Hannah shook her head. "No," she said, "from my perspective, life is impermanent. People may say they love you, but ultimately, they push you into the abyss. Compared to them, you're the best. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have lived this long. I can live peacefully, even if you don't say you love me."

Heather smiled menacingly. "It's good you think so! Remember, it's not easy for people to live in peace, especially you! Without me, you would have died long ago!"

Hannah would have perished long ago due to the Riggs family curse, had Heather not kept her for other reasons. Hannah gave Heather a respectful, submissive look, her eyes betraying her fear. This trip to the Russell Estate had clearly shocked her, but that was good; the trip wasn't in vain if it solidified her loyalty to Heather.

"By the way," Heather said, taking a bowl of soup and beginning to eat, "I told you to let him down. Did you?"

Hannah shook her head slightly. "I was going to talk to him, but after what happened, he disappeared. I didn't have a chance."

Heather paused, spoon resting on her lips. "Forget it," she said finally. "He's a homeless dog now. It doesn't matter whether you told him or not. He wasn't fit to marry me then, and he won't be in the future."

"You're right," Hannah replied, lowering her eyes.

"You must be tired," Heather said slowly, sipping her soup. "Get some rest. We'll go home around next week." Her body felt terrible lately; she'd even been vomiting blood frequently. While vomiting blood wasn't new, the frequency was concerning. She couldn't stay here long. She needed to consult the secret handbook and figure out what was wrong.

When Hannah returned to her room, she removed a necklace from around her neck. It was a birthday gift from her parents—one of their few gifts to her—that Heather had surprisingly "rewarded" to Hannah. Hannah, who had never owned any jewelry, treasured it and wore it constantly.

The small house in Lucens Apartments, located in Kingsland's suburbs, was Hannah's own purchase. When she first arrived in Kingsland, Heather hadn't been so strict, and Hannah had occasionally filled in for her sister when Heather was unavailable or simply uninterested. However, Hannah had eventually begun to think about her future.

At the time, she hadn't thought much of it, only that she needed her own place, regardless of its size. She didn't want to remain in that dark little room for the rest of her life, or be abandoned when she was no longer needed. Hannah needed to plan for her own future, to live peacefully, without disturbance.