Hannah looks with sorrow in her eyes at her mother, who sits beside her with her head lowered, pondering a solution that would allow her to keep her shareholders. The company is doing worse and worse every day, making losses, and she can't fight anymore.
She doesn't have the strength.
— I don't understand. For so many years we had no problems, we had control over everything, until suddenly everything started to fall apart. — The woman is broken. — Someone is trying to harm us.... but who? I am a person who has no enemies.
The girl closes her eyelids, trying to stop the tears coming to her eyes. She would like to tell her mother the truth, confess to her that Joseph's father is behind everything, but she would rather not depress her even more.
After all, he has the power and connections to make it easier for him. This man is cruel and ruthless, nothing will stop him, even if Hannah falls to her knees before him and starts begging for mercy.
— Mom, don't cry, please. I don't like to see your tears — she says in a stifled voice, feeling sorry for herself because she is the one who unnecessarily provoked Mr. Scott.
Something that her mother had been building for so many years could now collapse quickly. And because of her.
— Honey, how can I not cry when I am already powerless?
Hannah wants to make her happy in some way, to do something to get her out of this hole, but she realizes that the only solution is to beg Joseph's father for another chance. She would have to give up her pride and ask him to stop all this.
— I will help you because I know how much importance this company has for you. I will do everything, just don't cry anymore, please.
She rests her head on her mother's shoulder, feeling a terrible pain in her chest as she thinks about the fact that breaking up with Joseph is the only solution that will save her family at this point.
Someone has to suffer in this sick game, but Hannah will never let it be her mother. She can't bring her into this.
*
It's late in the evening when Hannah shows up at Mr. Scott's office. She stops in front of his desk, nervously biting her lip. With her gaze, she follows his every move, noticing how arrogant his attitude is.
He's having a great time, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he realizes that she only showed up at his house to beg for mercy.
— Did you finally come to your senses, kid?
— You just knew how to initiate an attack. I lost at the start.
His lips stretched in a cheeky smile.
— You should have realized by now who you were dealing with. — The girl bites her tongue to avoid opening her mouth and saying a few words too many, which she will regret again. — For you, family is also the most important thing, so do you understand now why is trying to protect my son? I am thinking about his future, and with you, he will definitely not be happy. I want to avoid a repeat of the past.
— Do you think Joseph is happy at this point when you keep him protected? This is sick. I don't know myself anymore who really has mental problems, it seems to me that it is not me, but you who needs treatment.
He can't contain his venom. She feels like stinging this man to death, even though she initially planned to show him remorse.
She must restrain herself before she harms her mother even more.
— I have to keep this rebel locked up, I know his ploys.
— He is an adult, he is not a child, for God's sake. — Hannah feels tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she thinks about how badly she will hit him. She's even afraid of how he'll react, since he's decided to give up his family for her, and she'll stab him in the back. But what is he to do when this is the only solution? He can't bring his mother into this, he can't let her suffer either....
— I'm sure he will grow up the moment you leave him. A broken heart is the best opportunity to see through it.
Hannah can't believe that these words are actually coming out of her father's mouth. How can he claim that suffering will make his son stronger?
— Does the master really have fatherly affection for him? It seems to me that Joseph is just a puppet in your hands. Raised to be an heir who, for the sake of benefits, will marry the woman you choose for him.... Am I wrong?
The girl sees the anger in his eyes. She begins to bring him out of balance.
— Didn't you come here to beg me to save your mother's company? So far, you are making things worse — he warns her.
The brunette closes her eyelids. She takes a deep breath, trying to control her arrogant behavior.
— I'm sorry — she says quietly, though the words struggle to pass through her throat. — I will do everything you say, just please do not destroy my family.
His face immediately softens.
— So end your acquaintance with my son. Now — he says, with emphasis on the last word. — If you deceive me, then remember that I will destroy you and your mother. You will not get another chance again, I will have no mercy towards you.
Hannah tightens her lips and nods.
— I will make Joseph hate me. After today's meeting, he won't want to know me anymore. — She feels like gutting himself for what she says. — And in return, please leave my family alone.
The man nods and points to the door with his hand.
— So please, act, but do it with your head.
As Hannah closes the door behind her, she leans against it with her back, feeling the tension drain out of her. She feels like bursting out crying, but she has yet to stay strong to face her toughest battle yet, namely breaking the heart of the person she loves more than life.
*
— Hannah, what are you doing here? — His eyes exude happiness as he grabs her in his arms at the threshold of the door and embraces her tightly. — How is it possible for my father to let you in?
She can't even try to smile.
— He let me in when I told him that after this meeting you would definitely hate me.
— What — Joseph looks confused.
The girl strenuously restrains herself not to burst out crying. She is suffocating the pain she has to pour over the person she loves.
— I can't do this anymore, Joseph. — The boy crinkles his eyebrows, watching her face carefully. — I can no longer deceive you. I can't let you turn your back on your family, abandon your inheritance and the wonderful life that awaits you, not for me, not for a person who doesn't deserve it.
— Has something possessed you? — A smile appears on his face for a moment, he hopes Hannah is joking, that this is just a show in front of his father.
— You don't even know how stupid I am, how ashamed I am that you want to give up everything for me after what I did to you! — Her heart is pounding like a hammer, she feels more and more fear with every second. — Your father is right, I don't deserve you. With me, you will not be happy.
— What — his face tones up.
— Things haven't been going well between us lately, you've been hurting me. I was broken, it all started to overwhelm me, I drank too much, I betrayed you....
At first, he bursts out laughing, thinking it is a silly joke, but when he notices how big, scared her eyes are, his face gets serious.
— What did you do?
— Just remember how strangely I behaved towards you last time! — Hannah knows that taking advantage of this situation fits perfectly into the puzzle of lies she intends to instill in him. — I cheated on you with a random man, wanting to rub your nose in it, do you understand!!!?
The girl blanches as she notices the changes taking place on his face.
He's going to kill me, she thinks, with panicked eyes looking around the room. She knows that her only chance is to escape from this room.
She hurriedly grabs the handle and swings the door open, but Joseph slams it shut with his hand, placing his hand over her head. She is afraid to turn to face him, guessing how frightening she now looks.
— Take back those words, say it's just a lie to get free from me for my father's sake. — His voice is soft, and that doesn't bode well. He is always like this when a moment later the devil is about to ascend.
— This is not a lie. I just can no longer lie to you when I think about the fact that you are willing to give up everything for me.
He grabs her by the shoulders, turning her to face him. His grip is so strong that it causes her pain, but she doesn't tell him because she sees that he is a volcano of anger.
— Hannah, you are not the kind of person who could cheat on me with a random guy.
— Your mother wasn't like that either, and yet she did it. Why? Because your father couldn't make her happy, and you are the same! — she shouts in his face, and then he can't stand it and bangs his fist on the door with all his might.
His behavior disturbs the girl. She chokes back tears, watching the blood that runs down his fingers.
— Joseph... — she says in a stifled voice.
— Get out! — He yells, turning his back on her. — Get out and never show your face to me again!
As she walks out into the hallway, a moment later she hears him burst out crying alone. Her heart racing, she slides her back down the door with despair in her eyes looking at the smiling face of Mr. Scott, who is standing by the stairs.
— Are you happy now? — she whispers, feeling her body sag from all this.
— You're not bad. I underestimated you, kid. — He shakes his head, amused, as he walks down.
— I hope you get punished for this, monster. I wish you all the worst. You may even die in agony.