Brianna chuckled softly, "Brandon, you should go back. I’ll talk to her and make sure Hannah comes around to you."
Brandon looked at Brianna with gratitude, "Thank you, Aunt Brianna. I’ll leave now and come back tomorrow."
Brianna nodded with a smile. After Brandon left, a cold glint flashed in her eyes as she approached Hannah’s door and knocked.
Hannah opened the door, feeling a bit disappointed to see her mother instead of Brandon, who she thought might have followed her upstairs.
Brianna walked in and closed the door behind her. "What’s wrong? Disappointed because I’m not Brandon, right?"
Hannah snorted, pretending to be indifferent, "I don’t want to see him! He’s the one who embarrassed me and initiated the breakup!"
Brianna sat next to Hannah and gently held her hand. "Hannah, even if you don’t love him, you need to reconcile with him. I can see he’s sincere. A genuine pawn is much better than any outsider, right?"
Hannah’s eyes lit up, looking at the calm Brianna. "Mom, you mean... use him to get at Ella again?"
"Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. Even though Ella doesn’t like him, Brandon is quite persistent!"
A slow smile spread across Hannah’s face, like a delicate lotus swaying in the breeze. "Yes, Mom, you’re right. I’ll think about it."
Brianna’s expression turned somber. "Your dad... is having an intense affair with his mistress. Even though I go to work, that bastard takes the opportunity to meet her during his client meetings. But what I can’t understand is, when I caught them..."
She hadn’t mentioned this to Hannah before.
She briefly explained the situation, and Hannah’s face darkened. "Mom, you said Dad walked in from outside, which means he must have hidden behind the door when you rushed in. As soon as you were in the bedroom, he could leave unnoticed."
Brianna suddenly realized, "Of course, why didn’t I think of that? But recently, your dad has been very well-behaved, and that woman quit her job."
"Dad is focused on that girl now, making it harder for us to act. You must behave well and not disappoint him. His birthday is coming up at the beginning of next month..."
Brianna pondered, unable to come up with a good plan.
Hannah, however, was unconcerned. "Mom, why is Ella so hard to deal with? We tried to get her on the cruise, with William as our accomplice, but still couldn’t take her down."
"What? That bitch... escaped again?" Brianna was shocked. She thought with Avery’s backing, Ella would be finished this time.
But once again, she had slipped through their fingers!
"Yes, and the one who saved her... was Eric! Mom, how could that bitch end up in Eric’s bed?" The thought of this made Hannah’s eyes red with jealousy and rage.
Earlier, when they thought Ella was fucked by William, both she and her sister Avery were thrilled. But when Avery investigated further, she found out that the man who spent the night with Ella was actually Eric!
This was a heavy blow to all three of them!
They had hoped to ruin Ella, to make her suffer, but instead, she came out on top!
"That bitch... has such good luck!" Brianna’s beautiful face clouded over with malice. "But don’t worry, Hannah, you shouldn’t take action anymore. Now that she’s in Eric’s favor, if Mr. Nelson finds out you tried to harm his new favorite, he won’t spare you."
Brianna spoke calmly, "Let me handle everything. You just focus on your studies; you’re still young!"
She knew her own age and fading looks meant that even if their schemes were exposed, as long as Hannah wasn’t implicated, her daughter’s future would remain bright.
Hannah felt unwilling, "Mom, how can I let you face her alone?"
"What else can we do? If you get involved again and Mr. Nelson finds out, you’ll be in serious trouble! Your young future will be ruined. But for me, I’m already old. Even if I’m exposed, so what?"
Brianna laughed coldly, willing to pave the way for her daughter at any cost.
Hannah fell silent, realizing her mother was right and she had no counterargument.
"Alright, Mom, I won’t get involved anymore. But Avery might hold a grudge this time." Hannah thought Eric might spare her since it was Avery who contacted William and arranged the drugging. Hannah had only provided the plan, and as long as Avery didn’t betray her, she would be safe.
"It’s good that you understand. Focus on dating Brandon, use him to restore your reputation and image. Make it look like he seduced you, that he forced you."
This way, Hannah would be seen as the victim. People naturally sympathize with victims.
In time, Hannah’s image would be rehabilitated.
Hannah smiled brightly, "Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t miss any opportunity!"
Ella had just come out of the bathroom, drying her hair, the strands wrapping around her white neck.
Having become a woman, Ella now exuded a more enchanting allure, a combination of cold elegance and charm that drove men wild, making her even more radiant.
Her phone vibrated. Ella touched her hair, which was mostly dry, and ran to answer it.
"What are you doing?" Eric’s gentle voice came from the other end.
Ella blushed, remembering their parting kiss, her voice trembling slightly.
"I just finished some work. Want to come out and keep me company?"
Ella glanced at the clock; it was already 10:30 PM.
She suddenly remembered she hadn’t taken her morning-after pill. Calculating, it wasn’t her fertile period, so she shouldn’t need to worry, right?
"I’m... I’m really tired!"
Ella said with a pained expression. Her legs still hurt; going out with him would be torture.
Eric chuckled softly, his voice filled with a seductive allure, "I’ll be very gentle this time..."
Ella’s body felt like it was on fire from his words. She cleared her throat, "No... not tonight. Maybe in a few days!"
"Then the day after tomorrow!" Ella laughed lightly. From being cautious to chatting freely, this must be the transition from strangers to lovers?
"But what if I miss you? Ella, you’re so heartless!" Eric said plaintively. Imagining his face full of longing made Ella smile.