Chapter 9
She and Zachary were probably better off never seeing each other again in this lifetime.
Upon hearing it, Cecilia looked at her with wide eyes. “Didn’t you tell him you were leaving?”
What to tell, exactly?
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That she had approached him deliberately all those years ago? Or that for the past five years, her over–the–top kindness wasn’t out of love, but out of gratitude, following Cecilia’s instructions to help him forget Anna and move on from that failed relationship? Or that she was planning to divorce him and move abroad, never to return?
What good would it do, anyway? His “first love” was back in his life. Even if Hannah left, he probably wouldn’t
care.
Hannah gave a small smile. “There’s no point. I just want to leave as soon as possible and avoid any unnecessary drama.”
“To leave?”
A male voice suddenly interrupted them from behind. Hannah turned around and found herself staring into Zachary’s deep–set eyes.
Her heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth to explain but wasn’t sure if he’d overheard them or how much he’d caught.
Luckily, Cecilia quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “It’s nothing. Why did you come over?”
Zachary didn’t press further, and merely glanced at the cake on the table. “Mom, it’s time for you to cut the cake.”
Cecilia rubbed her forehead and declined, “I’m not feeling well. Why don’t you do it?”
With that, she didn’t cast another glance at them and let a servant help her upstairs. Once Cecilia was out of sight, Zachary extended his hand to Hannah.
“Come on, let’s go cut the cake.”
She shook her head, lifting her injured hand. “My hand’s still hurt. Ask Anna.”
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, as if he couldn’t understand why she said that, like something had slipped from his grasp.
“Why should I ask her?”
Now it was Hannah’s turn to be puzzled. Why? Wasn’t he always leaving her to find Anna?
Over the past five years, he’d flown out countless times for Anna. Now that she was giving him the opportunity, why did he look so incredulous?
She gave a faint smile. “Because you two get along so well. It’s just cutting a cake, no big deal.”
Seeing her smile, genuinely not upset, he still felt something was off but didn’t press further. He walked over to Anna, leaned in, and whispered something in her ear.
Anna’s cheeks turned red, but she nodded, taking his arm as they went up to the table together, hands clasped around the knife to cut the cake.
With the soft notes of a piano in the background, the two of them looked more like they were cutting a wedding cake than a birthday cake.
As the party went on, some of the older guests left early due to their body conditions, leaving behind the younger crowd.
These younger folks had grown up with Zachary and Anna, well aware of their history. Seeing them together
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Chapter 9
like this, spontaneous applause broke out. Some even began to chant playfully.
“Kiss!”
“Kiss!”
“Kiss!”
The chants made Anna’s face grow even redder. Zachary’s ears flushed slightly too. He didn’t kiss Anna, but he didn’t stop the crowd from cheering either.
Hannah didn’t mind. She took out her phone, calculating her departure time.
With her flight leaving in three hours, she knew she needed to leave soon. But in the eyes of everyone else, her silent demeanor looked like sadness.
Chapter 10
