Chapter 184: A Punch Back
Hannah knew she couldn't rely on him for anything. One moment he might create a favorable impression; the next, he'd obliterate it completely.
At the Phillips' house, Susan hung up the phone and rose quickly. She couldn't be late for the wedding photoshoot. She changed clothes and hurried from the bedroom. Henry had texted; he was waiting. She didn't want to keep him waiting long. Rushing out, she collided with someone around the corner, staggering against the wall.
"Are you okay?" a concerned man asked, reaching out.
"Don't touch me!" Susan shouted.
Manuel froze, dropping his hand in embarrassment. "Shall I call a doctor?"
"No," Susan managed, inwardly annoyed. Since Manuel's return, their encounters had become frequent, almost uncanny. Was he haunting her, or was she simply unlucky? She looked into his eyes. He still wore the white shirt from the previous night; faint traces of foundation, clearly from a woman, stained his chest. Susan pretended not to notice. He was an adult; occasional casual encounters were hardly unusual. She respected people's choices; as long as it didn't harm others and was consensual, it wasn't her concern.
She walked past him. Manuel remained silent, unable to approach after her outburst. He watched her go. As she reached the entrance, her expression transformed. Her eagerness to see Henry was evident. Manuel had seen Henry waiting when he returned.
Back in his bedroom, Manuel immediately discarded his clothes in the trash, showered, and changed. The previous night, he'd been out drinking with Theodore. He wasn't a heavy drinker, but Theodore had pressed him until he was intoxicated. He hadn't worried about Theodore; he wouldn't hurt him. But he'd underestimated Theodore's unreliability. He'd been sent to a hotel with a woman. He had little memory of leaving or arriving in the room. He only recalled a woman removing her bathrobe when he woke. Perhaps she'd been about to sleep with him… Then, a memory surfaced: after his last drink, Theodore had said, "I can't help you, but I can get you some fun. You'll realize there are plenty more fish in the sea." Initially, he hadn't understood. Now, he did. He'd dismissed the woman, giving her money for discretion, avoiding questions from Theodore and needless explanations. He hadn't left the hotel; it was already 3 a.m., and though mostly sober, he felt uncomfortable, so he'd slept there. He'd only just returned, seeing Susan rush excitedly towards Henry. Sitting at his computer, he sometimes found solace in the dense code, a means to forget and suppress his emotions.
Hannah returned to work on Monday, finding it easier than facing Oscar. She wondered how Max had endured him. Entering the office, she noticed the curious stares. Something was amiss. Rose reported to her.
"Janet's taking Win to the Starlight Group's business district launch event today," Rose said. "Having lost Celina, she's making a major move."
"Have you verified the business district plans?" Hannah asked.
"Yes. When you asked me to investigate, I checked with the local department and found Starlight Group had purchased the land, but hadn't filed building plans. Yesterday, my contact confirmed the project's weekend approval. It's not a rumor," Rose reported.
Hannah pondered. Janet, driven mad by her, was retaliating. Initially, Janet had hoped to inflict significant losses without building or spending heavily, but that proved impossible with Celina's agreement to settle in the Light Building. She'd had to risk a real business district. Janet was determined to bury her. A high-end business district wasn't their specialty and clashed with their future direction, likely causing profit decline, especially given Janet’s impulsive approach. This, however, worked to Hannah's advantage. Since Janet had gone all out, she would respond in kind.
Hannah dismissed Rose. It wasn't a lack of trust, but she preferred to keep her tactics discreet. She valued her reputation.