Chapter 1094

Hannah frowned, leaning back against the elevator wall. She didn't look disgusted, though. Ralph's cast-encased arm rested against her chest; its movement brushed her, causing her to flush and purse her lips.

This sparked a flashback in Ralph to the charming Hannah he'd first met—adorable, easily teased. But their subsequent encounters had convinced him of her instability. Why else would she be in a neurology department? Facing a woman with both violent tendencies and apparent mental health issues, he dared not provoke her.

Yet, this was an unusual instance of her controlled temper. He couldn't resist a teasing wiggle of his finger. "See? Not my fault. Just crowded. Accident," he said. Hannah glared, but remained silent. Reaching the ground floor, everyone exited; Hannah first, followed by Ralph—who, this time, didn't follow closely, fearing a hospital-exit assault.

As they neared the entrance, Hannah stopped and turned. Ralph quickly checked himself, finding nothing amiss, then realizing—was she changing her mind about the beating?

Frozen, he considered his escape options. His reflexes, however, lagged behind his thoughts. Before he could react, Hannah was before him. "A while ago…" she began.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. I promise!" He raised his uninjured arm in surrender.

"The thing you said… could be fake? What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

Ralph was stunned. Was her illness causing forgetfulness? he wondered. "Erm… I meant it as a possibility," he stammered. "Since Alexander used a fake handbook to trap me, yours might not be authentic either. I just suggested you have an expert check it, to be safe."

It wasn't entirely true; he simply disliked Hannah's smugness. He couldn't be sure of her reaction, so he chose caution, prepared to flee at the first sign of aggression.

After a few seconds, she replied calmly, "Okay." Then she left.

Ralph was utterly bewildered. What had just happened?