Aaron's POV I was very surprised to see my mother yelling and barking endlessly, like a dog. Is there anything wrong with Hanna? Why is she acting like they have both had an encounter before now, or is there anything I need to know from this act? My mother had never acted this way before, especially not in front of someone I cared about. This hostility was uncharacteristic and alarming. "Mom, you need to calm down and explain what’s going on here, Why are you acting this way? I brought my guest here for you to show her care and kindness, and here you are rendering insults to her. I would have taken her to my personal home, but I decided to introduce her, but you aren't showing even an atom of respect to her, mom; you have to behave yourself,” I said in anger. My mother's face twisted in anger,"Oh, you are now talking back at me because of this lowlife thing. I can see you are not in your rightful senses. I see you are having some difficulties up there in your head,” my mother
Hanna's POV The whole thing was so confusing, as they were both quarreling with each other. Really, I don't even know what to say or do to stop them, but I wasn't wanted in their home. Do I have to find a good way to leave them immediately? But how am I supposed to leave here? I don't even know where to go from here. I am exhausted, and I have no time for anything here, so I have to just stay and watch them until they leave. As his mother said the words that she wouldn't see us together, I looked at Aaron's face. He was frowning and sad. I think he is frustrated at this point in time because of his mother's stubbornness about me staying with him, but I really don't know why she dislikes me this way. I have no problem with her, so what are the reasons for her hatred towards me? I think I must find a way to have a chance to speak with her and question her about why she doesn't want to see me or have anything to do with me. Why is she so mean and bad to me? I must find the reason. An
Hanna's POV “You really have to settle down, okay? It has not gotten to the point of saying all these worthless words. I would explain everything to you. Whatever you need to know, I would make you understand. Just calm down to hear everything that I need to say to you,” Aaron said, pleadingly.“I guess you might have found this file in my business rooms, and what exactly took you to that secret and hiding room?” Aaron asked."Well, I saw the beautiful decorations that were used to beautify the room. I loved the decorations; that was what attracted me the most to go inside the room before I came across the file that you dropped carelessly in the ground. But that’s not the main reason. Okay, I am here to know everything. Okay, without any mistake, tell me what business you have with this company,” I said. He paused for a while and took a deep breath. I can see him trying to make the decision of telling me in his mind before he decided to start talking to me. "Well, I don't really h
MAUREEN'S POV“And really, what do you think you are doing? I hope you are still in your rightful senses, because I can't see the reason you would take yourself too low to be kneeling before this girl. You are already higher than this, which you are doing okay, so come out of it and stop behaving like a kid.” I said immediately. I saw Aaron kneeling before her.“Why are you here again? You sent us out of the family mansion, and now you are here for something I don't know, maybe to cause a problem,” Aaron said. “I can see that she has already gone deep into you to the extent that you are already blinded by her dirty and useless charms,” I said.“I really know that you're here to cause issues between us; really, you are becoming an obstacle. You have to mind your business, okay?” Aaron said. “Wow, I can see that the thing she planted on you is already growing bigger, and even me and your mom can't stop it,” I said. “I don't know what you mean, but you have to stop displaying unwanted
HANNA'S POVAs I heard their voices, but I didn't hear what they said clearly, I saw Aaron coming out from the corner where he had a discussion with his mother, and it was obvious that they had finished with their conversation. As Aaron came out, I was expecting to see his mother at his back. He immediately came back, but it took about a minute to see her come out. “You have to go into deep thought about what I just discussed with you, and your Hanna comes outside. I have something for you,” Maureen said. As soon as she said I should go outside, I had a mix of thoughts, like, What really does she want to give me, or is it a trip to get me? I just have to go outside and see for myself. So I followed her immediately as she reached the side where her driver had packed her car. "Okay, I want to have an appointment with you. Just come to a coffee shop. I would like to speak something with you. Well, this is my card. I may be there before you, but if not, just call. I really have somethi
Hannah’s POVI didn’t know what beef Aaron’s mom had with me because I had no business with her whatsoever. Why would she want to be a threat to our relationship?Ever since she called him apart because she wanted to talk to him, I knew something was off. I didn’t know how. I felt like knowing his mom was against us.She would be able to manipulate him to stay away from me. I feared that would happen because I loved Aaron so much. I knew he had already assured me that he was going to stay with me, but I couldn’t trust that for long.I couldn’t sleep all night as I just kept on thinking about the conversation I and Aaron had earlier on. I wasn’t doing too much because I knew I had every right to be worried.I didn’t want to lose him at this stage of my life, and I would do anything to make him stay. I didn’t care if I would have to convince his mom by any means so she’d know I meant nothing but good for her son.I woke up that morning feeling tired and pale, and I knew that was becaus
Hannah's POVWhile we were having breakfast, I could tell that Aaron knew something was up, but I was trying my best not to make it obvious by hiding anything from him. I hated hiding anything from him to begin with, but I needed to know more about what his mom was all about. If I came back and she didn't see anything meaningful, I was going to tell him everything.“Are you sure you're fine? You're not even eating.” He said he was staring directly into my eyes as I tried my best to avoid his gaze because it was making me nervous.“What do you mean I'm eating? I just don't have a lot of appetite.” I lied calmly.He was quiet for a while, and he kept staring at me, making me wonder if he knew already or something.“Since you are saying you're okay, I guess I'm the one overreacting.” “It's fine; I just don't feel too good.”“Then don't go anywhere. If you feel that you need some rest, you can meet your friend some other time.”On the one hand, it felt like a warning that I wasn't even
Hanna's POV I faced her squarely, waiting for a reply, there was no way she was expecting me to just comply with her wishes without an explanation. There was no way I was leaving the restaurant without an explanation. "Why I want you to leave my son?" She said, throwing the question back with her eyebrow raised in disgust "Yes." I said, "you seem bent on driving a wedge between your son and me, you should at least have some explanation." "I don't have to explain myself to you." She said and crossed her hands defensively, leaning back into her chair. Nice, I wasn't getting anywhere with this conversation. I rolled my eyes, obvious enough for her to notice and read my expression. I didn't come all the way here for some tug of war session with her. "Are you always this rude?" She said, her tone dripping with the dislike she had for me, an emotion that had no valid roots, after all I had done nothing to offend the woman. "Rude?" I said sarcastically, still managing to keep mys
Aaron’s POVThe low hum of the city filtered in through the windows as I sat in my office, staring at the paperwork spread out in front of me. The numbers blurred together, and I realized, for the first time in a long while, I was finding it impossible to concentrate.I leaned back in my chair, running a hand over my face. I’d been doing everything I could to keep things running smoothly at Spears Real Estate, especially after the chaos of Hanna’s kidnapping and the media storm that followed. But no matter how hard I tried to keep my head in the game, my thoughts always drifted back to her.Hanna.She’d been staying at my place ever since the hospital released her, and though she was physically healing, I could tell she was still struggling emotionally. The trauma from what Michael put her through was something that wasn’t going to fade overnight. But that wasn’t the only thing on her mind. I knew she was trying to figure out where she fit in my life—if she even had a place there. And
Hanna’s POVI had thought that once I was back on my feet, things would start feeling normal again. But standing here in Aaron’s penthouse, watching the city lights blink outside the window, it was clear that "normal" was nowhere in sight. Not after everything that happened with Michael.It had been a few weeks since I’d been released from the hospital, and while my body was healing, my mind was far from it. I still woke up in the middle of the night, heart pounding in my chest, haunted by the sound of Michael’s voice and the feel of cold steel against my skin. But even worse were the thoughts that followed—thoughts about Aaron, about what we’d become after all of this.Aaron had been nothing but supportive, always there when I needed him. He had gone from cold and distant to someone I could rely on, someone who made me feel safe in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. But that safety came with complications. The more time I spent around him, the harder it was to ignore the growing ten
Aaron’s POVThe elevator doors slid shut behind me with a soft click, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stared at my reflection in the polished metal, the dark circles under my eyes and the tightness in my jaw a testament to how much weight I’d been carrying lately. I looked like hell, but that didn’t matter right now. Not when Hanna was upstairs, resting, still healing from the trauma she had just gone through.And now, as if dealing with Michael hadn’t been enough, Maureen had reappeared, dragging her own shadow over everything. She had come to my home—Hanna’s temporary refuge—to check on her. Or so she said. But I knew better. Maureen was never one to act out of kindness or concern. There was always an agenda.I could still hear her voice, calm and composed, as she had stood in the hallway only moments ago, trying to justify her involvement with Michael. "It was never part of the plan for her to get hurt," she had said, as if that made everything better.I clenched my fists, a
Hanna’s POV The soft murmur of voices outside the bedroom filtered through the door, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Every inch of my body ached, bruises blooming across my skin, a cruel reminder of how close I had come to losing everything. I shifted slightly in the bed, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my ribs. The bedroom was dim, the only light coming from a small bedside lamp casting a soft glow over the plush surroundings. Aaron’s apartment—no, his sanctuary—was a far cry from the cold, sterile hospital room I had woken up in earlier. He had insisted on bringing me here the moment the doctors cleared me for release, refusing to let me spend another night under harsh fluorescent lights and beeping monitors. I was grateful, but I couldn’t shake the heavyness in my chest. I hadn’t just escaped Michael’s grasp; I’d barely clawed my way out, and the cost was starting to weigh on me. Everything felt surreal. I was safe now—at least, physically—but my mind kept replaying
Hanna’s POVThe night air hit me like a cold slap, jolting me back to reality as my lungs burned with every gasping breath. My legs ached, but I kept running. I didn’t have a destination in mind—just the desperate urge to get away from Michael. The knife was still clutched tightly in my hand, and I could feel its weight grounding me, a reminder that I had finally fought back. But as I rounded the corner of the building, a crushing thought stopped me in my tracks. Aaron. I had left Aaron behind.What was freedom without him?My feet skidded to a halt, and I leaned against the brick wall, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. How could I have run? I had left Aaron alone in that room with Michael, with a man who was out of his mind. Michael wouldn’t stop at anything. He was dangerous, and now Aaron was at his mercy.I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm the panic that was rising inside me, but the fear wouldn’t let up. Images of Aaron—bleeding, hurt, or worse—floode
HANNA As I emerged from behind the dumpster, Aaron's eyes locked onto mine, filled with relief and concern. His face, etched with worry, softened as he took in my disheveled appearance. I collapsed into his arms, tears streaming down my face, as the weight of our ordeal finally began to lift."Thank God you're safe," he whispered, holding me tightly. His warm breath against my ear sent shivers down my spine, but this time it was a comforting sensation. I felt protected, sheltered from the horrors we'd faced. The sirens and chaos surrounding us faded into the background as I buried my face in his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart calm my own racing pulse.We stood there for what felt like an eternity, the only sound being our ragged breathing. Aaron's hands cradled my face, his thumbs wiping away my tears as he searched my eyes for any sign of hurt. I knew he was looking for more than physical wounds; he was searching for the emotional scars that Michael had inflicted. I tri
Hanna’s POVMy heart raced in my chest as I felt the weight of the knife in my hand. The cold steel was both a comfort and a curse. I had finally found a way to fight back, but I wasn’t sure how far I was willing to go to protect myself. Michael’s eyes widened in shock as he took a step back, his hand pressed against the wound. “Are you insane?” he hissed, a mix of disbelief and anger in his voice. The blood seeped through his fingers, staining the fabric of his shirt. “Let me go, Michael,” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos swirling inside me. “This is over.”He took another cautious step back, assessing the situation, but I could see the anger boiling in his eyes. “You think you can just stab me and walk out of here?” he spat, a cruel smile creeping across his face. “You don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”“I understand perfectly,” I shot back, my grip tightening on the knife. “I know you’re a coward who thinks he can control everything with fear. But not anymore.”M
Hanna’s POV“Are you done?” Micheal askedMy eyes were on the keys he had hooked to his belt buckle, the keys to the door.I nodded and pushed the plate of half-eaten steak towards him.I held my breath and watched his face for a reaction as he picked up the plate and left the room nothing. He hadn’t noticed anything, great. I slid the knife out ofmy pocket and held the sharp edge to the wires binding my arms. It was extremely uncomfortable having to hold the handle with my fingertips while trying to cut through the wires.Fortunately, it was slowly making a dent, but it was torture seeing how slow it was. I was starting to lose hope in using the knife when I heard footsteps approaching, and I hurriedly slid the knife underneath my buttocks and sat on it. Michael returned back, this time with my phone to his ear. He was talking to someone, and there was a satisfied grin on his face. Had Faith managed to get him what he wanted? I felt bad for her; she was dragged into all this simply
Aaron’s POV“Aaron wait!” My mommom said and rushed towards me,“I can handle it; don’t put yourself at risk.” She added“You had your chance. I already have this,this, so just stay out of the way.” I said and held up the bracelet I had taken from her room a few minutes ago.“If you hadn’t done it in the first place,place, I wouldn’t need to put myself in danger.” I said, She had herself to blame for all this.“I was thinking about our family;; I did this for you as well,,” she said.said. “I didn’t ask you to.” I said “You didn’t have to;; I’m your mother;; it’s my responsibility to take care of you.” She said Her idea of responsibility was incredibly messed up.“That wasn’t your choice. You nearly ruined my life.” I said if I was too late to save Hanna, then she would have completely ruined my life. I’d never forgive her then.“She wasn’t good for you.” She said “That wasn’t your decision to make.” I said and walked towards my car.car.“Are you really going to do this?” She asked