Chapter 6
In an instant, Hannah found herself drenched in hot soup. Her fair arm turned a furious red, blisters forming like droplets of rain on a windowpane. The pain was like a thousand tiny needles stabbing her all at once, leaving her unable to utter even a syllable.
“Hannah!”
Zachary quickly let go of Anna and rushed over, his eyes betraying a rare glimpse of panic. “Does it hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital!”
Hannah looked up at him, the pain spreading through her body, and tried with all her might to speak, but no words came out.
“Oh my God, Anna, you’re hurt so badly!” Zachary’s attention snapped back to Anna, even more frantic as he ran to her side. Her arm had caught only a few splashes of hot oil, but to Zachary, they might as well have been life–threatening.
Anna pulled her arm back, eyes red, shaking her head. “I’m okay, Ms. Clarke seems worse. You should take her to the hospital.”
“Nonsense, you’re delicate as a flower. You’d cry for a day over a paper cut. Zachary, what are you doing standing around? Get Anna to the hospital!” Yolanda stamped her foot in frustration, wagging a finger at the others. “What’s wrong with you people? If you want to argue, do it outside. You’ve hurt Anna, and my brother won’t let you off easy!”
Anna couldn’t hold back her tears any longer and whimpered softly, yet still insisted, “It’s fine, Zack, really. You should check on Ms. Clarke; she’s hurt far worse.”
That look on her face tugged at his heartstrings, and he couldn’t spare another glance at the disheveled Hannah. Scooping Anna up in his arms, he hurried out the door.
As they left, he turned back with a look of guilty concern towards Hannah. “Anna’s been pampered since a kid, not used to pain. The hospital’s not far; you can get a cab there.”
Hannah watched them disappear from view, finally snapping back to reality. She stifled the pain, taking deep breaths.
Seeing her severe injuries, a nearby server walked over, full of sympathy, and began to administer first aid while making apologies.
After popping some painkillers, the throbbing subsided enough for her to form words again. Borrowing a change of clothes from the staff, Hannah shakily made her way out to hail a cab to the hospital.
The doctor worked with a cotton swab to treat her blistered skin, advising her to apply ointment daily to prevent scarring.
Hannah clenched her eyes shut against the pain as two nurses wheeled a cart past her.
“Honestly, Mr. Cole really cares about Ms. Foster. Just a few drops of hot oil, and he reserved the whole floor, called in all the dermatology experts.”
“Yeah, with such minor burns, they’d practically be healed on their own if she came in later. I’d love to have a man like that care for me.”
“Hahaha, keep dreaming. Men like that are one in a million.”
One in a million? Hannah chuckled. Leaving his severely injured wife behind to fuss over a minor burn, Zachary truly was one in a million.
Once her wounds were fully dressed, she thanked the doctor and headed out.
10:17
Chapter 6
As she stepped out of the hospital, her phone pinged with a new message. It was an acceptance letter from the overseas art school she had applied to, reminding her to prepare a portfolio for the orientation.
After five long years, Hannah picked up her paintbrush again.
After purchasing the paintbrush and paint, instead of returning to the Cole family home, she made her way to Sunspire.
Sunspire boasted breathtaking scenery, with tranquil lakes nestled between mountains, their mirrored surfaces reflecting the surrounding peaks like a natural masterpiece, quite a soothing sight.
Breathing deeply, Hannah felt the weight of the last five years lift, leaving only a long–fost sense of freedom.
Inspired, she let her brush glide across the canvas, and in no time, a beautiful landscape emerged.
No more commotion, much secluded with merely birds chirping and light breezes blowing. For three days, she lost herself in the serenity of the place.
It wasn’t until she descended the mountain to mail her artwork to the school that she turned her phone back
- on.
The screen lit up with a flood of missed calls and messages, all from Zachary, filling the entire display. This was unprecedented.
In the past, it was always her reaching out to him, and he’d never called initiatively, not even with returned
ones.
As she stared, lost in thought, Yolanda’s call interrupted, her voice blaring through the speaker as she picked
- up.
“Hannah, where have you been these days? My brother’s been losing his mind looking for you! Don’t think this will make him notice you more. Dream on. The position of Mrs. Cole is only for Anna!”
With that, Yolanda hung up, leaving Hannah frowning.
Was she hearing things? Zachary, frantically searching for her? But why?
She considered calling Yolanda back to clarify, but the 108 missed calls on her phone were undeniable evidence of Zachary’s urgency.
