"Until we meet again, my love," Ivan said, his tone filled with a wicked allure.
As soon as Ivan unlocked the door, Hannah took it as a signal that he had allowed her to leave and didn't dare to waste any time.
Without delay, Hannah jumped out of the car and ran to the gates of the Salvador estate, her heart still racing with a mixture of fear and terror.
"Really adorable," Ivan thought to himself as he watched Hannah's hurried departure with a bemused smirk, his eyes following her figure as she made her way towards the gates of the Salvador estate.
He knew, based on her reaction, that he had left an indelible memory on her, one that would linger in her mind long after their encounter.
In a panic, Hannah hurriedly tapped on the ring doorbell on the gate of the Salvador estate as soon as she reached it.
Her frantic ringing of the doorbell shook the silent night air and startled the two guards who were sleeping in the guardhouse.
"Please. Please. Please, come quickly," she prayed while constantly glancing back at Ivan's car, her heart pounding in her chest as her fear of his unpredictable nature was still fresh in her mind.
As the seconds ticked by, Hannah's anxiety grew even more as her eyes kept darting between the gates of her home and the car.
"What?! What?! What?! Which person is so rude to—!" the guard yelled over the intercom, thinking that she might have been a servant or something since none of the house masters had ever rang the doorbell before.
However, before he could finish yelling at her, Hannah's terrified voice cut him off.
"It's me! Hannah! Let me in!" she cried in a panic.
The guard was immediately taken aback upon hearing the name of their eldest young lady, and his irritated look instantly turned into a surprised expression.
However, the guard remained cautious and didn't immediately open the gates. Instead, he turned to look at the monitor of the security camera at the gate and zoomed in on her face.
Upon closer inspection of her face on the monitor, the guards immediately recognized the person standing outside and realized that it was their eldest young miss.
The guards were immediately alarmed when they saw how nervous she was, and they hurried to open the gates.
Hannah ran through the gates as soon as it opened. She couldn't shake off the feeling that Ivan might change his mind and that he might suddenly drag her back again.
However, when she looked back, she saw that Ivan's car was no longer there.
It seems that he left as soon as the gates opened.
"Señorita! What happened?" the guard who ran out to meet her asked. The other guard, on the other hand, called the mansion's landline to report what happened.
★★★★★
*Kriiingg~ Kriiingg~ Krii*
On the second ring of the phone, Arthur immediately picked it up.
"Good evening, this is Arthur speaking. How may I help you?"
His voice was calm and collected, reflecting his years of experience in handling any situation that arose within the mansion.
"Butler! The eldest miss has returned," the guard excitedly announced.
His words made Arthur's eyes widen a bit as a sense of relief immediately washed over the old butler.
"That's good. A car will be sent to pick her up. Please make sure to keep the señorita warm and safe," Arthur said, trying to keep his voice calm and collected despite the huge relief he felt upon receiving the news.
As soon as the call was dropped, Arthur hurriedly sent Benjamin to fetch the eldest lady out of the guard house.
★★★★★
Hannah, on the other hand, was led to the guardhouse by the other guard, where they waited for the arrival of the car sent by the butler.
"Please sit here for a while, señorita," the guard said, guiding her to one of the seats there, where she sat silently.
Hannah sat there for a while. She couldn't stop her hands from trembling as she clutched the clean jacket that the guards had given her tighter around her body.
The warmth enveloped her, offering some comfort amidst her anxious state.
The two guards had no idea what to say to comfort her, but thankfully, the car sent by Arthur arrived soon.
"Señorita!" As soon as he stepped out of the car, Benjamin ran towards Hannah at full speed, his face displaying a mixture of worry and concern.
He walked into the guardhouse with large steps while trying to calm himself. However, when he saw Hannah's trembling figure, his heart immediately sank, and his eyes welled up with tears.
"Señorita," Benjamin gently called her, his voice filled with genuine concern.
He quickly swallowed to steady his quivering voice before he continued.
"Are you alright? What happened?" he asked. However, Hannah didn't give him any answer, still stuck in her anxious state.
Gently, he reached out to touch her arm, hoping that his touch would be comforting and reassuring enough to calm her. Benjamin wanted nothing more than to alleviate her fears and provide solace in any way he could.
"Señorita" Benjamin softly called out to her once again, bringing her back to reality.
Hannah looked at Benjamin this time, the look in her eyes still filled with fear and uncertainty.
She took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself before she spoke.
"Benjamin," she began, her voice trembling.
"H-home. I want to go home, Benjamin," she added, her strong facade breaking down a bit.
The tears that she was trying so hard to hold back fell from her eyes, and Benjamin felt like his heart had been struck by a rock.
"Yes, señorita. I'll take you home," Benjamin said, forcing himself to smile to give comfort to Hannah as he stretched his hand towards her.
Hannah stared at him for a while, her trust in Benjamin evident in her eyes. Then slowly, she took his outstretched hand, finding solace in his strength and support.
Benjamin supported Hannah as she tremblingly stood up from her seat.
They then made their way towards the car, and once they got there, Benjamin immediately opened the door for Hannah. As soon as she got in the back seat, he ran to the driver's seat and started driving back to the mansion.
During the entire ride, Hannah was silent like she always was. Usually, Benjamin would let it be, but this time, he couldn't help but keep looking at her through the rearview mirror.
Benjamin is one of the people who has watched over Hannah ever since she was very young, and witnessing her distress struck him deeply as if someone were stabbing him in the heart.
However, he couldn't do anything but hold onto the hope that his señorita would be strong enough and be fine.
Soon, the car came to a stop in front of the grand staircase that leads to the mansion's entrance. However, after a few seconds, Benjamin noticed that Hannah remained in a daze, worrying him even more.
"We arrived, señorita," he said. His voice seemed to snap Hannah out of her thoughts, and immediately, she stepped out of the car.
With slow, steady steps, Hannah walked up the stairs toward the mansion's entrance, and as soon as she got in, her eyes met Arthur's worried gaze.
He is standing at the entrance of the mansion, clearly waiting for her arrival. The old butler's face displayed a mix of concern and relief, his years of service evident in the lines etched upon his features.
"Welcome back, señorita Hannah," Arthur greeted her politely along with the servants standing behind him.
"Are you alright, señorita?" he immediately asked with genuine care and concern when he saw Hannah's tired expression. However, he didn't dare ask her what happened, fearing that it would only stress her out even more.
One can only imagine how worried he was earlier when Sheldon called the mansion and asked where Hannah was.
He even considered calling the police earlier when he found out that Hannah had taken a taxi, added to the fact that he was unable to get in touch with Hannah, but he opted against it since he worried that she might have simply left for a party.
Seeing how worried he was, Hannah offered a faint smile to Arthur, appreciating his genuine concern.
"Thank you, Arthur," Hannah replied, her voice weak yet filled with gratitude.
"I apologize for causing you to worry. Something... unexpected happened"
Arthur's eyes softened when Hannah apologized, his concern evident in his gaze. He stepped forward, extending a comforting hand toward Hannah.
"No need for apologies, señorita," Arthur said, his voice warm and reassuring.
"Your well-being is our utmost priority. Please let us attend to you and ensure that you are safe and comfortable" Hearing his words, Hannah hesitated for a while, her conflicted emotions swirling within her.
She felt torn between wanting someone to accompany her to ease the fear that she was feeling, but at the same time, she also wanted to be alone and have time to think back on everything that happened.
With a forced smile, Hannah turned to Arthur, her voice steady yet tinged with vulnerability.
"Thank you, Arthur," she repeated, her words laced with gratitude.
"I think I'll take some time alone, but I appreciate your concern and support."
Arthur's expression softened even more as he observed Hannah's hesitation. He understood her need for solitude and respected her wishes.
"Of course, señorita," he replied, his voice gentle yet understanding.
"If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call upon us. We are here to support you in any way we can."
Without saying anything else, Hannah climbed the stairs towards her room, trying to act as normal as she could, even though the weight of everything that happened to her that day was weighing on her shoulders.
Arthur observed her the entire time, and Hannah knew it, so she tried to hold back her emotions as much as she could, not wanting to worry the old butler.
However, Hannah's mask immediately fell as soon as she entered her room and closed the door behind her, enveloping herself in the privacy she sought.
Almost immediately, her knees went weak, and she slid down the floor with her back on the door.
She's feeling the toll of everything that happened to her, both physically and emotionally, leaving her drained and weary to the point that she doesn't even have the energy to go to bed.
As she sat there, her back pressed against the door, a sense of vulnerability washed over her. The strong facade that she had built to protect herself seemed to crumble, leaving her exposed and raw.
It was in these quiet moments, away from prying eyes, that Hannah allowed herself to acknowledge the fear that lurked beneath her strong facade.
Hot tears fell from her eyes one after the other as she brought her knees to her chest, curling to herself. She hugged her knees and buried her face in them, trying to keep as quiet as she could.
***🦋***
Author's Note
What do you guys think? If you were in Hannah's position, what would you do? Are you curious about the next events that will happen? Then keep reading the next chapters and find out. I swear, it will be fun! Happy reading, sweetie!