Chapter 867: Miguel and Michelle

Lillian remained silent. She wouldn't surrender easily; she would fight to keep her brother alive.

"Have your brother surrender," Hannah said, her voice cold and impatient. She turned to leave.

"Hannah, please! Let him go! My brother did this for me. Please forgive him. He regrets it and is confined by my father. He's paid the price," Lillian pleaded.

"Really? Then he should pay the full price. But from what you've said, I don't believe he has," Hannah countered, refusing her plea.

Lillian's frustration mounted with each refusal, even after revealing her baby was Cian's. Hannah remained unmoved. If she insisted on bringing Matthew to justice, there was no saving him. Though Lillian braced for the worst, she wouldn't yield easily.

"The price he must pay," Hannah added, "is equal retribution. Manuel and my baby were seriously injured; therefore, the culprit should suffer the same. If they cannot survive, your brother should join them."

"But... but..." Lillian stammered, unable to continue. Sorrow etched her face, while deep loathing filled her heart; she would have killed Hannah if she could. She hadn't expected such mercilessness; her undignified pleas had failed.

Pain contorted Lillian's face. She stared at Hannah and whispered, "If you insist..." Before she could finish, she collapsed, unconscious.

Theodore quickly caught her, holding her in his arms. Lillian's pallor and weakness were evident. Hannah, however, remained impassive, coldly walking past them and out of the ward. She didn't care if Lillian was truly unconscious; she felt no sympathy or pity.

Oscar remained silent. Hannah didn't consider his reaction; only her goal mattered.

She heard Theodore's frantic call for a doctor and saw the ensuing chaos in the corridor. It was all meaningless background noise, unable to distract her. Cian's baby was Lillian's powerful shield; Hannah couldn't fight her, at least not during her pregnancy.

Hannah returned to her bed, overcome by exhaustion. Few new mothers, she reflected, would walk so far, stand so long, and endure such physical and mental challenges just two days after a cesarean.

She needed rest. Her sole duty now was to recover and remain strong; she couldn't die now. She fell asleep almost immediately. During her slumber, a visitor arrived quietly and sat beside her, silent.

Upon waking, she found Oscar there, surprised since she assumed he'd stay with Lillian. His presence puzzled her.

Watching him rest his head on his arms, she imagined him sitting in the lounge, sleepless the previous night, dozing briefly from exhaustion, only to wake again. It had been a sleepless night for both of them.

Who could sleep soundly after all that had happened? And she wasn't sure she'd slept for even half an hour, haunted by nightmares.

She shifted her gaze from Oscar to the ceiling, lost in a stupor, undisturbed by his presence.

Finally, Miguel and Michelle woke Oscar, arriving to visit their daughter. Fortunately, they and her grandmother only suffered minor concussions, expected to heal with a day's rest. They weren't pleased to see Oscar, their displeasure palpable.

"Hannah, how are you feeling? The nurse said you walked around the hospital after getting out of bed. How dare you! Too much exercise after surgery is harmful," Michelle exclaimed, concerned, ignoring Oscar completely.

"I did what I felt capable of. And now I'm resting," Hannah reassured her.

"Don't push yourself," Michelle cautioned.

"I won't," Hannah promised, nodding. She needed to ease her family's worries.

"Are you hungry? I've sent the maid with food," Michelle said.

"Wonderful," Hannah replied.

Michelle sat beside her, chatting anxiously, while Miguel offered infrequent comments. The loving family ignored the awkward outsider, Oscar.

Cooper's maid arrived with lunch. The simple but nutritious meals were specially prepared for Hannah. However, her appetite was poor, and she ate only a little.

Her parents stayed for lunch, pointedly ignoring Oscar. No one invited him, and he didn't ask. He was no longer family.

After lunch, Hannah persuaded her parents to return to their ward; she felt sleepy. Though reluctant, they eventually yielded, glaring at Oscar as they left. If he weren't the Commander-in-Chief, they would have confronted him.

Hannah managed a faint smile.

After their departure, she turned to Oscar. "Please forgive their concern for me," she said.

It was the first time she'd spoken to him directly. He wasn't appeased; her efforts were unnecessary; he knew her compliance was for revenge.

"Their animosity is understandable," he replied.

"How was your lunch?" Hannah changed the subject. Further consolation felt insincere; she was tired of talking to Oscar.

"Max will bring it soon," Oscar answered.

"Max must hate me now," Hannah murmured. No one could remain at peace after being tricked.

"He won't," Oscar assured her. For Oscar, Max's obedience was simply a matter of command. He'd do as instructed.

"How's Lillian?" Hannah asked abruptly.