The King Of War Returns novel Chapter 9

Two years ago, Hannah and her father were driving back from a failed business meeting. The deal had collapsed last minute. Their so-called partner turned out to be a fraud—and a dangerous one. On the way back, they noticed a black SUV following them. At first, they ignored it. Then another one joined.

The driver tried to shake them off. It didn’t work.

They were soon cornered on a narrow road outside the city.

Hannah and her father jumped out, hoping to run, but the two vehicles didn’t stop. They accelerated, heading straight at them.

In that moment, Hannah froze. She thought it was over. She was sure of it.

But before the cars could reach them, someone dropped out of the sky. Literally.

A man landed between them and the cars and stopped both vehicles with his bare hands. The ground cracked beneath him, the hoods of the cars crumpled, and everything went still.

Hannah remembered standing there, speechless, heart racing.

He looked like something out of a movie.

She tried to speak, but he didn’t give her the chance. He disappeared just as fast as he arrived.

Since that day, she never stopped thinking about him.

Every man she met after that, she compared to him. None of them came close.

Not even Derek.

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“Hannah?” someone called.

She didn’t respond. Her eyes were fixed on the man standing across the room. He looked different now. Taller. Older. But it was him. She knew it.

Without thinking, she ran.

Derek, watching from a few feet away, smiled to himself. One of his men leaned over and tapped his shoulder.

“Hannah?” one of the guests blinked. “Isn’t that—?”

One of Derek’s men gently tapped him on the shoulder. “Sir, it’s your fiancée. Looks like she’s coming this way.”

Derek turned, and his face lit up with a dopey grin. “She’s running to me?” he muttered under his breath. “All this time, I’ve been chasing her… and now she’s finally falling for me.”

He smoothed his hair, adjusted his tie, and spread his arms wide with anticipation.

“Hannah! You look stunning! Come here, sweetheart!” he said with his eyes closed, grinning.

But then—

She passed right by him.

Derek’s smile froze.

The crowd gasped.

And then she threw her arms around Jaden.

“You’re that man…” she whispered. “The one from two years ago. I’ve never forgotten you.”

Jaden stood stiffly, arms at his sides, caught completely off-guard.

So when he saw her again that night—scared, cornered, helpless—he didn’t hesitate.

But he hadn’t meant for her to recognize him. He had kept his face in the shadows, just another stranger passing through. That was safer—for both of them.

“I’m Hannah Winston,” she said softly, stepping back to get a better look at him. “But you can just call me Hannah.”

She smiled, eyes warm with recognition and something else—something deeper.

“Can I know your name?”

Jaden paused. A heartbeat passed.

Then he gave her the name he always used when he wanted to stay hidden.

“My name is… Lee Rift.”

“Lee Rift,” she repeated, tilting her head. “That’s funny. I used to have a close friend with that last name.”

She let out a small laugh, then looked down, her smile fading. “I haven’t seen him in over ten years. I wonder where he is now…”

Jaden’s chest tightened.

She didn’t know. Not yet.

But she still remembered him.

“That friend of yours,” he said quietly. “You’ll see him again. When the time is right.”