Chapter 3 - The Man Who Kicked Open the Door
The following morning, Hannah found Damian staring out the window.
“Breakfast.”
“Not hungry.”
“You said that yesterday.”
“I was also not hungry yesterday.”
She placed the tray down.
“You need protein.”
“I have survived twenty years of organized crime.”
“Congratulations. Eat your eggs.”
Damian slowly turned his wheelchair.
“Do you order everyone around?”
“Only stubborn people.”
She pushed the tray toward him.
His phone rang.
Carlo.
Damian answered.
“What?”
“We have a problem.”
Hannah started toward the door.
“Stay,” Damian said.
She stopped.
Carlo continued through the phone.
“Vivien's father requested an emergency family meeting tomorrow night.”
“Purpose?”
“Officially? Discussing your future.”
“And unofficially?”
“Removing you.”
Damian smiled.
“Accept.”
Carlo went silent.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
Damian ended the call.
Hannah stared at him.
“That didn't sound good.”
“It isn't your concern.”
“Fine.”
She picked up the breakfast tray.
“Where are you taking that?”
“You aren't hungry.”
“Put it back.”
She did.
Damian ate.
Hannah pretended not to smile.
Later that afternoon, Vivien arrived.
She barely looked at Damian.
“Tomorrow night, Papa wants everyone together.”
“I heard.”
“We need to discuss restructuring.”
“Restructuring what?”
“The family.”
Damian tilted his head.
“My family?”
“Our future.”
“You mean your future.”
Vivien crossed her arms.
“You can't expect everyone to pretend nothing has changed.”
“I don't.”
“You can't lead from a wheelchair.”
“Interesting.”
“Damian—”
“Do you still intend to marry me?”
Silence.
Hannah was replacing flowers near the window.
Vivien glanced at her.
“Could we have privacy?”
“No,” Damian said.
Vivien stared.
“Excuse me?”
“She stays.”
Hannah froze.
Vivien laughed bitterly.
“The maid?”
“Hannah.”
“What?”
“Her name is Hannah.”
Vivien's expression hardened.
“You've become sentimental.”
“Answer the question.”
Vivien looked at the wheelchair.
“I think we should postpone.”
“Postpone?”
“Indefinitely.”
Damian nodded.
“Give me the ring.”
Vivien's eyes widened.
“What?”
“The ring.”
“That diamond belongs to me.”
“It belonged to my grandmother.”
“You gave it to me.”
“And you're canceling the marriage.”
Her face flushed.
Hannah quietly moved toward the door.
Damian spoke without looking at her.
“Stay.”
Vivien pulled the ring from her finger and threw it onto his lap.
“There.”
Damian picked it up.
“Thank you.”
“You know what your problem is?”
“I imagine you're about to tell me.”
“You still think you're the man you were before the crash.”
Damian looked directly at her.
“And you think I'm not.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“That man frightened people.”
Damian's voice dropped.
“Vivien, you should consider the possibility that he still does.”
For the first time, she hesitated.
Then she left.
Hannah remained silent.
Damian held up the ring.
“My grandmother hated her.”
“Your grandmother sounds perceptive.”
“She died twelve years ago.”
“Still perceptive.”
Damian laughed.
Then his expression changed.
“Hannah.”
“Yes?”
“Tomorrow night, take the evening off.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm telling you to.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Something's happening.”
“Go home.”
“What about you?”
“I'll manage.”
“You can't even—”
She stopped herself.
Damian watched her.
“Can't even what?”
“Nothing.”
“Hannah.”
She sighed.
“You can't get out of that chair without help.”
Damian looked down at his legs.
The lie suddenly felt uglier than before.
For weeks, she had cared for him because she believed he genuinely needed her.
Tomorrow the truth would come out.
And Damian realized something unsettling.
He wasn't worried about Vivien discovering the deception.
May you like
He was worried about Hannah.
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