Can I hear a "GO HANNA".
HannaA soft knock on the door woke me up from my uneasy sleep. The sun had not yet begun to stream light into the room."Come in" I said groggily, rubbing my eyes."Good morning." Faith stood at the door in her bathrobe, hair still wet, with a dress straddled on a plastic hanger inside her fist. She held it up to me. I got out of bed and took it from her. It was a muted tan color, simple, with ruffles at the hem. It was pretty and I ran a finger across the cap sleeve. "Thank you. Good morning." I said."It was the only thing in my closet small enough for you little miss petite, we need to take you shopping." She turned to leave."I'll go start breakfast.""I was thinking we could stop for coffee and a bite on the way. Save your energy. Just get dressed."And so I got into the shower and readied myself for a day I was not so sure about.It was a short drive to the Cafe Faith said she was a regular at until I started living with her. We both got coffees and breakfast sandwiches. Hopp
AaronI looked over at this puzzling woman sitting in the passenger's seat of my Range Rover as I sped down the freeway heading downtown to where I had originally met her.No one ever questioned me, I was not used to it. Usually, I was accustomed to acquiescent quiet nods of agreement and at most, little suggestions which did not come very often. Now here I was with this woman who barely grazed my chest at full-height. This one named Hanna who just spent her morning questioning my wishes.She was in my car, biting her lower lip unconsciously, maybe a nervous tick? Or just a defiant stance, that seemed more likely for her.It was silent as I drove and I wished she would speak again, in her serious matter-of-fact way that somehow managed to sound like music to my ears. What was I thinking? Why was she in my car? Why was I offering this stranger a job she was so glaringly unqualified for?I reached for the stereo and put on the last playlist I had going. A 90s folk mix of Joni Mitchell's
Hanna I heard the cardoor slam shut before I registered how hard I had pushed it close. It startled me but I did not look back to see how Aaron reacted, it would not be more than his constant little smirk.Everything that has happened this morning rummaged through my mind. I had many questions as to how I got in this position, but I mostly felt lucky. I just got an actual job, I had purpose again, or a semblance of it at least. Right now, it almost did not even matter who my employer was, this was a good opportunity for me and I do not expect that I would be seeing much more of the intriguing but infuriating Mr. Montgomery any time soon. He was the CEO after all, he has far more pressing affairs to supervise than some interior design in the city suburbs being handled by a formerly vagrant woman who has not even expressed thanks for what would have otherwise been considered a gracious and benevolent offer.I would not.I knew I would do a good job, so I trusted that a salary would com
HannaOver the next few days, I had measured, tested a hundred couches and mattresses, felt more curtain and bedding fabric samples than I could count and delved myself so immensely into this new job that I was now able to spot all the colors in the extensive paint swatches I had been working with by name, just from catching a glimpse of them. I knew which one was "shell", which one was "off-white"and which was "soft beige" although a week ago, they have all just been a shade of cream to me.Here's to learning on the job, I guess.I had arrived every morning at the house that was meant to be my last resort only a little bit of time ago and I signed for deliveries, large and small, the biggest one was a couch I had chosen because of a feature that lets you convert it into a recliner. "How cool" I thought, surprised at how excited furniture was making me. It was silly.Between rolling out duties and telling who what goes where, this ceramic door handle "right here", this light fixture
AaronI cannot categorically say that I know why, but I wish that Hanna would do more than shoot me looks of defiance with those gold-flecked eyes. I was doing everything I had done so far to get a rise out of her, after all. Like when I told her to switch out the rooms. Maybe I wanted to remind her who called the shots, but my reasoning felt more aligned with the former's curiosity about her emotions.What did she think of me? I had just spent a good chunk of my day yesterday skipping meetings to drive down to the suburbs for a check-in with her. Sure, it was weird for me to casually stop by to supervise the renovation of a small suburban property that I had forgotten existed, when it made sense for me to handle the more big picture stuff, in fact, I had never supervised interior design before now. Something drew me there and I consequently lied to myself that it was mistrust for Hanna. In my head, I had to go make sure that a terrible decision had not been made on my part by offer
Hanna I was making a choice not to fight Aaron anymore. It could have been because of the darkness I saw in his eyes—the ones that made me see him as a real person, with worries and flaws just like the rest of us—but I would like to credit my professionalism. I could not fight my boss, and so I let him buy me lunch. Where we were headed was a mystery to me in this moment as Aaron drove, and I wondered just how complicated of a man he was coming across as, if he intended to be so confusing. I was all too familiar with how men like to play their little mind games, but to what end? I thought women were supposed to be the complicated ones. He was uncouth and commanding, of course, but he was also helping me. With a job, with the bedframe, and now with lunch. You can't win them all. I gazed at him from the side of my eye, not wanting to look at him again. That face had begun to make me rethink things. I thought that he could not have that face and all that money and be nice to
HannaThe sandwich from lunch still sat in my gut as I made dinner. Faith was home early from work and she sat at the breakfast nook, cradling a glass of wine. I took a sip out of the glass she had offered me. It was the nice stuff. I would have charged upwards of a hundred dollars for a bottle of Chardonnay this good at Big Dreams. Thoughts of my bar lay heavy in my mind today, especially since the question I had dodged at lunch.Thoughts of Aaron crept into my mind as I took yet another sip whilst chopping onions, Faith still at the nook now munching on cheese and crackers."Do you know Aaron has showed up to the house I'm designing pretty much everyday this week?" I sparked conversation almost abruptly, like I was continuing the conversation already going on in my head, only outwardly now."That's where he's been?" Faith replied, as if she had finally solved a math equation that had been boggling her mind all day. She took another sip of wine."He is showing up abruptly, being hi
Hanna The week I had spent putting the Elmont house together felt like a week I had also spent trying to put my life together and although my life was far from perfect, I knew that the house was. Modern? Check, Easily switched around? Check. And a few other benchmarks of mine like; Absolutely cosy. Check. Under budget, double check. I felt proud of myself as I walked through the rooms, running my fingers over all the new furniture, knowing that today was the last day I was going to get to be in this house. It felt full circle, like it was enough to get to keep this job and maybe get my own place and eventually figure out rebuilding my bar. It felt like a start. I went around straightening objects and adjusting the angles of things, subliminally stressing because Aaron had not shown up all day. Not that I really wanted him here, of course i did not but it was the last day, if there was any day worth supervising, it was this one. Too bad I was all done and ready to start headin
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