorry," Hannah said."What did you say?""I won't do it again. Is there anything else I can do, sir?"Alden took a long breath. "No. Go get some rest. You have to work tomorrow.""All right, sir."Hannah's steps