Chapter 487: Big Bad Wolf

By the time Oscar returned to bed, Hannah had already closed her eyes, unconcerned with the events between her brother and sister. Feeling Oscar approach and his body press close, she pretended to sleep.

"My dear wife," he whispered in her ear.

She remained silent.

"Silence implies consent," he murmured, his voice laced with mischief, and began to touch her.

Hannah tensed, turning to him. "What are you doing?"

"Aren't you asleep?" he countered.

"Oscar!" she exclaimed, anger coloring her voice. His provocation, even on this already upsetting day, angered her further. He smiled, pulling her into a hug, making no further advances, only holding her tightly. "Karen is not a nice person, but I can't ignore it," he explained.

"She's your sister. Of course, you can't ignore it," Hannah replied ironically.

Oscar smiled, unwilling to elaborate. "The Wells family treats me well," he simply stated.

Of course, Hannah thought. If his own parents hadn't been kind, no one would have been. Besides, she wasn't angry with Karen; she could easily handle her. Her anger was directed at Oscar. The memory of his earlier appearance still unsettled her. She turned her back.

"Didn't I promise you something?" Oscar asked.

"You've promised me many things. How am I to know which one you mean?" she replied without enthusiasm.

"I promised I'd one day return to you, clean," he said, pausing between each word.

Hannah felt a touch of emotion.

"So don't be afraid," Oscar said, hugging her from behind and burying his face in her neck. "I'm me, and no one else." Hannah wondered if he was assuring her he wouldn't change, remaining the man she knew – at least, the man she saw.

Hannah spent the night wrestling with her thoughts. The trauma of her past life made complete trust difficult. She wanted to believe him, but couldn't fully relinquish her resentment.

That night, Oscar remained still, restraining himself, likely fearing he might hurt her. Hannah sometimes felt that despite his domineering nature, he was often cautious. She perceived him as adept with women—capable of captivating any woman he desired, and she felt she was a prime example; she had fallen for him despite her initial lack of feelings. Yet, she sensed his anxiety about losing her, a paradox given his confidence and strength.

She couldn't fathom his true nature in the world unseen, nor did she desire to. She only wished for his detachment from that world, hoping the Oscar she knew would always be the one she faced.

By morning, Hannah lay sleeping, plagued by insomnia. Oscar, too, had remained awake, holding her. Finally, they drifted to sleep, only to be roused by a knock.

"Oscar, Hannah," a voice called.

Hannah reacted instinctively, rejecting the intrusion, kicking Oscar. He, too, resented the interruption. Reluctantly, he opened the door, his tone sharp. "What do you want?"

Seeing Oscar's angry face, Karen's eyes welled. "I just wanted to say good morning."

"Message received," Oscar retorted, slamming the door.

Karen's face burned. She knew Oscar always kept his distance, but this open disgust was new. He had changed since meeting Hannah. Gritting her teeth, she turned and went downstairs.

The room fell silent, but the interruption had broken Hannah's sleep. She sat up, unhappy.

"What's wrong?" Oscar asked, noticing her expression. He found her messy hair and clothing endearing.

"I can't sleep," Hannah said, lifting the covers to get up. But Oscar caught her, pinning her to the bed. "Oscar, what are you doing?"

"It's early. Let's finish what we started last night, since you can't sleep," he said.

"Are you sick?" she asked.

"Yes, and you're my cure."

"..."

"I hear mornings are good for making babies," he murmured, moving closer.

Hannah tried to resist.

"Don't move!" he whispered. "You'll scare the baby."

What baby? Hannah thought, incredulously.

She kicked him hard.

"Argh!" Oscar cried, clutching himself. "Are you trying to break my...?" he shouted, his face contorted in pain.

Hannah's eyes widened in alarm. She hadn't kicked that hard. "Is it bad? Should we go to the hospital?"

"Could you check if it's swollen?" he asked gravely.

As she approached, she fell prey to him again. He was like a big bad wolf.

But she ultimately pushed him away. "Oscar, I think you should go to the hospital."

"I'm perfectly healthy."

"That's for a doctor to decide," she insisted.

He didn't like that.

"We've been trying without contraception for a while, and I'm not pregnant. We should get checked," Hannah stated bluntly. "I'll take you tomorrow. It's Saturday."

"That settles it," she said, unconcerned with his feelings. They had to face this.

Pushing him away, she rose, leaving an overwhelmed Oscar behind. A small, triumphant smile played on her lips as she looked back at him.