The girl massages her forehead, regretting that she brought herself to such a state last night. Perhaps getting drunk with alcohol helps to forget the problems for a few hours, but they come back and with a headache.
Hannah realizes that this day will be a torment for her, especially as Jin, whom she remembers well, she met in an inebriated state on the street, lies down next to her.
He will torment her until she tells him the whole truth. Hannah must prepare herself for the fact that the boy won't leave until she explains to him what was the main reason for her breakup with Joseph.
Although she hurt his friend, Jin took care of her by not letting Taylor drive her to her apartment. This speaks well of him because he doesn't take one person's side until he knows both versions.
— For a while, it felt like we were in college again. You often fell asleep in our room. — The boy lifts his eyelids. She smiles as memories of that time come back to her. Jin rests his cheek on his hands, not taking his eyes off her. — College was a time when we were all reasonably happy.
Hannah nods in agreement.
— It's true. We took a breather after the events of high school, and now we're going through it again. It is even worse, perhaps because we are adults?
— No, Hannah. It seems to me that it all came back because neither of us has yet grown up to start a new stage in life. We don't know how to deal with our problems, and thus we bring suffering upon ourselves.
— I guess you're right — she says in a low voice, feeling tears coming to her eyes as she thinks about her situation. — I haven't matured enough to fight Joseph's father yet. I don't have the courage and ideas in me to help me destroy this man.
— In the same way, I haven't grown up to take care of the company. All this responsibility after my father's death fell on me so suddenly that sometimes I have days when I feel tired. I get overwhelmed in the mornings when I have to get up, worrying about whether everything will go according to plan. Danielle's mother is just waiting for one mistake on my part to take away all my father's achievements. I have to be careful, I can't lose something that he has worked for many years. It would break my heart, that's why I keep fighting. I'm not giving up.
The brunette sheds a tear that soaks into the pillow.
— That's why I had no choice, Jin. I chose my mother's company, tried to save it when Mr. Scott unexpectedly attacked my family. I broke up with Joseph to protect something she had worked for many years. I couldn't have done otherwise, even though it still rips my heart out when I think of your friend.
— I knew this was not about any betrayal. Joseph also realizes this. Who is supposed to know you better than him, Hannah? — Her eyes become much bigger with surprise. — It hurts him that you don't trust him. You didn't tell him the truth, trying to push some bullshit. You didn't open up to him to remedy the problem together. The worst thing for him, however, were the words you shouted in his face. You declared that he is just like his father, that he can't make you happy.
She realizes from the beginning how despicably she treated the boy she loves. She overstepped the moment she uttered such painful words.
— It was the only option to make him hate me. We can't be together as long as his father is alive.
— You are mistaken, Hannah. He sees that you are weak and manipulates you. Show him that you are tough and will fight for Joseph. His wife surrendered in this fight, he wallowed in victory, thinking he was indestructible.
— I won't be able to do it. I don't have that much courage in me.
— Maybe you don't, but there is someone who can fight him, so don't give up on this love so quickly. Who is to defeat Lucifer if not his son?
*
Danielle stops the car with a squeal of tires when a black Mercedes pulls in front of her hood. Johnny gets out of the passenger seat, however, more shocking to her is that behind the wheel is the man who last night threatened to take revenge on her for the past.
Why are they together?
The boy opens the car door and forcibly leads her outside.
— What's wrong with you imbeciles? You are breaking the rules.
— You are the last person to obey the rules, so shut up, redhead — Johnny replies to her, not intending to let go of her hand.
— What do you want?
— Your body.
— I've grown out of it. I don't mess around with hoodlums. — The man smiles at these words.
— I wouldn't touch you with a stick, which — interjects Johnny.
Danielle snorts under her breath.
— It's understandable, since you have a taste for ugly girls. Solar looked like half an ass from behind a bush.
— You look like a whole ass. Get in. — Johnny intends to push her into the black Mercedes, but the redhead delivers such a blow to him that the boy feels frazzled for a moment.
— How much did he pay you to work with him?
— Get in, Danielle. This way, you can save your boy — says the man, looking at the brunette's bleeding nose. — This is your only chance if you obey me now.
— You're out of luck because you know very well that I don't like to be obeyed. Just try to touch Jin with your finger, and I'll break both your hands, you bastard.
They both have to admit that Danielle looks cool as she turns her back on them and savagely walks back to her car. She sits behind the wheel and, sending them a hostile look, sticks out her middle finger.
He turns on the latest Miley Cyrus song at full volume.
— I still love it — the man admits with a smile on his face, watching as the girl backs out of the car and drives off in the opposite direction.
— What are you going to do now? Since she and her boyfriend mainly contributed to Solar's death, I also want to take revenge on them, but in a legal way.
— Since she is disobedient, who knows what will suddenly come to my mind.... — Johnny crinkles his eyebrows, wondering what the man means. — You hate them, and since I paid you a pretty good sum, you'll cut me out and get your hands dirty.
— What are you talking about? It wasn't agreed upon. It was supposed to be legal. I told you that I will definitely not go back to prison.
— Now you have the least to talk about. You will do what I tell you to do, is that clear? — His sultry smile betrays that he intends to use Johnny for the worst job. — Remember that money is power. Since you killed once, doing it again won't be a problem for you.
Revenge can be sweet, but it backfires bitterly, and Johnny will feel it on his skin.
*
Jin throws groceries into the basket, wanting to prepare Hannah the best meal possible, as long as she recovers. She has lost so much weight over the past few days that she is half herself. She looks unhealthy.
— Do you think I will eat all this? — Hannah is horrified at the sight of a full basket, especially since he is only going to prepare dinner. — I'm not a cow.
— You are small, so you need to eat a lot to grow.
The girl can't remember the last time she laughed, but his words make her twist her lips in a slight smile.
— I think at this age it won't work. You should have taken care of me when I was sixteen.
The boy throws her a packet of strawberry candy.
— Today we kill all sorrows and munch on sweets until we swell up?
Hannah shrugs her shoulders.
— And what's left for me? Now I don't need to look pretty anyway. I have no one to look for.
He walks up to her and puts his arm around her. To others, they look like a couple, no one realizes that they are long-time friends who have managed to go through quite a lot in life.
— And will you wear the prettiest dress when I prepare a romantic dinner for us to improve our mood?
— Are you hitting on me?
— Let's just say that at least on this day I want to become someone special for you.
*
Hannah watches her friend prepare a table, filling it with delicious dishes. Jin has a hidden talent, he is wonderful when it comes to cooking. He has a vein for it, and it's a shame that he's wasting it by hiding from the world.
Currently, everyone should see how great these dishes look. And they probably taste just as good.
It's sixteen o'clock, and at this time of year it's already getting dark outside. Jin is trying to create an atmosphere, so he turns off the lights and lights the candles he sets in the center of the table.
— I will seriously think that you are trying to seduce me.
— Just wait until you try my dishes. You'll be lost.
He sits down across from her and is about to take the cutlery in his hand when he unexpectedly glances at his watch. He wrinkles his eyebrows, looking as if he has just remembered something.
— Is something wrong?
— Damn, give me a moment. I'll be right back. Just don't start without me — he says hurriedly. He grabs his jacket and runs out of the house, leaving her completely confused.
— What about him? — mutters Hannah under her breath.
She leans with her back against a chair and sighs deeply, intending to wait until he returns. She hopes that any minute he will come back before everything cools down. She's getting hungry as hell from the smells.
— I'm jealous. I've always dreamed of such a dinner with Jin. You must be mega happy. — The brunette watches Solar, who looks at the exquisite dishes with dreamy eyes. — Lend me your body for a while so that I can spend the evening with him.
— Excuse me? No way. And don't even try any tricks to possess me. You have used me enough times.
Minutes pass, and Hannah gains more and more appetite. She already feels like stealing the fish from her plate when the door unexpectedly opens, so she puts it back so as not to come off as a glutton.
— Where have you been?
He turns around and freezes when he spots Joseph.
Solar claps her hands, clearly excited by his appearance. She probably admires Jin for the plan he came up with to reconcile them.
— Hi — he says uncertainly as he pulls off his jacket and puts it on a hanger. — Jin told me to come here after he sent me the recording of your conversation.
Hannah opens her eyes wide, feeling like killing her sneaky friend. If she only gets her hands on him, she will undoubtedly regret the fact that he secretly recorded her.
What a sultry crook!
— What's on that recording?
— The truth you couldn't tell me.
The brunette swallows her saliva and walks closer to him, feeling a terrible pain in her left breast.
— Despite everything, I hurt you by trying to save my mother.
— I should say that you did the right thing, but we would have done without this misunderstanding and the pain you caused us both. Why didn't you confess the truth to me right away? Do you really not trust me? Do you think I wouldn't be able to help your mother? I am ready to fight my father to the point of bloodshed. I hate him as much as you do, or even more.
— He is your father, Joseph.
— In name only. He has no meaning for me.
The girl recalls her dad, who has no contact with her, as he is happy with his new family. They may not have blood ties, yet he raised her. Does she really not matter to him anymore?
— I know what you mean. I feel the same way about my father.
— Hannah, it is painful for me that you are still afraid to fully trust me. We've known each other for so many years, and yet you can't completely open up to me. You think that I am the same as my father, that you are facing an unhappy life with me.
— I never meant that, Joseph — she interjects hastily, but he doesn't listen to her.
— What we had in common was beautiful, but love alone is not enough when trust is lacking. — These words make her heart break. With her eyes broken, she watches his face in the semi-darkness, fearing that this is where the end of their relationship will come. — I won't love anyone again as much as I love you. I can't take it any longer if you don't prove that you trust me one hundred percent, that you're willing to do anything to save our relationship. I no longer have the strength to fight for it myself. — He looks at the table and forces a slight smile. — Jin tried. He probably had a different picture of our meeting.
— Will you fight with your father? — She asks in a brittle voice, feeling that any moment she will burst into tears. She strenuously chokes back tears.
— It's time he paid for his sins. For taking my mother away from me.
His gaze is so sad when he looks into her eyes for a long moment that the girl feels like hugging him tightly. She realizes that she is the main reason for his suffering soul.
Joseph grabs his jacket from the coat rack and heads for the door, but Hannah's words stop him in mid-step.
— Is... is this the end? — she asks in a whisper.
With his back turned to her, he grabs the doorknob, then answers in a voice full of sadness:
— I think so.