Chapter 193: The Accident (4) Is Oscar a Murderer?

"You want to know?" Janet asked, a pleased look on her face.

Hannah remained silent, deliberately stalling for time. She didn't know if Janet's words were true, but she strongly believed Oscar would come to her rescue.

"I won't tell you, anyway!" Janet retorted. "In this world, only Oscar's closest confidantes know exactly who he is and what he does. You? You don't deserve it!"

"Even so," Hannah countered, "even if Oscar is preoccupied and can't save me now, he won't spare you once he learns you've killed me."

"You're delusional, Hannah!" Janet scoffed. "Oscar will never kill me, because I… I had an abortion for him."

Hannah's expression fell. She'd always assumed Oscar, like other wealthy playboys, would be reckless with his relationships, but she never believed he would impregnate a woman and then force her to have an abortion. She'd always considered him a man of principle.

She felt a strange unease at Janet's words.

"Are you jealous?" Janet asked, a smug smile playing on her lips as she watched Hannah's changing expression.

"No," Hannah said, meeting Janet's gaze. "It simply means Oscar didn't love you. You're not even as good as the other women he's been with. A man with a conscience wouldn't jeopardize a woman's health. I wonder how little he cared about you to get you pregnant and then force you to have an abortion…"

"Hannah!" Janet hissed, her face reddening with anger. "You don't know what happened between us! How can you be so sure Oscar didn't care about me!"

Hannah didn't know, of course. She was merely buying time. She knew Janet hadn't killed her at the scene of the accident because she wanted to prolong her suffering. If Hannah appeared weak, Janet would lose interest in tormenting her and simply kill her. Hannah needed to provoke Janet, to make her believe killing Hannah would be an act of mercy.

"You're right. Oscar didn't care about me," Janet suddenly admitted.

Hannah felt a surge of worry. This sudden shift frightened her.

"To be precise, Oscar cares about no one, including you! He kills. He'll kill anyone who stands in his way. But he won't kill for you," Janet stated firmly.

Hannah was confused. He would kill anyone? Was Oscar a murderer?

"Oscar will do anything, go to any lengths, for only one person! That's not me, or you!" Janet laughed maniacally. "Do you feel the same sadness I do? Like you've done everything but still can't win his love? That you can never be the love of his life, no matter how hard you try?"

"What are you talking about?" Hannah frowned, completely bewildered. She thought Janet was talking to herself, venting years of pent-up anger and resentment.

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. You don't deserve to know. But I'll tell you something before you die, to ease your mind. I may die, and I may be killed by Oscar. But remember, he won't kill me because of you." Janet looked pale, cold, and profoundly sad, as if she'd glimpsed her own tragic end.

Hannah watched Janet's sudden unraveling, wondering if she planned to die with her. The thought terrified her. What greater fear could there be than the fear of death?

"Hannah, you should thank me," Janet said slowly, each word deliberate. "You should thank me for killing you. Otherwise, Oscar will kill you someday, and you'll suffer far more."

Why would Oscar kill her? How terrifying was he? Who was Oscar? Janet's words filled her with dread.

"Janet, I don't care what happened between you and Oscar, or what kind of person he is. Our marriage is fake! A business arrangement, a mutually beneficial partnership!" Hannah revealed. "I threatened you with Oscar to save my life. I know better than you that Oscar won't do anything for me."

Janet's remaining fear stemmed from Oscar's true feelings for Hannah. The thought of Oscar loving another woman would drive her mad. She'd rather he loved no one.

Janet's expression shifted subtly; a flicker of life in her deathly pale face. It wasn't joy, but a semblance of reason, lasting only seconds.

Then, with an impassive face, she said, "I used to believe your marriage was fake. I know Oscar; he doesn't fall in love. But Thomas told me Oscar has loved you for a long time."

She trusted Thomas implicitly. She hadn't initially believed him, but she now accepted that Oscar did love Hannah. Truly loved her.

Hannah, however, couldn't believe it. "It's impossible," she denied.