Chapter 82

Hannah was stunned. Vincent always knew how to break her heart. A handful of careless words from him had managed to sweep aside everything she'd put into the relationship, all those years of loyalty and honest effort. By now, though, her heart had grown numb enough not to let the pain sink in.

A slight smile touched Hannah's lips as she faced Vincent. "I guess I'm not as occupied as you are. You seem to need Miss Gilbert by your side at every turn."

Vincent's answer came in that calm, low voice of his. "Brinley and I are just working."

At Vincent's response, Brinley quickly chimed in, "Hannah, please don't read too much into it. I wanted to acquire Nova Tech since Polaris Tech really needs a solid force like Nova Tech. Vincent worried I might be in over my head, so he accompanied me to discuss the acquisition with Mr. Wade."

Brinley managed to praise Felix's company while also slipping in a little bragging for Hannah's ears. She aimed to make sure Hannah noticed just how much effort Vincent was willing to put in for her, even if it meant going out of his way to help with business.

There was no confusion on Hannah's part. She understood exactly what Brinley was getting at. It could not be clearer to her just how much Vincent valued Brinley, even if no one spelled it out. At this point, she didn't care anymore.

Hannah held her head high and said to Vincent, "Felix and I are just working."

She studied Vincent's face, noticing a quick flash of skepticism in his eyes.

"What sort of work keeps you by his side and even sleeps in his office?" Vincent's glare was sharp and full of fury, and every word seemed to dig painfully into Hannah's chest.

Every word from Vincent was meant to wound, belittling Hannah while slandering Felix.

The insult hit hard, filling Hannah with a sudden, sharp anger. She lifted her hand and landed a slap across Vincent's face.

A sharp crack echoed in the room, and everyone present froze in shock.

"Vincent, are you alright?" Brinley hurried over. Her tone was sharp as she yelled at Hannah, "That was too much.How could you treat Vincent like that?"

Clive, standing nearby, began to show signs of nervousness. No one had ever laid a finger on Vincent before. There was no denying Hannah's boldness.

With a face set in stone, Hannah stared back and said, "Why shouldn't I slap him? He's the one who went too far. And what position do you have to lecture me?"

Brinley found herself at a loss for words, clearly wanting to keep Hannah's marital connection to Vincent under wraps, especially since Clive was around. Still, she tried to defend Vincent anyway. "It isn't right to hit someone. Look, his cheek is red."

Worried, she added, "Vincent, let go of her hand so I can see how bad it is."

Vincent refused to let go, his grip steady and unmoving. Anger tightened his jaw, and he kept his dark eyes locked on Hannah.

Felix moved to intervene, but Hannah raised her hand, stopping him in his tracks. A sharp laugh escaped her."So what? Miss Gilbert, aren't you here to look after him?"

For a moment, Brinley hesitated, hovering close to Vincent. "Vincent, you should put some ice on your face.Let's leave now."

Yet, Vincent paid her no heed, his focus on Hannah unbroken. "You're coming back with me. Right now."

He acted as if the slap hadn't happened, stubbornly insisting on taking Hannah back, gripping her wrist even tighter.

"I'm not going back with you now." Defiance shone in Hannah's eyes as she tried to wriggle free of his grasp. "Let go." She had long decided that her own feelings would come first.

Neither one seemed ready to back down.

Stepping in again, Felix addressed Vincent, "Mr. Jones, Hannah has made it clear that she isn't going anywhere with you. Please don't force her."

A cold laugh slipped from Vincent's lips. "You call this forcing her?" He let go of Hannah's wrist at last.

Hannah released a sigh of relief and rubbed her wrist, convinced Vincent had finally changed his mind and was about to leave with Brinley.

But the next second, Vincent unexpectedly scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. The sharp edge of his collarbone pressed against her stomach while he carried her away as if she weighed nothing at all.