Hannah sits on the stairs, looking at one point. She observes a painting that depicts the Dark Reaper standing in the background of a full moon. She would most gladly ask him to take her with him right now, as she is increasingly losing the will to live.
She would like to fall asleep and never wake up again, just to have the peace she craves.
— Before her death, your biological mother also loved to gaze at this image, dreaming of leaving this world as soon as possible.
The girl shifts her gaze to the man, only now realizing that he has been watching her for some time, leaning on the railing with his hand.
At first, a shudder runs through her, indicating her fear caused by the unexpected appearance of Joseph's father in the house.
— I know that the hatred for me is caused by your wife, but I would appreciate it if you would stop messing with your son's head.
The man twists his mouth in an arrogant smile.
— What a lack of culture...
— Do you think I will bow down to someone who hates me?
With his hands tucked in the pockets of his elegant pants, he faces her, measuring her with a cool gaze.
— Mental illness is genetic. I'm trying to save my son from you, to talk some sense into him before it's too late. It seems to me that he does not want to go through the same thing as when he was a child.
Hannah looks hard into his eyes, even though her heart rises to her throat.
— You hate me more than your late wife because I am the fruit of her affair. My birth led to the tragedy.
— It's good that we understand each other.
— Rather, we don't understand each other because I'm not going to give up Joseph.
Brutally he grabs her hand and pulls her close, his eyes look as if they are burning with living fire.
— I don't know what awful fate made my son meet exactly you, but for your own good, stay away from him, do you understand?
His embrace causes her great pain.
— I don't believe you are doing this because of fatherly love.
— Joseph is my only son, the only person closes to me, so I won't allow you to destroy his life, as your biological mother did — he speaks to her roughly, not trying to be gentle.
— Father! — Joseph's firm shout, makes the man let go of her hand and improve his tie. The boy runs up the stairs and stands next to Hannah. — What are you doing! What right do you have to touch her?
— Don't hold it against him, Joseph. Your father simply mistook me for your mother. If he treated her this way, I'm not at all surprised that she found a lover.
The man raises his hand, but Joseph shields Hannah, and it is he who takes the blow from his father.
— Don't even think about hurting her. We have come to an agreement, haven't we? — He lifts his gaze, looking at the man with a hateful look. — As befits a respectable man, just keep your word.
Hannah leans her head from over her boyfriend's shoulder, intending to fight for him at all costs, even though she is afraid of this unpredictable man.
— Joseph, you don't have to distance yourself from me to keep me safe this way. I will not give up so easily when it comes to you. I will not be as weak as your mother, and I will not lose to him.
The boy turns to face her, clearly surprised by her courage.
She acts as if she is not herself.
What is she doing when his father can remove her at the snap of a finger? After all, she knows very well how influential he is, what connections he has....
— Are you crazy? — he turns to her in a whisper, looking into her eyes.
— I like bugs that pounce and bite, even though they know that in a moment I will trample them. But I don't like it when these bugs bite too hard and cling to the people I care about the most — the man speaks in a soft voice, wagging his finger at his men. — Take care of this child. Make her realize that she should forget about my son.
The bald man grabs Hannah with one hand and lifts her up like a doll. Before Joseph can react, the others overpower him, and although he tries to fight back, he is without a chance.
— Jimmy, fuck! — he screams, before they throw him into a room and lock him in. They hand him to the homeowner, being devoted to him like dogs.
— You're doing the same thing you used to do! You are treating your son the same way you treated your wife! You are sick! This is how you kill him! — Hannah throws herself into the arms of the bald man, feeling like tearing Joseph's father apart. — You are a sick man! It wasn't your wife who had a problem, it was you!
There is so much energy in her like never before.
— What the ... — Jimmy, who comes out of the kitchen eating treats, stands next to the housekeeper. — Aggressive Hannah?
The woman snatches the food from his hand and looks at him with concerned eyes.
— Go after them, Jimmy. They can hurt Hannah, you can't let that happen. Joseph will surely be grateful to you.
— For bringing her here? He will definitely kill me.
The blond man runs out the back door from the kitchen and pulls out his cell phone from his pants pocket. He has no choice but to call the guys.
He won't do much in this situation himself.
*
She gets the impression that her whole life flies before her eyes when a bald man grabs her arm and forcibly pulls her out of the car.
She falls to the ground, afraid to lift her head. She is sure that in a moment they will deprive her of her life, since Joseph's father is a cruel and ruthless man.
Why did they transport her to a desolate place just after dark, if not to kill her?
— You have been struggling with mental illness since you were sixteen, you have a relapse, you don't remember when or how you got here. There will be witnesses who will confirm your strange behavior. Some will even conclude that you are a danger to the environment. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up in a psychiatric hospital?
The brunette is horrified when the man gives her the phone back.
— What are you talking about?
— Don't try to fight Mr. Scott. He's got your back. Forget about his son. Stay away from him if you want to lead a normal life. This is your only chance. Find your way home and take this time to think things through.
— Do you think I'm trash? My mother also has money and connections.
Baldy bursts into laughter.
— Go ahead, try it, kid. See what level your mother is on and whether she can compete with someone as high-powered as a family named Scott.
He gets into his car and drives off, accompanied by his co-workers, leaving the girl to fend for herself.
Hannah looks around her, massaging her shoulders, as she is without a jacket, without shoes, and the wind is so penetrating that she has no doubt she will freeze to death before anyone arrives to pick her up.
She is about to dial the number of one of the guys, but the car lights blind her. She can't see who's coming outside, so she feels apprehensive at first.
— Excuse me. — With wide-open eyes she looks at Jimmy, who takes off his jacket and puts it over her shoulders. — I didn't know Joseph's father hates you so much.
— What are you doing here?
— I was following them. I even called for help if they intended to do you harm.
The girl watches the oncoming cars.
— You didn't call the police, you called them!
— By the time the police would have reached you, you would be dead. — Jimmy shrugs his shoulders. — I think your whacked-out sister would have done a quicker job with them.
Hannah crinkles her eyebrows as she notices the redhead walking towards them with a baseball bat in hand.
— What is she doing here?
— Old love never rusts, so I think she accompanied Jin when he got an important phone call.
The brunette lifts the corners of her mouth upward, although she is still shaken from the inside.
— Tom, you also wanted to defend me?
The boy makes funny movements that resemble martial arts to some extent.
— Who, if not me, should protect his would-be wife?
Tom walks up to her and hugs her tightly.
— Don't think to yourself that Joseph acted this way because of Solar. He tried to spurn you to keep you safe. It was all about his father from the beginning.
— What are you talking about, Tom?
He lifts his face and looks at the boy with confused eyes.
— This may not be the right time, but I want to tell you the truth regarding Solar's death. If only you are ready... — Jin doesn't finish his sentence because Hannah gets into his words.
— I'm fine. I am all right. I'm only worried about Joseph, who is just staying under the same roof with a psychopath. — She wipes the tears from her cheeks, trying to play hard, although everyone can see that she still hasn't recovered.
— Joseph is strong. He will be fine. He is the last man his father would harm.
— Right now, it's his father who should be worried. Please keep in mind how Joseph recoiled from Solar's death. It will be bad if he doesn't cope this time too.
— What do you have in mind?
— Internal warfare.
*
Joseph sits on the bed, absent-mindedly looking at one point. His thoughts are in total chaos. He can't put them in order, in the process harming himself.
He hates his father so much that there are times when he feels like killing him. He tries to obey him for the sake of his power and the future he has already secured, being the sole heir to the Scott family, yet he would like to get away from it all.
He realizes, however, that his father will never allow it, if only by force, as he is now trying to do to push Hannah away from him at all costs.
"She's fine. Don't worry. I'm just taking her home."
The boy puts the phone down and closes his eyelids, trying to control his anger. Everything inside him bubbles up when he thinks about the fact that Hannah could get hurt because of him.
He would never forgive himself for that.
— You will not blackmail me, father. I will not let her go — he says quietly, watching the hanging devil on the rod. — No one will manipulate me! I've had enough of this! — He grabs his cell phone and angrily throws it against the wall to vent his anger. — I've been too gentle lately.... It's time to change that.
He gets up from the bed and walks over to the cabinet where he keeps the paint. He takes the cardboard box in his hand, glancing at the black shade with shining eyes.
— It's time for the old Joseph Scott to return.