After the call, Hannah couldn't sleep. She stretched, climbed out of bed, and went downstairs. Reaching the main hall, she saw her eldest uncle, Roger Cooper, and his family. This family was perpetually up to no good. Resentful over her grandfather's decision to bequeath most of the family business to her father, Roger frequently criticized them. He had even secretly colluded with Charles to seize the family property, ultimately hastening the Cooper family's decline.
Hannah carefully observed the gathering. Roger had even brought his illegitimate daughter. Hannah suspected his goal was to secure his daughter a position at Cooper Group, now headed by her father. He sought her father's approval for a significant role. In her previous life, her father, mindful of Roger's pride, had agreed, but Roger's daughter had caused considerable chaos within the company. Reborn into the present, Hannah wouldn't let their plan succeed again.
She approached them casually. "Please have some tea, Hannah," Mary Cooper, the illegitimate daughter, offered deferentially. Hannah reached for the cup. As Hannah took it, Mary's hand slipped, spilling the boiling tea. But Hannah, reborn with the knowledge of Mary's cunning, anticipated the move. In her past life, Mary had feigned innocence while secretly plotting and even sleeping with Charles. Hannah wouldn't tolerate such behavior. Quickly and subtly, Hannah seized Mary's hand before the tea could scald her, redirecting the spill onto Mary instead.
Mary's shriek echoed through the hall, followed by the shattering of the teacup. "What's wrong?" Roger asked nervously. "I know Hannah didn't do that on purpose," Mary quickly insisted, tears streaming down her face, appearing utterly fragile. No wonder Roger, despite her illegitimacy, spoiled her.
But Hannah's next action stunned them all. She slapped Mary hard across the face. Mary stared, incredulous. Hannah, previously known for her docility and kindness, had never acted with such aggression. Mary knew Hannah's gentle nature; she would usually melt at the sight of tears.
"Do you know how much Grandpa loved this tea set? Can you compensate for breaking it?" Hannah demanded. Mary's face flushed, and she cried more fiercely, claiming Hannah hadn't held the cup properly. "Was it me, or was it your poor handling?" Hannah countered. "Why are you lying?" Mary continued to deny responsibility. "And you still argue?" Hannah scoffed. "The daughter who didn't grow up with the Coopers clearly lacks basic manners. You can't even hold a teacup."
Roger's expression darkened at Hannah's rebuke of his daughter. He was unsure of the incident's true cause, and Mary's illegitimate status made her suitability for high society questionable. He couldn't respond, only suppressing his anger.
Turning to Jane, Roger's legitimate daughter, Hannah remarked, "Your sister is utterly incomparable to you." Jane, resentful of Hannah's favored position within the family, was secretly delighted. If her father weren't so protective of Mary, she would have dealt with her far more severely. "God knows what kind of person she grew up with; she only knows how to manipulate people. I begged Dad not to bring her here. Now she's broken Grandpa's teacup; killing her wouldn't be enough!" Jane exclaimed disgustedly.
"Enough!" Roger roared, silencing Jane. Miguel intervened, suggesting the maid clean the mess. Michelle quickly added that Mary's scalded hand required medical attention, pointedly avoiding mention of the swollen cheek. Hannah smiled; her mother possessed a shrewd mind. Esther, Roger's wife, offered a polite apology and ushered them out. She hadn't supported Mary's bid to join the company; her actions stemmed from her tolerance of Roger's favoritism toward Mary.
Roger, his initial plan thwarted, stormed off, his family following. Mary's eyes burned with resentment as she left. She never expected such a drastic change in Hannah, whose kindness she'd always exploited. Her attempt to use her fragility to manipulate Hannah had backfired spectacularly, costing her both a potential position at the Cooper Group and her chance to exact revenge. She vowed to join the Cooper Group. She was a Cooper, and she wouldn’t be treated this way! She would make them all suffer.
Hannah smiled grimly as they departed. She understood Mary's intentions and was ready for her inevitable downfall. Miguel approached, questioning her uncharacteristic aggression. They'd always endured the family for the sake of peace. He felt inexplicably relieved by Hannah's actions. Hannah smiled sweetly. "I've learned that a kind but weak person is easily bullied." Miguel playfully chided her about the lie concerning the tea set's sentimental value, and Hannah playfully stuck out her tongue. There were no moral boundaries when dealing with someone like Mary.