Chapter 53: She Meant Well

At the mansion overlooking Dragon Bay, Gary and Hannah rested in the living room after a stroll. They still hadn't fully processed the reality of their luxurious surroundings. Even though their stay was temporary, the experience was overwhelming.

“It seems luck is on our side! Jared’s only just out of prison, and he’s already befriended Josephine. I wonder how they met,” Hannah said, beaming.

“Me too. But Ms. Sullivan does seem kind,” Gary replied. His former career as a civil servant had given him a keen ability to judge character.

“Considering her wealthy background, what do you think she sees in Jared?” Hannah worried; she sensed a chasm between them.

Before Gary could answer, a sharply dressed man appeared unexpectedly, startling him.

“Let me answer your question!” the man exclaimed. “Josephine is using Jared. Do you really think the renowned Ms. Sullivan is interested in him? He's a recent university graduate, poor, and way out of her league! No family like hers would accept him. She's merely showing gratitude for saving her father. They're not getting married! I'm her boyfriend—her real boyfriend. We're meant to be. Give up your foolish hopes. Don't you understand your son's place?”

He sneered, his eyes filled with disdain.

Gary and Hannah paled. Despite the rudeness, his words held truth. Jared was a commoner and an ex-convict; no family would accept him as a son-in-law.

Pleased with their reaction, the man tossed a wad of cash on the floor. “Take this and leave! Don't make me force you out!”

He departed in a sports car parked at the entrance.

Gary and Hannah were stunned, jolted back to reality.

After a long silence, Gary sighed and began packing. “People like us don't deserve this luxury.”

Hannah wept.

Gary packed quickly, then tapped Hannah’s shoulder. “Let’s go. We’ll talk to Jared later. He needs to face reality; he and Ms. Sullivan aren’t meant to be.”

They returned to their former home.

“Hannah! I thought you moved into a mansion with Jared. What are you doing back?” their neighbor, a middle-aged woman, asked curiously.

“Hi, Chloe! Well, we couldn’t get used to it,” Hannah chuckled awkwardly.

Chloe Wallace, whose husband had died when their daughter was a teenager, understood hardship.

“Good! Now I have someone to talk to again! Knowing Jared’s past, this whole situation seemed far-fetched. Whoever lent him the mansion had an ulterior motive. It’s better to avoid such people; otherwise, Jared might get into trouble,” Chloe said frankly.

Her words were blunt, but her intentions were good.

“I know,” Hannah nodded.

The extraneous promotional text was removed. The narrative was tightened and improved for clarity and flow. Sentence structure and word choice were refined.