Chapter 456: Oscar's Surprise

"Thank you," Hannah said.

Tan seemed to be waking from a dream, murmuring, "I, I, I…"

"Ease. I will handle it," Hannah soothed.

Tan nodded, dread evident in his expression.

"It's late. Go home," Hannah said peacefully.

Watching the man leave, she felt neither love nor pain for him. The monster dared not scream; it would be disgraceful, even life-threatening. He watched Hannah and Tan depart, consumed by pain and hate.

As soon as they turned, they saw a man standing behind them. Hannah felt dizzy at the sight of him. It was Oscar. His unexpected appearance surprised her; he hadn't said he'd return today. She then recalled his mention of returning in the coming days, though without a specific date.

Joy, tinged with excitement, filled Hannah's eyes, while Oscar remained relatively indifferent. He stood there, an aura of intensity surrounding him. Glancing at Hannah, he bypassed them and approached Charles. The sight of Oscar transformed Charles's anger into horror. Charles seemed unaware of Oscar's transformation into a terrifying figure, sensing imminent danger. However, regaining his composure, he glared back defiantly.

"Charles, it seems you've ignored my warnings," Oscar threatened coldly.

Charles reacted instantly, tense and quivering like a goat facing a tiger. Then, his alertness shifted to strained endurance, veins throbbing on his face. Oscar pressed his foot onto Charles's hand with such force that Charles's face paled.

"How painful it was!"

Oscar warned, "If I find your dirty hands on Hannah again…"

Every nerve screaming in agony, Charles shivered uncontrollably. Oscar leaned close to Charles's ear and whispered, his voice barely audible, "Then, I will make you vanish completely."

He then stood, removing his glossy leather shoes from Charles's hand. His palm bloodied, Charles was clearly in excruciating pain. Without another glance at the man, Oscar went to his wife, cuddling her and saying, "Let's go home."

Hannah nodded and turned to Tan, saying, "You can go home too."

"Yes, Ms. Hannah, I will take care of myself," Tan replied.

As the couple walked away, Tan realized Oscar was far more vicious and powerful than he'd anticipated.

They walked from the ballroom to their car. Jimmy drove them home. Hannah and Oscar sat in the back, cuddling as they had at the event. Despite the brevity of their reunion, their love seemed to deepen, their reluctance to part intensifying with each passing moment.

"Why didn't you tell me you were back today?" Hannah complained.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"How did you know where I was?"

"Jimmy told me," Oscar replied.

"So you told Jimmy, not your wife, about your return," Hannah said, annoyed.

"It's the only way for a surprise!"

Unsatisfied with his explanation, Hannah remained unconvinced. Strengthening his embrace, Oscar continued, "I was afraid something unexpected might ruin my plan and upset you. So I just had Jimmy pick me up from the airport."

A warm feeling flooded Hannah's heart. His silence stemmed from a fear of disappointing her. She clutched his clothes, pressing her face to his chest. She used to believe the intense love portrayed in fiction was exaggerated; now she understood. This was the powerful bond between lovers.

She asked, "So when are you leaving this time?"

"Early tomorrow morning."

Hannah was speechless, disappointed.

"I could ask for a half-day leave tomorrow," Oscar said. "It's a favor my boss approved given our hectic schedules."

But his explanation didn't ease Hannah's disappointment. He would leave before she woke. Their time together was limited to this night.

"Only two months until this ends," Oscar added. "Life will be different after that."

"So you came back for one night…for the baby plan, right?" Hannah asked.

"No!" Oscar denied. "You're my priority; the plan is incidental."

Hannah pursed her lips. His words seemed incredible, yet events would prove her right. Men, she thought, were born liars.

Back at the villa, making love consumed them. It was a night even television shows would shy away from depicting. Hannah hadn't expected such intense passion from her husband; he was almost ravenous. As night fell, their intense intimacy finally ended.

Hannah lay beside Oscar, tired and sleeping. The marks of their passion adorned her skin. Oscar, feeling a pang of guilt, gently kissed each mark, vowing to show more restraint next time. His final kiss landed on her cheek.

He rose carefully, avoiding disturbing her sleep. He put on a bathrobe, then picked up a cigarette, but put it down. He was strictly controlling his smoking; for a healthy baby, men needed to quit smoking and drinking. Putting aside the cigarette, he dialed Theodore's number.

Theodore, roused from sleep, answered groggily, "Hey Oscar, why are you up so late?"

Oscar was surprised Theodore was asleep so early, assuming his father had kept him home. He didn't beat around the bush. "Can you investigate Tan Laurier?"

"Who?" Theodore couldn't recall the name.

"He's Cooper's vice president's new assistant."

"Does he have an affair with Hannah?" Theodore blurted out.

Oscar ignored the question, adding, "Just call me when you're done, and keep an eye on him, discreetly."

"Is my guess right?" Theodore persisted.

Oscar hung up. Tan's decisive movement in pushing Charles away suggested he wasn't ordinary, but Oscar wouldn't jump to conclusions without solid evidence. He didn't want to frighten Hannah.

After the call, Oscar returned to bed. Hannah seemed lost in a peaceful dream. Oscar clung to her, loath to let go. He was lost in thought, making a decision: the game needed to end soon. He laid his hand on her lower abdomen. Sensing the warmth, Hannah drifted back to a peaceful, safe sleep.