Chapter 5 Ruining Her Completely

When Hanna arrived at her home in Serenity Garden, she found Brynn lounging against the doorframe, absorbed in her phone, scrolling through videos.

Seeing Hanna in a radiant red dress and carrying two hefty boxes of gifts, Brynn couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh my, the bride returns solo? Where's the groom? Why didn't he escort you?" she taunted.

Hanna's face twisted with distaste.

She and Brynn had always been like oil and water, and since that incident a week ago, every sight of Brynn sent a surge of anger through Hanna.

"Oh, how could I forget? Everyone knows Kayce Collins is an invalid, stuck in bed all day. Leaving his house is beyond his capabilities!" Brynn pretended to have just remembered that information.

"And word is, he's impotent too. I bet he hasn't even consummated the marriage. Lucky for you, because if he found out his bride wasn't exactly pure, that would be quite the scandal... Ouch!"

Before Brynn could finish her sentence, Hanna's hand flew through the air, landing a sharp slap on her cheek, eliciting a shrill scream.

"You bitch, how dare you hit me?!" Brynn yelled, her hand ready to strike back. But before she could lay a finger on Hanna, a deep male voice came from behind.

"Brynn, don't you dare lay a hand on your sister! She stepped in to get married for you and connected our family with the Collins family. She's our hero, so please give her the respect she deserves, got it?"

Cristian's bulky frame appeared, his presence commanding attention.

Despite his usual favoritism towards Brynn, his authority in the household was undisputed.

Brynn, seething with rage, glared daggers at Hanna but didn't dare defy Cristian.

Hanna met her glare with a mocking lift of her eyebrows.

At that moment, Jessie sauntered over, pretending to be the voice of reason. "Brynn, it's no wonder your father is upset. How could you be so thoughtless?"

Hanna's contempt grew even more pronounced.

Did Cristian just call her the hero of the family?

Only because she had become Kayce's wife, Cristian and Jessie, ever eager to curry favor with the Collins, had shamelessly shifted their attitudes, showering her with fake kindness.

Brynn was Cristian's beloved daughter. In the past, if Hanna had dared to strike Brynn, Cristian and Jessie would have unleashed their fury on her!

Cristian turned to Hanna, his demeanor shifting to one of exaggerated warmth.

"Hanna, what a pleasant surprise to see you today. We're delighted to have you back..."

"Spare me your hypocritical drivel!"

Unable to bear his duplicity any longer, Hanna flung the Collins family's gifts at Cristian's feet.

"You promised you'd tell me where my mother was once I married into the Collins family. Speak, now!"

"Hanna..." Cristian looked troubled.

Jessie stepped in at the perfect moment. "Your father couldn't bear to disappoint you, so I'll tell you. We must secure the project promised by the Collins family before we reveal Helena's whereabouts."

Hanna's mind buzzed with disbelief.

"That's not what you told me before the wedding!"

"Of course it's not. If I had told you this back then, you might have decided not to marry in Brynn's place." Jessie responded like it was the most normal thing ever.

Hanna had never encountered someone so brazenly shameless.

She held her chin high, a defiant gleam in her eyes.

"So, you are going back on your word? Very well, then I shall do the same. I'll divorce Kayce, and we'll see how you cling to them or acquire that project!"

Jessie's eyes narrowed. "Go ahead! Only we know where Helena is. If you dare divorce Kayce, I'll have her eliminated. The next time you see her, it'll be her ashes!"

Hanna felt as if she had plummeted into a frozen abyss.

No matter the abuse or bullying she had endured from Jessie and her children in the past, she had never surrendered.

But with her mother's life hanging in the balance, Hanna had no choice but to acquiesce.

Cristian, playing the role of the benevolent one, interjected, "Hanna, that project is of utmost importance to me. We're only pushing you because we have no other recourse. Kayce has agreed to entrust the project to me when you married him yesterday. All we worry about is that someone could dissuade him."

Hanna immediately understood the situation. Cristian feared she might sabotage his plans out of sheer spite now that she had married Kayce.

"Hanna, fret not. Once I have the contract signed and the project secured, I'll ensure you and your mother are reunited. Until then, I'll see to her well-being."

Hanna had long since lost any semblance of trust in Cristian. Yet, with her mother's safety at stake, she had no choice but to bide her time.

Casting a cold glance at Brynn, Jessie, and Cristian, Hanna steeled herself – this would be the last time she endured such insult and humiliation.

Once her mother was rescued, she would repay them tenfold for the suffering they had inflicted!

Since she was back here, Hanna made the decision to grab whatever she owned in this house.

Jessie had made Hanna live in the attic, which was frigid in the winter and scorching in the summer, despite the villa having fifteen bedrooms.

As Hanna went up the stairs, Brynn shot her a mean look.

Just a week ago, Brynn had drugged Hanna and sent a couple of rogues to her hotel room.

However, those dimwits dared to call Brynn in the wee hours, claiming they had gone to the wrong hotel.

When Brynn rushed over with them, Hanna was already gone. But Brynn found a ring on the disheveled bed, which, after a quick online search, turned out to be worth a pretty penny.

Brynn had planned to sell the ring in the morning, but she was stopped in her tracks by a woman in a flashy car who asked her, "Did you happen to save my boss last night?"

Brynn instantly understood that Hanna had accidentally saved a man with her body. And that man was the owner of the ring!

Knowing that this expensive ring's owner must be wealthy and powerful, Brynn impersonated Hanna and took credit for the heroic deed.

The woman took the ring and promised that her boss would repay Brynn.

But before Brynn could receive the repayment, people from the Collins family showed up at her home, requesting that Brynn marry the disabled Kayce. With her back against the wall, Brynn had Hanna take her place.

Just the day before, the ring's owner had personally met Brynn and promised to repay her. If Hanna were to find out the truth, it would spell the end of her scheming.

Brynn didn't give a hoot about the benefits Hanna could bring to the family; she had concocted a devious plan to ruin Hanna completely before the truth came to light.

Hanna was in the attic, packing her belongings, when the door suddenly burst open.

"Well, well, look who's here, packing all by herself?"

A middle-aged man with a sly, shifty expression sauntered in, eyeing Hanna from head to toe with a lascivious gaze.

Hanna recognized him immediately-the useless, gambling-addicted son of the butler, who had made lewd comments to her on multiple occasions.

She had once orchestrated his expulsion from the house for theft.

She couldn't believe he had the nerve to show his face again.

Brynn must have let him in!

"I heard the man you married is a cripple. You must not have been satisfied last night. Let me lend a hand, hahaha..."

The man sneered, approaching Hanna.

Having studied medicine, Hanna knew precisely where to strike. She mustered all her strength and dealt him a swift kick between the legs.

"Ahh!" he screamed, crumpling to the floor, clutching his wounded pride, his face turning purple in pain.

But he wasn't alone.

Three more men stormed in, surrounding Hanna.

A chill of fear gripped her from head to toe.

Hanna fought back desperately, but was soon pinned face-up on the floor.

Despite her struggles, two strong men held her down firmly. She couldn't move, only watching helplessly as the third man's hands, like the claws of a predator, approached closer and closer.

For Hanna, it felt like she had once again been transported back to that terrible night when a beastly man had brutally violated her, leaving her no chance to fight back.

Tears streamed down her delicate face. Determined not to let these vile men defile her, Hanna decided to end her own life by biting her tongue.

At this time, one of the men grabbed her shirt, prepared to tear it open.

Hanna took a deep breath, gathering all her strength to bite her tongue...

"Stop!"

A voice rang out at this moment, halting the horrific scene in its tracks.