No matter what happened after she was revived, she never cried. She always forced herself to endure. She didn't understand why she felt so upset now.

“If you keep crying, I will kiss you again,” Oscar said, seeming at a loss. He glared at her, a fierce look intended as a threat.

Hannah cried even louder. Oscar panicked. He took her hand. “Or you can hit me.”

Hannah snatched her hand away.

“Please stop crying,” Oscar pleaded, reaching out to wipe her tears. “It’s just a kiss. I’m not irresponsible. Why are you crying?” He felt overwhelmed, a little annoyed by his inability to comfort her. He was angry with himself for his ineptitude.

“I didn’t ask you to take responsibility,” Hannah sobbed, her tears finally subsiding.

Oscar was relieved.

“Have you never said anything sweet to women?” Hannah asked. He hadn’t.

“Never, so what?” Oscar retorted angrily.

“You didn’t need to say sweet things to them before?”

“No.”

Hannah doubted him, but Oscar wanted to change the subject. “Are you calm now?”

Hannah was embarrassed by her outburst. She felt she had vented the grievances of both her past and present lives; she was exhausted.

“Then let’s talk about you and Charles,” Oscar said, his expression serious.

Hannah pursed her lips. She knew she’d been foolish to go see Charles, to test his loyalty, but she had. Now she knew he was easily manipulated, readily dropping his pretense.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Hannah said lightly. She had been hurt and would retaliate.

“Now you know what kind of person Charles is?” Oscar asked.

“Yes, indeed,” Hannah gritted her teeth.

“So, in the future, will you stay away from Charles?”

Hannah looked at Oscar. “There’s no chance of him getting close to me again.”

“What if there is?” Oscar said aggressively.

“What do you want to say?” Hannah’s face darkened.

“Jimmy,” Oscar said casually, “He’s a Taekwondo black belt, holds the Golden Dragon Badge in martial arts, and was the last national boxing champion.”

Hannah was puzzled.

“He’ll be your bodyguard from now on,” Oscar explained.

Hannah was surprised. She was touched by his concern for her safety.

“Charles failed this time, and this could happen again. I might not be able to get there in time,” Oscar said seriously. “I don’t want to ruin our relationship… our partnership.”

Hannah finally understood. A relationship with Charles would mean his wife had cheated on him, a betrayal of his dignity. More importantly, it would jeopardize their mutually beneficial business arrangement. The cost of their recent wedding, and the potential for a quick dissolution, weighed heavily on him. His anger had stemmed from this.

Understanding this, Hannah no longer resisted. “Okay, I’ll pay you. How much per month?”

The tender moment vanished. Their relationship was transactional, devoid of emotion.

“I don’t need your money. Just stay faithful to me,” Oscar said earnestly.

Hannah was speechless. Despite the purely business nature of their arrangement, she felt a flicker of something akin to flirtation.

She nodded. “Okay.”

“As an exchange condition,” Oscar added.

Hannah looked at him.

“I will stay faithful to you as well.”

“Can you?” Hannah asked.

“For you, of course.”

Hannah didn’t pressure him. For their cooperation, however, his fidelity would be beneficial. She didn’t object.

“It’s getting late. I’m going to rest,” she said.

“Don’t you even ask why I came back suddenly?” Oscar seemed dissatisfied. Hannah found him childish sometimes. He clearly had something he needed to do, but she wasn't interested.

“Because I thought you needed me,” Oscar said.

Hannah was confused.

“Isn’t Jane dead?” Oscar asked.

“We had no sisterly bond,” Hannah said bluntly. “She deserved it, and I’m not sorry.”

Oscar looked at her questioningly.

Hannah didn’t try to hide her ruthlessness. “Oscar, I’m not a kind person. I have no mercy on those who hurt me.”

“Are you reminding me of something?” Oscar said, scrutinizing her. She had changed significantly. He remembered her crying over a dead puppy; now, she was calm about the death of a relative.

“I’m reminding myself,” Hannah said slowly. “I have to get my revenge.”

“You hated Charles so much just because he cheated on you?”

“No,” Hannah’s eyes narrowed. “He is my absolutely irreconcilable enemy!”

Was this the woman he knew?

“Do you regret cooperating with me?” Hannah asked, sensing he might be questioning their partnership due to her lack of emotion. She had no intention of hiding anything from him; if he couldn’t handle it, she wouldn’t force him.

“No,” Oscar shook his head, speaking softly. “Hannah, one day you will know how much I love you.”