Chapter 324
Horrified, her grandmother ordered someone to shut off the screen and rushed over to pull Hannah into a tight embrace.
“Go! Find out who that man is, right now! How dare he… how dare he treat my granddaughter this way!” her grandfather bellowed.
The Temple family’s security team sprang into action, some dispersing to launch an immediate investigation while others rounded up the entire A/V crew.
“What on earth is going on p>
“Was the Temple heiress abused p>
“My God, did you see how hard that man was hitting her? Her skin was broken! It hurt just to watch p>
“And her clothes… they looked so thin. The poor thing, it’s just heartbreaking p>
“But who would play a video like this here? You don’t think Ms. Temple did it herself, do you? To get sympathy from her grandfather p>
“I doubt it. She hasn’t exactly been flaunting her return to the family. Besides, she’s a top lawyer at Keystone Group. Her career is brilliant. Why would she need to resort to something like this p>
“That place… it looked like an orphanage, didn’t it? Do you think they abuse all the children like that? My God, the trauma Ms. Temple must have p>
The murmurs swelled around him, but Lionel felt as if he were encased in ice, a cold sweat breaking out on his skin. He stood rooted to the spot, staring at the now-dark screen. His heart, his very soul, felt as if it had been ripped out of his body, leaving him hollow and numb. His mind was a complete blank.
Sunflower Haven. He and Hannah had gone there. What had he done afterward?
He knew Jason had been cruel to her, but what had he done about it?
He couldn’t remember. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to recall, but his mind remained a vast, empty void.
Through the crowd, Hannah’s gaze found Lionel, standing motionless and lost. She remembered.telling him everything hoping, expecting that he would punish the director for what he’d done. She had waited and waited, but nothing ever came of it.
How could she have been so foolish? It was insane to expect a man who didn’t love her to avenge her.
Her grandmother guided her back to a private lounge.
“My poor, precious girl,” she sobbed, her eyes red and swollen. “When you came
back to us… why didn’t you tell me about this p>
Hannah gently took a tissue and wiped away her grandmother’s tears.
“It’s okay, Grandma. It’s all in the past p>
ет
“How is it okay?” her grandmother cried, gripping her hand tightly. “This is not over! He dared to do this to you and your grandfather and wi make him pay the price. You just wait, my dear. I will make him pay for this in blood p>
She called for Samuel to stay with Hannah while she went to find her husband and plan their next move.
When Samuel entered the room, he looked as if he were walking in a daze.
“Hannah… what… what the hell was all that?” he stammered, his mind still reeling. He sat down beside her, and his eyes instinctively fell to her arms. On closer inspection, he could see a network of faded scars crisscrossing her skin. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how horrifie they must have looked before time had softened their edges, how much pain they represented.
As he stared, his eyes filled with tears, and a choked sob escaped him.
“Hannah,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
She had thought she’d made peace with it all. For years, she had dreamed of revenge, collecting evidence of Jason’s crimes.