Chapter 946 Hannah Breaks Up
After hanging up, Stella rolled out of bed, crawled over to Hannah, and gave her a gentle nudge.
"Hey, Hannah," Stella said, "Charles wants to talk. He's gonna be downstairs at our dorm soon. Maybe you guys should clear things up face-to-face. What if it's all just a big misunderstanding?"
Hannah didn't budge, playing possum like she was asleep.
Stella knew better. No way Hannah slept through that loud phone call and her not-so-quiet voice.
"Hannah, I know you're awake! Turn around and look at me," Stella's voice cracked with a mix of frustration and heartache.
Hannah stayed put, stubborn as a mule.
Stella's eyes started to water, tears pooling at the corners. "Hannah, Charles swore he only likes you and sees Violet as a sister. Give him another shot. Go hear him out. Say what you gotta say to his face. Isn't that how it always goes in TV shows? If you don't speak up, misunderstandings drag on forever."
Stella paused, hoping for a reaction. When none came, her voice got even more teary. "Hannah, please, just give Charles one last chance! I believe he's got his head on straight. There's gotta be some mix-up. It's rare to find someone you like this much. Are you really gonna throw it all away over a misunderstanding?"
Finally, Hannah stiffened, then slowly turned around.
Seeing her move, Stella's face lit up with a teary smile. She was both crying and laughing, looking kinda adorable.
Hannah got out of bed and asked, "Where is he now?"
Stella glanced at Hannah's tired face and messy clothes, guessing, "He should be almost here! Wanna freshen up a bit?"
Hannah's face was calm and indifferent. "What's there to tidy up?"
She thought, 'I'm breaking up, not going on a date. No need to look nice. Stella's right. I can't dodge this. Even if it's to break up, it should be face-to-face.'
Stella hopped off the bed, and Hannah climbed down, changed her shoes, and headed for the door.
Stella quickly put on her shoes and followed.
It was already 10:30 PM.
Dorm lights-out was at 11 PM.
Everyone was still studying, and the whole dorm was lit up.
Downstairs, they spotted Charles rushing over.
He looked anxious, but when he saw Stella and Hannah, he relaxed a bit and smiled at Hannah.
Stella knew she should give them some space, but she couldn't help but snap, "Why are you only showing up now? Do you know we've been waiting all day?"
Even she was ticked off.
Charles, slightly out of breath, said, "Violet fell asleep, so I could come out!"
Hearing that, Stella got even angrier, feeling a lump in her chest.
If she had known, she wouldn't have asked.
Stella said, "You two talk, I'll be over there."
She didn't want to go far in case things went south.
After Stella left, Charles reached out to hug Hannah, but she stepped back.
His hand hung awkwardly in the air.
"Hannah," Charles called.
Hannah thought she'd be all kinds of mad, furious even, when she saw him. She figured she'd have a ton to say and hoped he'd have some kind of explanation.
But when she actually saw him, she was so calm it freaked her out.
All those things she wanted to say? Suddenly didn't seem so important.
"Let's break up." Just three words, but they felt like they weighed a ton.
Only God knew how much guts it took for her to say that.
When she broke up with Austin, it was like a weight off her shoulders, making her feel light as a feather. But saying it to Charles? It felt so heavy she could barely breathe.
Charles frowned, clearly not happy. "I hate it when you throw around 'break up' like that. Makes everything we had feel fake."
Hannah almost laughed. "Violet's back, so I, the stand-in, should know my place and break up with you! I won't make it hard for you. I know I can't compete with Violet, whether it's family background or looks, so you don't have to choose."
Charles looked both pissed and heartbroken.
Ignoring her, he pulled her into a tight hug, holding her waist so she couldn't break free.
"I'm not breaking up with you," Charles said, desperate. "I never saw you as a substitute. I know you're Hannah, not Violet. I've met people who look more like Violet than you, so if I wanted a stand-in, why would I wait seven years and choose you? I like you for you—your independence, your strength, your attitude. Whether Violet's back or not, it doesn't change how I feel. I'm not someone who changes easily. Once I like someone, it's for life."
He let go of her, but kept a firm grip on her shoulders, staring her down. "So, Hannah, I like you, and I'm not breaking up with you. Unless one day you don't love me anymore."
Hannah looked into his sincere eyes.
She wanted to believe him. But thinking of that video, pain shot through her. Any emotion she felt vanished. She pulled out her phone, opened the video, and handed it to Charles.
"No, I won't leave you. I said I'd stay with you. Be good. Give me your hand, and I'll pull you over."
"He's Charles who loved you since you were little, so how could he lie to you? That person just now is just a friend, and Charles wouldn't leave you for her. Be good. Come over. It's dangerous there."
"Charles, is what my mother said true?"
"Your mother is right! That woman just now is just a friend! We have no other relationship! Come down first. It's dangerous up there. Let's talk properly."
"Really?"
"Really! We're just friends!"
Violet immediately smiled, placing her hand in Charles' outstretched hand, and Charles immediately grasped her hand and pulled her forcefully.
Violet fell into his arms, tightly hugging his waist.
Seeing the video, Charles' face darkened, like a storm cloud rolled in.
'Someone's trying to mess with us,' Charles thought. 'Who is it? And why?'
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