Chapter 1115

Ralph's meeting with Margaret ran late, causing him to arrive at Riggs Group well after schedule. He called Hannah's office, only to learn from Chloe that Heather had left hours earlier. Annoyance simmered within him; he suspected Heather was lying again. He searched the parking lot extensively but found no sign of the Riggs family car. He waited anxiously downstairs until dark, but Heather never appeared.

"What a capricious woman," he muttered resentfully.

Hannah's frustration mirrored his own. She had intended to wait for him, but after prolonging her stay at the office, he still hadn't arrived. He hadn't called, and she felt unable to initiate contact, leaving her to wait in vain. Eventually, Heather called, urging her to return home. With no choice, Hannah left the office.

During the drive, she gazed intently out the window, hoping to catch sight of him, but her eyes reflected only disappointment.

The atmosphere felt strained the moment Hannah entered the house. She composed herself and approached Heather, saying quietly, "Heather."

Heather glanced at the clock, her displeasure evident. "Your heart has gone wild," she said sharply. "I let you out for a while, and you're having fun again. You don't want to come back anymore, do you?"

Heather had overslept and only realized it was afternoon upon waking. She then discovered Hannah's absence. Knowing her sister shouldn't require such extensive time for company business, she assumed Hannah had been wandering around.

"N-No, Heather," Hannah stammered. "I stayed in the office and didn't go anywhere else. I was handling work. If you don't believe me, you can call someone to check, or look at the surveillance footage." She had spent the entire morning at Riggs Group, never leaving the building.

Heather snorted. "I don't need you to teach me. I will check it." Though she knew, ultimately, Hannah was telling the truth, suspicion lingered. Raising an eyebrow, she asked casually, "Did Ralph call you?"

"No," Hannah replied, quickly adding before Heather could react, "He called looking for you."

Heather pursed her lips, suppressing her anger. "Did you meet with him?"

Hannah lowered her eyes. "No. I just answered his call. He said he wanted to cooperate with you and asked if you'd decided."

"And what did you say?"

"I said I couldn't agree to such a big thing over the phone. Ralph said he wanted to meet, but I said I didn't have time. So I didn't see him."

Heather frowned. "Why did you say you couldn't agree over the phone? Is this something that can only be agreed upon in person? You still want to cause me trouble for this?"

Hannah bit her lip. "I didn't know what cooperation he was referring to, or your decision, so I didn't dare agree or refuse. I only delayed the answer. I'll refuse him next time if you don't want to see him."

Her words effectively calmed most of Heather's anger.