Chapter 18
After she had familiarized herself with the case, Yves took her to meet the person behind the rumors.
They arrived at a café, but their guest hadn’t shown up yet. While they waited, Hannah spotted a familiar face.
Tess, her college classmate and best friend. After graduation, Tess had become a well-known journalist.
When Tess met Hannah’s gaze, a flash of surprise crossed her face before she quickly looked away.
“Mr. Lancaster, may I go say hello to my friend?” Hannah asked.
Yves nodded.
“Tess,” Hannah said, sitting down across from her. “What’s wrong? You look awful p>
Tess clutched her coffee cup, her expression hesitant. She finally let out a sigh. “I think… I’m in trouble. I’ve been suspended for a few days, so I came out to clear my head p>
“What happened? Can I help p>
“You might be able to, or… you might not p>
Her evasiveness made Hannah’s heart sink. “Does this have something to do with Lionel p>
Tess nodded, her eyes darting around the café before she spoke in a hushed tone. “I was at the hospital for an interview the other day, and I accidentally took a few photos p>
She showed Hannah the pictures on her phone.
The first was of Lionel, carrying a thermos, rushing into a hospital room with a worried expression.
The second showed him with a tearful Sandra.
The subsequent photos were all of them in various embraces, him kneeling to comfort her, wiping away her tears. They were undeniably intimate.
“I meant to send them to you, but I accidentally sent them to my assistant. I deleted them right away, but she must have saved them. Late last night, she posted them online, creating a story about Lionel’s hidden wife p>
Hannah immediately took out her phone to check.
“The story was taken down almost as soon as it went up,” Tess said
with a sigh. “The hashtag was scrubbed, you can’t find anything. This morning, our company received a letter from his lawyers. My assistant
w which way the wind was blowing and skipped town last night, blocking all of us. Now, all the
blame is on me p>
Hannah searched online, and sure enough, there was nothing. She found a few vague posts that used symbols instead of names, but even those were quickly disappearing.
“What time did this happen?” Hannah asked.
“Around ten, think,” Tess said, her eyes welling up with tears. “Hannah, I know this is a lot to ask, but I have no other choice. They can’t find my assistant, so I’m the one taking the fall need you to talk to Lionel, ask him to drop it. Please p>
Hannah’s mind was reeling.
Ten o’clock. That was right after her fight with Lionel, when she had locked herself in the guest room. It meant that immediately after their argument, he had set about getting the story taken down, probably working all night, and then still managed to get up early to make porridge for Sandra.
The thought sent a sharp pang through her chest. She let out a bitter laugh.
How much must he love her to do all that without a thought for his own exhaustion?
“I p>
Before she could answer, her phone rang. The caller ID read: Lionel.