Hannah stepped out of the car and took in the magnificent exterior of the restaurant, with its tall pillars reminiscent of Greek architecture. As she walked inside, the opulent interior matched the grandeur outside.
A red carpet with gold trim lined the corridor, and the white walls were adorned with golden accents. The tables were spaced apart, and the chairs had red velvet cushions with intricate carvings. It felt like a royal dinner setting.
The gala dinner had about 30 guests, including colleagues and other invitees. Hannah felt uneasy, but she forced herself to attend the dinner with Alden. They sat at the central table with representatives from Giantic and some other directors who had already arrived. Alden glanced at the two empty chairs at their table but said nothing.
While making small talk, they waited for the other guests to arrive and for the event to begin. Then, Hannah saw two people walking in, a man in a black suit and a woman in a sexy red dress. All eyes turned towards them.
It was Kenneth and Sarah Young.
Seeing Hannah, Sarah momentarily froze, especially when she noticed Alden. However, she quickly masked her surprise with a charming smile.
“Mr. Harrison, this is Mr. Kenneth Young and his sister, Sarah Young,” the Giantic representative introduced them.
Alden nodded diplomatically. “Nice to meet you.”
“This is Mr. Harrison, the current owner of Goldtime, and his wife, Hannah Harrison.”
Sarah was silent for a few seconds, seemingly in disbelief at what she heard. But then she sat down, her eyes sparkling.
“We met earlier at the salon. I didn’t know she was your wife, Alden,” Sarah said casually.
Hannah forced a smile. “What a coincidence, right?”
The Giantic representative seemed puzzled by Sarah’s familiarity with Alden and Hannah, unaware of the rumors.
“Alden and I were close friends, but we lost touch when I had to go abroad,” Sarah explained with a light laugh.
Meanwhile, Kenneth only gave Alden and Hannah a cold stare.
…
Once the official part of the event ended, Alden stood up and extended his hand to Hannah.
“Shall we go home now?” Alden asked quietly.
“You can walk?” Sarah’s voice was genuinely shocked this time.
Alden smiled slightly, holding Hannah’s hand tightly. “Yes, I’m lucky that thanks to Hannah, I can walk again.”
Sarah looked flustered. “Well, that’s great.”
“We’ll take our leave now. Good night, everyone,” Alden said.
Hannah linked her arm with Alden’s and walked towards the restaurant’s exit. She felt utterly insecure, especially after seeing Sarah. During the dinner, everyone seemed captivated by Sarah, as if she were the star. Hannah felt ashamed for not looking as glamorous as Alden’s ex.
“Hey, are you okay, Hannah?” Alden asked, noticing her silence.
“Yes, I’m just a bit tired, that’s all,” Hannah lied.
“We’ll rest as soon as we get home, okay?”
They stepped outside and waited on the restaurant’s porch for the valet to bring their car. Suddenly, the restaurant door behind them opened, and Sarah rushed out, slightly out of breath.
“Thank goodness, I thought you had already left,” Sarah said.
Alden turned, his face expressionless.
“I’m glad you’re well again.” Sarah looked intently at Alden, barely acknowledging Hannah standing beside him. “This is wonderful news for me.”
“Thanks,” Alden replied coldly.
Sarah shifted her attention to Hannah. “Thank you for helping Alden walk again. Well, good night.”
Then Sarah went back inside, leaving Hannah with a flood of unanswered questions.
Hannah felt like a nurse who had helped Alden recover, while Sarah was the one to reap the benefits once he was well. Whether it was just Hannah’s imagination or her sensitivity that night, she couldn’t tell.
…
Back home, Hannah couldn’t shake the image of Sarah from her mind.
“Are you serious? Are you really okay?” Alden asked, hugging Hannah from behind and gently kissing her neck.
“Is it obvious?”
Alden paused. “Are you shocked because Sarah came back to Summerhill?”
“If I said no, I’d be lying.”
Sarah was far more beautiful than the photos circulating in the media. Even more captivating in person.
So what was Hannah compared to a woman whose beauty was model-like?
Moreover, Sarah came from a wealthy family, the daughter of a billionaire. Hannah’s world seemed to crumble instantly.
“Oh, dear…” Alden sighed softly. He looked at Hannah’s reflection in the vanity mirror. “Are you afraid I’ll go back to her?”
“If you want to reconcile with Sarah, go ahead. Just handle our divorce papers quickly.”
“I’m asking you. Do you want me to go back to Sarah? I’ll do whatever you want now. My opinion doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Shut up, Alden.”
Hannah gently pushed Alden away and broke free from his embrace.
“Are you jealous?” Alden chuckled softly.
“I’m going to shower and sleep.”
Of course, Hannah was upset, jealous, and filled with a mix of emotions. How could she know what Alden felt when he saw his radiant ex-girlfriend again?
Hannah entered the bathroom and struggled to unzip her dress from the back. Warm fingers suddenly helped her with the zipper. She glanced back and saw Alden had followed her.
“Thank you,” Hannah whispered.
Without warning, Alden removed his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. Hannah was startled and took a step back.
“What are you doing?” Hannah asked.
“Showering. With you.”
“No!” Hannah protested, annoyed.
But Alden pretended not to hear, pushing Hannah into the shower and covering her with kisses and nibbles on her neck and shoulders.
“Get out, I don’t want to shower with you,” Hannah grumbled.
“I love seeing you angry like this. It’s adorable!”
“Stop, Alden!”
Alden laughed softly. “The more you resist, the more I’ll devour you all night…”