Chapter 4 Phantom Healer

"Lydia Phillips?" Sadie's voice was tinged with incredulity. "How could Hannah, an ex-convict, be acquainted with Lydia, one of Valmere's richest young women?"

Declan observed Hannah intently, his mouth a firm line.

Carlos was a quivering mess, kneeling before Lydia with his hands pressed together. "Miss Phillips, I'm deeply sorry. I didn't realize she was your friend. I was wrong to offend her. I deserve whatever comes to me. Watch, I'll punish myself!"

Without waiting for Lydia's answer, he slapped himself repeatedly.

Observing Carlos marred by self-inflicted bloody smears, Hannah grimaced. "Enough, this is revolting. Take this cash as a settlement for your injuries and get out of my sight."

"What happened to your hand? Why is it bleeding?" Lydia seized Hannah's injured hand, her eyes filled with concern.

Waving her hand dismissively, Hannah answered curtly, "Probably caught some glass shards earlier. I'll wash up."

Emerging from the restroom, Hannah dried her damp hands and sauntered back to their private nook. Midway, she bumped directly into Declan and a woman clinging to his arm.

With her alluring eyes and poised manner, the woman was Eliana, who Declan had always considered superior to Hannah.

"Miss Moore, fancy meeting you! Remember me? I'm Eliana."

Though Eliana's greeting was warm, Hannah's response was icy.

Sensing the tension, Declan intervened, "We have an appointment with Grandma tomorrow night. She's heard about our divorce and wants to meet us."

Hannah nodded, prepared to move past them.

Declan scrutinized Hannah's aloof demeanor and frowned, "Places like this don't suit you, nor does the way you're dressed."

Unmoved, Hannah shot back, "Mr. Edwards, given our divorce, it's really not your business what I do."

Struggling to keep his mounting irritation in check, Declan said, "You seem eager to put space between us."

Hannah gave Declan an odd glance, sizing him up from head to foot. "And you're not in a rush, Mr. Edwards?"

Hesitant, words caught in his throat, Declan took Eliana's hand and started to walk away.

"Hold on, Declan! I need to talk to Miss Moore for a moment."

After Declan rounded the corner to light up a cigarette, Eliana walked up to Hannah and said softly, "Miss Moore, I regret any strain my return has put on your marriage. But having suffered the unbearable pain of my first loss, I can't afford to lose Declan again."

Bewildered, Hannah's eyebrows knit together. "So?"

Fidgeting with her bag and kicking at the transparent balustrade, Eliana looked up, her eyes radiant with a smile. "I appreciate that you've allowed Declan and me this chance at happiness I once lost. I hope you find your own happiness soon, so you're not trapped in an unreachable relationship."

It clicked for Hannah in that moment. This wasn't an apology. It was a declaration.

Eliana was showing her that the heart she had tried to warm for four years could indeed find warmth, but not from her.

Despite her meticulous grooming, despite analyzing every word and gesture from Declan, she couldn't measure up to Eliana, who seemed to win effortlessly just by being there.

But that no longer had any relevance. From the moment Hannah signed her name on the divorce papers, love or its absence, Declan was destined to be just a temporary chapter in her story.

What was done was done.

"Miss Patel, I'm afraid you are wrong."

Lifting her eyes, Hannah met Eliana's gaze with a touch of sarcasm. "I got divorced because I grew bored. Declan is a fine partner, but after four years, I'm tired of this dreary charade."

Taken aback, Eliana forced a smile. "You don't need to offer insincere words just to wound me. I know you've always had feelings for Declan."

"And if I have?"

Stepping closer, so close that her breath whispered against Eliana's skin, Hannah offhandedly remarked, "I can have feelings for a lot of people. I hope you find joy together. It's not my concern."

With that, she turned around and began to walk away, her high heels echoing assertively down the glass corridor. As she left, her silhouette radiated the intensity of the loneliest moonbeam in the midnight sky.

Upstairs in an exclusive lounge, a man leaned against the railing, quietly observing the exchange happening below.

"Ah, Declan is a fascinating man. Dumped by a Patel family girl four years back, he waited all this time. Now that she's back, he's left his wife to pursue her. Sounds like a tale of true love," Bryson remarked.

Holding a glass of red wine, the man exuded an air of gravitas despite his casual posture.

"Bryson, we're here to unwind, not to be engrossed in some soap opera. You've been transfixed ever since Carlos stirred up trouble. Planning to take over the Edwards Group, are you?" Brayden Davies queried, his voice tinged with sudden insight. "Is there some secret I'm not privy to?"

Bryson took a leisurely sip of his wine. "The sunset industry doesn't interest me," he said dismissively, shifting his gaze to the red-clad figure at a booth. "Declan's ex-wife, however, is another story."

"His ex-wife?"

Brayden paused, puzzled. "Do you know her?"

Then he rapidly dismissed his own question. "Impossible. She's just an average woman with a criminal past. She's practically an outsider. I can't fathom how she ever married Declan. To top it off, she knows Lydia! She must be incredibly lucky."

Bryson put down his wine, stood, and moved closer to the railing for a better view of Hannah, who was now engaged in a spirited drinking game.

"When Sadie wronged Grace and was taken to the tower, that woman stood alone in her defense." Bryson smirked as if recalling a fond memory. "Seems she has more spine than anyone in the Edwards family."

Brayden's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, the gutsy woman who bested you in Roulette is Declan's ex-wife?"

Bryson simply nodded.

Amazed, Brayden gave Hannah another glance. Then he remembered something and queried, "Speaking of which, how's Grace? Any updates on the so-called Phantom Healer?"

The cheerful expression on Bryson's face vanished instantly. With a measured tone, he said, "Word is, the Phantom Healer was once the top racer on the East Coast Racing circuit but retired four years ago for unknown reasons. I intend to see if I can meet them this time around."