An ‘Innocent’ Rabbit

“How can that be? You’re Oscar’s sister, and you’re my sister too. What happened before is in the past. How can there be a grudge between us overnight?” Hannah asked. It was merely acting. She could easily mimic Karen.

“I’m relieved to hear that, Hannah. I was really afraid what happened would affect our relationship…” Karen began, then trailed off, appearing anxious and frail. A sad, pathetic look clouded her face.

Hannah smiled. “Of course not. By the way, it’s rare for you to visit. Let’s have lunch here. I’ll ask Max to prepare extra.”

“Well, thank you, Hannah,” Karen readily agreed.

Hannah knew Karen’s visit was impulsive. It was best to extend a kindness. Smiling, Hannah approached Max, who was working in the hall.

Venus watched Hannah go, visible relief in her expression. “Oscar, Hannah is a good wife,” she said.

Oscar’s smile broadened. Karen saw it and felt a pang of displeasure. Jealousy, once ignited, would not be easily extinguished.

“Mom,” Karen said, “I want to play with Hannah.”

“Okay, but pay attention to your health. The doctor said your heart isn’t in good condition,” Venus cautioned.

“I know, and I’ll take care of it.” Karen rose and walked towards Hannah, who had finished speaking with Max.

A tremor ran through Hannah as Karen approached. She wasn’t afraid of Karen, but she wished to avoid causing offense.

“Hannah, can you take me for a walk? I’ve never been to Oscar’s house before,” Karen said, affecting friendliness.

“Of course,” Hannah replied warmly. She could handle this; a temporary guest would eventually leave.

Hannah led Karen down the hall and into the back garden. As they walked, Hannah described their surroundings: “This is a temperature-controlled swimming pool. Even if I fell in, I wouldn’t feel cold. Importantly, Oscar is afraid I’ll drown, so it’s not deep. The deepest part is about neck-high.” It was a subtle reminder that any attempt at deception would be harmless.

Karen understood. She smiled calmly. “Oscar is truly wonderful to you.”

“He’s good to me. He knows I dislike sports, so he even had them build a tennis court. But I’m too busy to exercise. Look, this is the way,” Hannah indicated a path.

Karen smiled and remained silent.

“There’s a sunroom here, full of flowers. He knows I love roses, so he’s planted all kinds. Karen, would you like to see?” Hannah’s enthusiasm was genuine. It was hard to believe Karen was an unwelcome guest.

“Well,” Karen replied smoothly.

Hannah led Karen inside. The room overflowed with blooms. Even Hannah had been surprised by the abundance of flowers when she first saw them. She’d always considered men who enjoyed gardening rare.

“Be careful; the roses have thorns,” Hannah cautioned as Karen reached out to touch a rose.

Karen didn’t heed the warning.

“If you like, I’ll have Max pick some for you,” Hannah offered. “By the way, there are cameras everywhere in this room. I don’t have time to constantly watch them, so Oscar had workers install cameras so I can enjoy the flowers anytime, anywhere, even when I’m not home.”

Karen hesitated, withdrawing her hand. Her face paled. Hannah smiled.

“There are other flowers besides roses. Karen, this way.”

Karen followed her on a tour of the estate. Soon, it was time to eat.

Hannah greeted them warmly. “I know Karen dislikes scallions and cilantro, so I made sure Max didn’t use them. There’s no ginger either; I heard it can trigger heart problems. Karen can enjoy these dishes without worry.”

“Thank you,” Karen replied, barely concealing her emotions. Her plan to unsettle Hannah had failed utterly; Hannah was clearly prepared.

“Thank you so much. I assumed you were a spoiled only child, but you’re so thoughtful. Oscar’s incredibly lucky to have you as his wife,” Venus praised.

“Oscar is very attentive too. We’re good to each other,” Hannah responded with a shy smile. Elders cherished such capable and considerate daughters-in-law.

“Enjoy your meal,” Venus said.

“Okay,” Hannah smiled. Karen’s displeasure was evident.

“Hannah, thank you for the meal. Max’s food is delicious. You should eat more too. Don’t always cater to me,” Karen said, placing a piece of matsutake mushroom in Hannah’s bowl, subtly attempting to outshine Hannah.

Hannah smiled. “Thank you, Karen.”

Hannah reached for the mushroom, but Oscar intercepted her with his fork. She looked at him questioningly.

“Aren’t you allergic to mushrooms?” Oscar’s expression was serious. “Matsutake is a type of mushroom!”

Hannah had never mentioned her allergy to Oscar. How did he know?

She didn’t eat the mushroom. Hannah touched it to her tongue and then put it down, subtly expressing her disappointment in letting Karen down, creating a contrast to Karen's seemingly thoughtful gesture. After all, she knew Karen’s dislikes, but Karen didn't know about her mushroom allergy. Oscar’s intervention amplified the effect.

“Are you allergic to mushrooms?” Venus asked.

“Yes, since childhood.”

“Then why did you pick it up? Why don’t you take better care of yourself? Allergies can be serious. If something happened, how could I explain it to your parents?” Venus looked worried.

“I was afraid Karen would think I disliked her if I refused. Besides, I was happy she served me, so I thought a little bit would be fine,” Hannah explained, presenting herself as generous and considerate.