"How dare you!"
Shock flashed across Kenneth's face, and he lifted his hand as he moved to strike Hannah.
Before his hand could come down, Brett stepped in and gripped his wrist tightly, stopping him midway.
A look of clear displeasure settled on Brett's face as he stared him down. "What exactly are you trying to do to my sister?"
Irritation took over Kenneth as he pulled his hand back with force. "Lainey is also your sister, so why did you ignore it when Hannah hit her? Do you really believe anything Hannah is saying?"
With a firm and unwavering tone, Brett answered, "Naturally, I trust my own biological sister."
Hearing that, Hannah turned her gaze toward Brett, caught slightly off guard. Among everyone in the Oliver family, he was the only one who seemed to think clearly.
At that moment, she understood why he had stressed that she was his biological sister.
His words carried more than reassurance for her, and they also served as a direct warning to Kenneth that her place in the Oliver family couldn't be questioned.
Trying to reinforce his stance, Jake spoke up. "Brett, we all witnessed it back on the boat. It was obvious that Hannah fell into the water by accident."
With a mocking tone, Hannah said, "Oh, really? Then why don't you take a proper look at this?"
Without delay, she reached into her pocket, took out her phone, and started playing a recorded clip.
Security cameras had been installed on the boat, and she had already saved a copy of the footage to cloud storage ahead of time so she could use it to reveal Lainey's deception.
On the screen, it was plainly visible that Lainey shoved her first, and only then did both of them end up falling into the water.
A heavy weight settled in Lainey's chest, and panic crept in as she silently cursed the presence of cameras on the boat.
A shadow filled Brett's expression as his gaze locked onto Lainey.
"Lainey, is this really what happened?"
Even though Lainey had been taken in by the Oliver family and didn't share their blood, she had spent years living with them, and over time, they had built a strong bond.
However, if her actions were driven by selfish intent and had nearly cost the life of the family's true daughter, then such behavior would never be tolerated.
Caught off guard and unable to respond properly, Lainey lowered her gaze and refused to meet anyone's eyes. "I have no idea why it looks like that. The camera angle must have been misleading. I truly didn't push Hannah…"
Turning toward Kenneth, she silently begged him for support, and her expression showed her desperation.
With a firm grip, Kenneth tightened his hold on her hand and let out a cold scoff. "One piece of footage does not prove anything. This could easily be something Hannah arranged to set Lainey up."
A chill settled in Hannah's gaze as she looked straight at him, and her voice carried a note of clear mockery. "If you're willing to twist the truth just to defend her, then so be it. I will give you exactly what you want. I'm calling off our engagement!"
Although her tone remained steady, the weight of her words shook the entire room.
A hint of satisfaction flickered in Lainey's eyes before she could hide it.
Even Brett and Jake showed clear signs of surprise at what they had just heard.
Color drained from Kenneth's face, and anger tightened his expression as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Hannah, this engagement was arranged between our families long ago. Do you really think you can break it off whenever you feel like it?"
Two decades earlier, the Oliver and Warren families had already set this marriage arrangement in place.
For many years, before Hannah was brought back, Lainey had been the one everyone expected Kenneth to marry.
Everything shifted the moment Hannah returned, and the engagement was then given to her without question.
Over time, Edmund Warren, Kenneth's grandfather, made it clear to Kenneth that marrying Hannah was the only way for him to secure his rightful inheritance from the family.
Because of that condition, Kenneth endured his dislike for Hannah and never once thought of backing out of the marriage.
In his mind, he had already mapped out a plan. He would go through with the marriage, claim his inheritance, and then divorce Hannah so he could be with Lainey without hiding.
Before Hannah could say another word, the sound of footsteps interrupted the tension as two figures entered the room.
"What's going on here?"
The ones who had just arrived were Hannah's parents, Bruce and Alicia Oliver, who had only just returned home.
Irritation showed on Alicia's face as she looked at Hannah and spoke sharply. "You want to break off the engagement? What kind of nonsense are you causing now?"
The moment she stepped inside, she had already caught enough of their argument to understand what was happening.
Without hesitation, Lainey rushed into Alicia's arms, and she made sure her swollen cheek was clearly visible while putting on a protective act. "Mom, please don't blame Hannah. She didn't mean to hit me."
Anger surged through Bruce. "Hannah! How could you strike Lainey like that? You have gone too far! If we had known you were this cruel and selfish, we would have never brought you back!"
Silence surrounded Hannah as she looked at her biological parents.
Although they were bound by blood, she had never once felt any real care or warmth from them.
Arrogance returned to Kenneth's expression at Bruce's words, and his earlier frustration faded as he spoke with authority. "She needs to apologize immediately, and Lainey should return those slaps twice so things are settled."
A sharp, cold look passed through Hannah's eyes as she turned to him and replied without hesitation, "What if I refuse?"
