Chapter 591: Previous Life
Hannah recounted the events as if relating someone else's story, her demeanor even and calm. She calmly watched Charles's face, then said peacefully, "In my previous life, I gave everything to you without complaint or regret. I swallowed my pride, quietly supporting your career and fighting against Oscar. You know what? Oscar was brilliant, even without me—in this life and the last. Frankly, in my last life, you couldn't have defeated Oscar, no matter what you did. As for me… I died, stabbed to death by you. Do you remember what you said?"
Charles clenched his fist, his face contorted with a mixture of fury and disbelief. He suspected Hannah was fabricating a lie to taunt him, yet a nagging voice whispered that her words rang true.
"You said, 'Hannah, I've never loved you. I'm tired of sleeping with you. Sarah is much better and sexier in bed,'" Hannah stated indifferently.
She thought she’d forgotten, that one can't dwell on the past. Yet, recounting these events now, she found her memories sharp and her hatred for him intense.
"You also told me my inability to conceive for ten years was because you’d been secretly adding birth control pills to my food. Meanwhile, I was tormented by your parents and sister for a decade because of it—enduring physical and mental pain, believing your family meant no harm, believing you loved me."
A smile played on her lips, a mask concealing her true emotions. She had many reasons to smile: she'd crushed Charles, avenged herself. She was the victor, mocking the defeated.
"Later, after you gained control of the Cooper Group, I became expendable. Everything I'd given you felt like a shameful waste. Then I died under your knife. I still remember your face—cruel, cold-blooded, devoid of mercy," Hannah said, her gaze fixed on Charles.
How arrogant he'd been then! How wretched he was now!
Charles's complexion was grim. He desperately wanted to dismiss her words as lies, as deliberate torment designed to break him. Yet, Hannah's accusations mirrored his own plans perfectly.
He'd feigned love, married her, then manipulated her affections to seize control of the Cooper Group, a stepping stone to aristocratic circles. He'd colluded with Sarah, intending to kill Hannah once his ambitions were fulfilled. The ultimate satisfaction, he'd thought, would be her cruel, violent death.
As these memories surfaced, Charles lost control, yet Hannah remained impassive.
She continued, "To my surprise, after you killed me, I was reborn, ten years before our marriage. That's why I married Oscar—the man you couldn't defeat in our past life. Initially, it was a strategic alliance; a win-win situation. But I never anticipated falling in love. Your cruelty allowed me to find true love and happiness. Only then did I recognize the vast difference between Oscar and you, the difference between genuine love and being truly cherished."
A genuine, sweet smile touched her lips when she mentioned Oscar, a stark contrast to the chilling expression she directed at Charles.
Charles felt a familiar pang of something akin to remorse – a pain he’d frequently suppressed, deceiving himself that he didn't care for her. His eyes reddened. Hannah, however, remained indifferent.
She continued, "You already know what happened in this life. The video of you and Jane was my doing. Knowing your secrets, it was simple to manipulate you. As for your business rival, I simply ensured your slow, inevitable downfall."
"Oh, and by the way," Hannah paused, "Sarah's miscarriage… that was me, too."
A wave of coldness emanated from Charles. That child represented his ultimate failure. Without the miscarriage, his relationship with Sarah would have been different; he would have provided for her as he had for Hannah.
He found himself believing her, believing in this "past life."
"You prevented me from having children. In this life, you're not a father, not worthy to be one!" Hannah’s voice was devoid of anger. It was a simple statement of fact. She’d merely returned the blows. Theodore's involvement in Sarah's accident shocked him; Hannah’s ruthlessness hadn't surprised her. She felt no guilt. It was retribution.
"I also rescued Sarah. I knew your methods; women in your life suffered the same fate as I did. Once she turned against you, your downfall began," Hannah explained, systematically detailing his failures.
"Sarah’s public accusations, the loss of the Collins family’s support… you became this prisoner," she added, rubbing salt into the wound.
"Enough!" Charles roared, unable to bear it any longer. His failure, he admitted, wasn't incompetence; it was Hannah. His suppressed emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
Hannah ignored his outburst, regarding him as a stranger.
"One last thing," she said. "The Collins family has approached me; we'll work together. I'll elevate Oscar to heights you could only dream of. After twenty years in prison, you'll see it happen."