Regret in His Wake (Hannah and Zachary) novel Chapter 7

Carrying her sketchbook and a sense of confusion, Hannah headed home.

As soon as she stepped out of the taxi, the staff at the estate rushed over, their faces lit up with the relief of survivors. A few looked as if they were about to burst into tears.

"Mrs. Cole! Oh, thank goodness you're back. Things have been chaotic while you were away. Mr. Cole has been displeased with everything we do and has been in a foul mood for days."

Hearing this, Hannah finally understood. He had simply grown used to her presence and care, and now felt lost without it.

But he would have to get used to it eventually. Soon enough, she would be gone for good. The rest of his life would be spent without her.

Hannah reassured the staff before stepping into the villa, only to notice there wasn’t even a lamp on.

Zachary sat alone on the couch, the fleeting moonlight casting shadows over his handsome features, making them look both striking and mysterious.

At the sound of footsteps, he finally looked up, fixing his gaze on her for a long moment, a hint of displeasure in his voice.

"Where have you been these past few days?"

She shrugged off her coat and replied nonchalantly, "Went to the mountain for some inspiration."

He frowned. "Since when are you interested in painting?"

It wasn’t sudden. She had always been a top student in the Fine Arts department. If not for a sense of obligation, she would have gone abroad long ago to further her studies and become a successful artist.

But she didn’t tell Zachary any of this. Instead, she took a sip of water, her tone casual.

"Just felt like it."

Zachary rubbed his temples. "About the other day at the diner, I didn’t mean to leave you. It's just that Anna, she’s always been delicate. Even a scratch makes her cry for hours. We grew up together, so I'm used to taking care of her and took her to the hospital first.

And you didn’t object at the time, so why make a fuss and leave? Anna’s house is renovated and she’s moved out. No need to get upset over such trivial matters."

His last words carried a slight reprimand. It was unclear whether he was blaming Hannah for leaving or for being so unreasonable that his beloved had to move out sooner.

But Hannah didn’t care anymore. She gave a perfunctory reply, set down her glass, and headed upstairs.

"Hannah!"

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