Chapter 56

A furrow formed on Hannah's brow as she struggled to keep her frustration in check. "Dad, you agreed way too quickly. Why would you do that without asking me first?"

"What's the big deal about two families sitting down for a meal?" Raymond countered. "What's strange is your reaction. Why are you so against us having dinner with them? What, now that you've married into money, you're suddenly embarrassed by your parents?"

Margaret chimed in, "Hannah, you don't want us to meet the Jones family?"

A rush to defend herself left Hannah's words tumbling out. "No, that's not it at all! Of course, I want you to meet them."

Truthfully, the thought of her parents mingling with the Joneses filled Hannah with dread. She wished desperately that their lives could remain separate.

Raymond didn't miss a moment. "Good. I'm really looking forward to meeting your husband."

What he didn't say out loud was that he had his own plan-once he saw Vincent, he would find an excuse to visit the company. He wanted a word with that secretary who'd dared to badmouth his daughter. No one would ever get away with shaming his family,least of all his little girl.

That night, the apartment at Sterling Heights echoed with Hannah's restless movements as she tidied up,unable to shake her anxiety. Sleep came in fragments, leaving her even more unsettled.

Across the ocean in Calveria, Vincent finished closing a major deal when his phone buzzed insistently.Sharon's name flashed across the screen. He answered right away.

"Vincent, you ignore my calls now? Three times I've tried to reach you!" Irritation laced every word as Sharon spoke, her voice cutting sharper than before.

Vincent glanced at the call logs. Three missed calls from her. "Work kept me busy, Grandma. I didn't mean to miss them."

Sharon's tone didn't soften. "Busy with what,exactly? For all I know, you're just avoiding us." A chill crept into her voice. "Answer me this, why aren't you with Hannah? No matter what your schedule looks like, shouldn't you be by her side at a time like this?"

A heavy frown settled on Vincent's face. "Did she say something to you?"

"I wish she would," Sharon replied, a note of sadness underlying her words. "That girl suffers in silence.She'd never say a word, even if you've let her down.It's notin her nature to speak up."

Vincent's frustration grew. "What areyou getting at,Grandma?"

Her answer was immediate. "You'll be home for lunch tomorrow."

A flat refusal escaped him. "I can't make it. There's an important meeting I can't reschedule."

Sharon's warning cut through his protest. "If you're not at the family estate by noon, don't call me your grandmother ever again."

An exhale of exasperation slipped from Vincent. "I'm still in Calveria, finalizing the acquisition. There's no way I can return that fast."

An uncomfortable pause filled the call, neither side quick to speak.

Eventually, Vincent's voice came through, cautious."Is there something special about tomorrow that l should know?"

Sharon's tone turned icy, slicing through the distance between them. "You really have no idea? Hannah's parents are in town. As their in-laws, it's our responsibility to treat them with respect and host them properly."

The revelation left Vincent momentarily speechless,and suddenly, Hannah's words from earlier this morning made perfect sense. Brows knittíng together, he admitted, "Honestly, I wasn't aware. No one told me."

A weary sigh escaped Sharon. The weight of disappointment pressed into her next words."Hannah deserved so much more from the start.You two got married in secret without so much as a ceremony or celebration. Five years have passed,and her parents still remain strangers to us. This time, we need to make things right. You must be back by noon tomorrow. Do you understand?"

"I'll do what I can," Vincent replied, tension lining his voice.

In the corner, Brinley listened in silence, her own feelings roiling beneath a calm exterior. Why pretend for the sake of appearances, she wondered, when divorce was already looming on the horizon?

Observing Sharon's unwavering support for Hannah,Brinley realized just how fiercely protective Sharon was, clearly the greatest hurdle between her and any future with Vincent.

With a quiet resolve, Brinley tucked away that realization and then appeared at Vincent's side,offering him a plate of fruit and a sweet, practiced smile. Her hand paused when she overheard him on the phone, calmly rescheduling the next day's meeting to an online session.

Shock flashed in her eyes. Was he really flying home so suddenly? It had taken her a lot of effort to get Vincent to bring her on this trip abroad, and yet the entire time, he'd been buried in negotiations. No sightseeing, no real time together. Finally, just as she thought she'd have his full attention, everything was upended, once again, by Hannah.

Bitterness curled inside Brinley, mixed with a sense of insecurity she couldn't shake. Hannah was just a stand-in. So why was Vincent going to such lengths for her?

...

Back in Dorbarrow, Sharon rose before dawn,orchestrating the kitchen staff with the energy of a general preparing for a feast.

When Danica descended the stairs and took in the scene, a flurry of activity and gleaming silver platters, her curiosity sharpened into suspicion."Who's coming over today?" she asked.

"The lunch is to welcome Hannah's parents," a servant replied with honesty.

At once, Danica's expression clouded over.What was Hannah thinking, throwing a family gathering on the eve of her own divorce?

Without wasting another second, Danica marched back upstairs and dialed Hannah's number.

Over at Sterling Heights, Hannah was busy helping her father choose a jacket. Her phone's persistent ringing finally caught Margaret's attention, prompting her to answer.