My Deceased Wife Wants a Divorce (Hannah) novel Chapter 209

When Hannah got home that evening, she found Lionel sitting in the living room. The ashtray on the coffee table was overflowing with dozens of cigarette butts, and a foul-smelling haze hung in the air.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust as she walked in.

“If you’re going to smoke, do it outside. It stinks in here,” she said, waving a hand in front of her face as she headed for the stairs.

“Hannah.” Lionel stubbed out his cigarette and stood, intercepting her and grabbing her arm.

“Did you tell Quennel?” he demanded, his voice raspy. “Do you have any idea what kind of man Kim is? Even if you hate Sandra, you can’t possibly…”

Hannah spun around and swung. The sharp crack of her hand connecting with his cheek echoed through the silent room.

Caught off guard, Lionel’s head snapped to the side from the force of the blow.

The sound brought Cora running from the other room. Seeing the scene, she rushed forward.

“What are you doing? Let go of him! Let go!” she cried, shoving Hannah away and hovering over Lionel, her face a mask of distress as she stared at the red mark on his cheek.

Thrown off balance, Hannah stumbled back a few steps, a humorless laugh bubbling up from her chest as she looked at the two of them.

“Lionel, you still haven’t done a single thing about what happened to me yesterday, and now you’re here interrogating me about Sandra?” She gritted her teeth, feeling more and more like Quennel had been right. She was far too soft. It was her own kindness that allowed them to hurt her again and again.

Hannah’s words trailed off. She stopped, a flood of old memories rushing through her mind. She lowered her gaze, blinking slowly. After a few seconds of silence, she looked back up at him.

“Lionel, have you ever told me the truth? When did you and Sandra really meet? Was it actually after you returned to the Rosenberg family?”

She’d always known his relationship with Sandra was strange, but she’d convinced herself it was just guilt over rejecting their arranged marriage.

But now… it was clear that wasn’t it at all.

There was something between them, something she had never known.