Chapter 174: Provocative

Oscar's kiss, domineering and aggressive, was a stark contrast to Hannah's gentle touch, a contrast she found hard to resist. Suffocated by the intensity, she simply wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. His kiss left her mind blank.

Embarrassed, Theodore considered leaving. He glanced at Janet, whose fists were clenched, her expression furious, threatening. He suspected Janet viewed Oscar and Hannah as a hateful pairing. He found himself growing sympathetic toward Janet, who had devoted so much to Oscar over the years, only to see him captivated by another.

Staring at Janet's furious eyes, Theodore turned to leave, knowing her hatred for Hannah would likely last a lifetime, foreshadowing an inevitable conflict. Janet and Theodore departed. Theodore found the public display of affection between Oscar and Hannah somewhat annoying. He also contemplated whether he should pursue a serious relationship instead of his current casual approach.

Only after Theodore and Janet left did Oscar reluctantly release Hannah. Her swollen lips, a testament to his passionate kiss, left him wanting more.

"Oscar!" Hannah exclaimed, covering her lips, the lingering sensation of his kiss still present. "Don't kiss me whenever you want!" she huffed.

"But I can have sex with you whenever I want," Oscar said bluntly.

Hannah stared, wide-eyed. She knew he was no gentleman, not deep down.

"Well, you initiated it," he countered.

"It was because…" Hannah began, hastily.

"Because of what?"

"Because I didn't want to be humiliated by Charles!" she blurted out, her voice loud in the empty space.

"No," Oscar denied.

Confused, Hannah frowned.

"It was because you coveted my charm," Oscar stated. Her face flushed, feeling exposed. She had been attracted to him, but his unwavering confidence regarding it stunned her.

"So you do covet my charm…" Oscar smiled, his eyes alight with genuine happiness. She had never seen this light in his eyes before. In her previous life, Oscar had always seemed numb and impassive, regardless of his circumstances. His current bright, joyful expression was captivating, intoxicating.

"But Hannah, I've been planning to get you for a long time…" he whispered, his voice enchanting. Her heart beat erratically. She wondered how long she could maintain her indifference, how long before her heart succumbed. He felt addictive, intoxicatingly so.

"Madam Hannah," a respectful voice called from behind.

Hannah composed herself and turned to see a uniformed staff member. "Madam, it's your turn to go on stage," the staff member said kindly.

A serious expression returned to Hannah's face. This was about revenge. "Okay," she replied. The staff member left, and Hannah followed.

"Hey, you're leaving me?" Oscar asked.

Hannah paused. "Since you could flirt with Janet here, I suppose you can return to your seat alone."

"Flirt?" Oscar sputtered.

She walked away. The memory of his "flirting" with Janet just before his confession fueled her annoyance. His confession felt sincere, yet the reminder of his playboy nature chipped away at her growing feelings. A man like Oscar wouldn't belong to just one woman.

Hannah returned to the hall and her seat. To her surprise, Janet was still there, not driven away by anger. She had taken Oscar's seat, next to Hannah's, attempting to position herself between them. Hannah simply returned to her own seat, choosing not to engage in a public quarrel that might humiliate her.

She saw Janet sneer, disdaining Hannah's silence.

"Possessive, huh?" Janet scoffed, mocking Hannah's earlier interaction with Oscar.

Hannah kept her eyes fixed on the stage. "I don't waste time on the meaningless. Even sitting next to him, I doubt he'd give you a glance," Hannah retorted.

Janet replied with a cold look, her fury palpable at Hannah's provocative tone.

"Don't get complacent just because you hooked up with Oscar! You're failing in business!" Janet snapped.

Hannah found Janet's assessment amusing.

"I know your plan," Janet continued coldly. "You want to negotiate with Celina for office space in the Light Building, right? I'm Celina's best option, not to mention her one-retail-store-per-city rule!"

Hannah remained impassive.

"Hannah, you can't win both love and business!" Janet shifted to a more sincere tone. "Give up on Oscar, and I'll help you get what you want in business."

Something flickered in Hannah's eyes. She looked at Janet. "Do you think I need your help?"