Chapter 1105: True Love

Hannah was about to answer when a playful voice chirped from behind, "I'm here." Susan and Hannah turned to see Doyle, looking remarkably handsome, standing at the airport.

Hannah frowned. Why was Doyle here? Shouldn't he be with Besse? He seemed oblivious to her surprise, calmly walking to her side and intimately hugging her waist.

Hannah pursed her lips, uncomfortable but maintaining composure before Manuel and Susan. Manuel noticed Doyle's hand on Hannah's waist.

"Did you fight with Besse?" Susan quickly changed the subject, suspecting Hannah would pretend to be Besse.

"Nope, do we look like we fought?" Doyle hugged Hannah tighter.

Hannah forced a smile, offering no contradiction.

"That's good," Susan said, relieved. "I was afraid I'd affect your relationship."

"You guys take care," she added before turning to Doyle. "Doyle, please take good care of Besse for me."

"I will."

"If you're free later, I'll take you sightseeing in Northfield," Susan offered.

"We will!" Doyle agreed enthusiastically.

Hannah smiled gently; her smile closely resembled Besse's.

"Sal!" Hannah finally broke Salem's silence, which had persisted since their arrival. His quietness stemmed from the frustration of parting with his mother. He slowly raised his head and looked at Hannah. Torn between leaving her and causing trouble, he had chosen silence.

"Be good," Hannah said, touching his head and comforting him.

Salem nodded, though visibly distressed. Hannah felt his distress, but the prospect of seeing him soon offered some reassurance.

"We'll go," Susan said reluctantly, always dreading goodbyes.

"Take care."

Manuel held their daughter as Susan led Salem away from the airport. Hannah watched until they disappeared, then disengaged from Doyle's embrace. He, too, released her, a mixture of emotions evident in his expression.

"Thank you for seeing my friend off. Now that they're gone, I'm leaving too," Hannah said, turning to leave.

"Besse," Doyle called.

Hannah paused.

"Or should I call you Hannah?" Doyle's gaze was intense, his smile faintly sarcastic.

Hannah had anticipated this. After bringing the real Besse to him that night, she’d expected this, though not so soon. She felt Doyle should be fully devoted to Besse, whose health was precarious. When he’d proposed, Hannah had received a call from Besse, who’d awakened from her coma. Weak and struggling to breathe, Besse had asked Hannah to accept the proposal for the sake of a perfect wedding, avoiding alarming Doyle with her condition. Hannah agreed, seeing it as a final act of repayment for impersonating her. She’d completed the marriage, but on their wedding night, unable to replace Besse, she left while Doyle bathed, later receiving Salem's call and rushing to Susan in the hospital. She'd thought it was over.

Seeing Doyle again brought a wave of embarrassment.

Doyle looked at her silently before asking, "Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

"Yes, I'm not Besse. I'm Hannah, someone who should have died but was saved by your mother. I lived as Besse due to amnesia."

Doyle laughed sarcastically. "When did you regain your memory?"

"Since the last accident in Northfield."

"So you've been lying to me."

"More like a white lie," Hannah replied calmly, feeling no further obligation to him.

"Is that so?"

"Besse woke up; my mission ended."

"If Besse hadn't woken up, would you have married me?" Doyle asked curiously.

"No," Hannah answered firmly.

Doyle's eyes flickered with discomfort. "I believe you wouldn't want to marry someone who isn't Besse."

"Hannah," he said, using the unfamiliar name.

"You're wrong," Doyle said, looking deeply at her. "I want to marry you, whether you're Besse or not."

Hannah's eyebrows furrowed in surprise.

"I've doubted myself. Why did I prefer Besse after the accident? My previous feelings were probably familial love, protection, responsibility. But it changed, became different. I thought it was the intensity of regaining lost emotions, but now I realize…" He paused. "It's because the person I like is no longer the original one."

Hannah was silent, unsure how to respond. She’d never imagined he’d feel this way.

"I love you," he said, each word distinct.

Hannah felt emotional, yet unmoved. She didn't have romantic feelings for him, amnesia or not.

"So, will you marry me?" he asked seriously.

Hannah shook her head. "Doyle, what about Besse?"

"I'll explain everything to Besse."

"The best explanation is being with her. Your feelings for me…it's more like a reaction to loss, not true love."

"I'm clear about my emotions," Doyle said bluntly, his decisiveness unwavering. "I've thought this through thoroughly."