Regret in His Wake (Hannah and Zachary) novel Chapter 23

Zachary's outstretched hand froze mid-air at her words. His expression shifted to one of complexity as he looked past Doris at Hannah.

Hannah stood amidst the chaos, her face etched with sarcasm. Yolanda, red-faced and flustered by the whispers around her, pointed accusingly at Hannah.

"It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been shipped off!"

With her family's wealth, Yolanda had expected a life of ease down under. But Zachary, determined to teach her a lesson, had cut her off financially, leaving her to scrape by on the meager allowance from Cecilia.

"My fault? Who was it that looked down on me, mocked me, and who sent you overseas? You haven't even figured that out and you're blaming me?" Hannah's voice was cold. "Yolanda, did you leave something behind abroad?"

The veiled insult about leaving her common sense behind stung, and Yolanda was about to spring up in fury.

"That's enough!" Zachary interjected, looking sternly back at Yolanda, his voice laced with warning. "Haven't you had enough of it?"

"Zachary! Why are you speaking to me like that for Hannah? What is it so good about her? She's short, without nice looks or stature. And, she's an orphan."

Hannah suddenly stepped forward, delivering a sharp slap to Yolanda. "I’m an orphan, so what? Unlike you, who apparently lacks manners!"

She turned to Zachary. "Zachary, keep tabs on your family!"

Zachary clenched his fists, his expression steely as he directed his secretary. "Sam, take Yolanda to the hospital."

Sam didn't hesitate, quickly covering Yolanda's mouth and dragging her out.

"Hannah," Zachary said with a heavy guilt, "I apologize for today."

"Mr. Cole, I believe your apologies are misdirected," Hannah replied coolly, glancing at Cameron, who had been hastily summoned by the butler. "Tonight is a West family affair."

On his way over, Cameron had already been briefed on the situation by the butler. He approached without so much as a glance at the apologetic Zachary, his concern solely for his wife and sister. "Are you two alright?"

Seeing them nod, Cameron finally turned to Zachary. "This fiasco will be handled by my assistant. Mr. Cole, you will be hearing about compensations."

"Dad!" Yolanda shrieked from where she knelt, while Zachary quickly interceded.

"Dad, she's still young."

"Young? She's in her twenties, but still acts without thinking! And you! Is your brain only filled with romance?"

Cecilia couldn't bear her kids getting lashed out, stepping in to defend. "Cedric."

Cecilia’s voice reminded Cedric of her existence. "And you! A doting mother spoils the child!"

His fury flared again as he heard his son, who Cedric had pulled efforts into his upbringing, had ended up in hospital two times all because of one woman, making relentless antics.

"It’s one thing that they two aren’t sensible, but why did you too pull stunts? Your son claims not having the desire to live, then let him die! The Cole family doesn't lack heirs! Must you ruin a girl's future and her five years for that? And your daughter, what does she learn at this age? Bad habits, disrespecting her sister-in-law, bullying her elders! What have you been teaching them?"

Zachary felt a pang of sympathy hearing his mother and sister berated, but Cedric's steely look kept him docile. "You and your sister, to the study! I'll deal with you both later!"