The Real Heiress Is Coming Back (Hannah Carter) novel Chapter 192

Chapter 192

Chapter 192

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“Back then, everyone said you were dead, but I refused to believe it. I searched for you for so long and still couldn’t find you. So I started this periodic table, just so I wouldn’t lose hope,” Barnaby said.

As he spoke, Barnaby turned to look at the periodic table hanging on the wall.

Hannah gazed at the periodic table, noticing how the glass was spotless, clearly cleaned every day.

“I spent a year searching for you, collecting two elements. If I managed to fill up the whole periodic table and still couldn’t find you, I’d give up.” Barnaby said.

Hannah glanced at Barnaby, taking in his sharp, handsome features. Her heart was pounding, each beat heavier than the

last.

The periodic table had 118 elements. If he only collected two a year, he’d need 59 years to finish!

Twelve years ago, Barnaby was just a 13-year-old kid, but he’d made such a stubborn choice, all for her.

And before this, she’d always blamed him for not coming with her to Evelyn’s place back then, and she’d even gone out of her way to avoid him.

“Why didn’t you come to the station for me back then?” Hannah asked, her voice soft but direct.

After her adoptive dad was thrown in jail, her adoptive mom spent months digging for the truth to clear his name. She finally uncovered some leads, but was threatened with death by someone mysterious.

Worried the trouble would drag Hannah and Barnaby in, her adoptive mom decided to take them to Evelyn’s place to lay low for a while.

But right before they were about to get in the car, Barnaby suddenly changed his mind and decided not to go after all.

That same day, after dropping Hannah off at Evelyn’s, her mom was driving back home alone when she got into a car accident and died instantly.

When Hannah got the news, she broke down in tears, begging to go back home. But Evelyn wouldn’t let her, warning that if she went back, she might never make it out alive. The Thole family would kill her to keep her quiet.

Hannah didn’t buy it. She secretly called Barnaby, asking him to come get her and take her home.

When the time came, she snuck out of Evelyn’s place while Evelyn wasn’t paying attention.

But that day, Hannah waited at the station until it was dark, and Barnaby never showed. In the end, she was snatched by two

traffickers.

She had no memory of what happened after she was kidnapped.

All she could vaguely remember was Evelyn finding her two days later, then whisking her away. They spent half a year laying low, keeping a low profile, before finally ending up in the mountains at the edge of nowhere.

Maybe, if Barnaby had gone with her to Evelyn’s that day, they wouldn’t have spent all these years apart.

“I did

go, but Edmund’s men hauled me back. By the time I broke free and made it to the station, you were already gone. I found Evelyn’s place, but it was nothing but ruins,” Barnaby said, his voice low and heavy.

His gaze drifted over the periodic table, eyes half-closed, lost in the shadows of old memories. He looked haunted, weighed down by the past.

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Chapter 192

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Before Evelyn took her on the run, she really did torch the house, cut off all contact, and fake her own death.

Hannah glanced at Barnaby, then at the periodic table on the wall. Suddenly, all the old grudges melted away.

Her lips twitched, wanting to say something to comfort Barnaby, but she had no idea what to say. What could I even say to make him feel better?’ she wondered.

“So, you spent all these years searching for me just because I’m your niece?” Hannah teased, trying to steer the conversation

away.

Barnaby replied, “Not entirely.”

Hannah realized something, leaning in close with a teasing look. “Oh?”

Barnaby was at a loss for words when he saw the curious, gossipy glint in her eyes.

‘If she ever found out I’ve had a thing for her since we were kids, would she think I’m some kind of creep?’ he wondered.

He raised an eyebrow, mimicking her tone. “Oh?”

Seeing Barnaby wasn’t going to give her a straight answer, Hannah tried a different approach. “So, when did you start having feelings for me?”

Barnaby just stared at her, lost for words.

He finally muttered, “Figure it out yourself.”

‘Men, honestly!’ Hannah thought, rolling her eyes.

Back when he used to chase me around, he was nothing like this!

‘Now that he’s got me, he’s letting his real self show?’ she muttered to herself.

“Stop copying me!” Hannah shot back.

Just then, the front gate creaked open outside.

Barnaby grabbed the chance to bail. “Ronin’s here. I’ll go make you a steak,” he said, and with that, he slipped out.

The more Barnaby dodged her questions, the itchier Hannah felt inside. She followed right behind him, determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Wait, don’t tell me you were already up to no good with me when you were just a kid?” Hannah teased, her voice dripping with playful suspicion.

Barnaby was totally busted and just stood there, speechless.

“Wow, you’re such a weirdo! I was your so-called niece back then!” Hannah teased, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm.

Barnaby was at a total loss for words.

Suddenly, Barnaby stopped and turned around. Hannah was caught off guard and bumped right into him.

Barnaby reached out, tilted her chin up, and gave her a wicked smirk. “So, are you scared now that you’ve ended up in the hands of a bad guy? Hmm?”

‘Seriously?’ Hannah thought, speechless.

Ronin walked into the yard to drop off some stuff, only to get a faceful of PDA from those two.

Chapter 192

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He just quietly slipped the delivery into the kitchen, and when he came back out, Barnaby and Hannah were still all lovey- dovey, totally wrapped up in each other.

‘Seriously, give a single guy a break thought, feeling utterly third-wheeled.

Just past the main hall in the west wing were the kitchen and dining area. Barnaby fished out a cake box from Ronin’s delivery and handed it to Hannah.

“Have a little cake to tide you over, but don’t eat too much, you won’t have room for steak later,” he said.

“Okay,” Hannah replied, settling in at the table and popping open the box. Inside was her absolute favorite, Tiramisu.

As she nibbled on her cake, watching Barnaby busy in the kitchen, Hannah felt a wave of sweet contentment wash over her, this was happiness.

She’d never imagined what life could be like beyond avenging her adoptive mom and clearing her adoptive dad’s name. But now, she finally knew what it meant to live for herself.

“Barnaby,” she called out suddenly.

Barnaby was busy marinating the steak and just grunted in response, “Hmm?”

“Let’s keep working on the periodic table together. We’ll collect one element a year, and finish the rest side by side,” Hannah said.

Barnaby paused what he was doing, looked up at Hannah, and couldn’t help but smile softly.

“Sure. But I’m not making any promises about us actually getting all 96 that are left,” he replied.

That was 96 years, almost a whole century.

“If we can’t finish it, we’ll just let our kids pick up where we left off,” Hannah said, her tone light and playful.

Barnaby looked at her, his eyes full of doting affection. “Deal!”

Hannah scooped up a piece of Tiramisu and let it melt in her mouth, the sweetness warming her heart.

And just like that, their century-long romantic pact was happily set in stone.

After dinner, Hannah went to Van to finally claim those exclusive movie tickets he’d promised them. She and Barnaby were ready for a cozy movie night together.

When they got to the theater and were picking out popcorn and drinks, Barnaby’s phone started ringing.

After Hannah grabbed the popcorn and turned to ask Barnaby what he wanted to drink, she noticed he was off to the side, phone pressed to his ear and brow furrowed. She could tell something was up, but had no clue who was calling.

She remembered how the Thole family always went all out for New Year’s, so many rules, so much ceremony. Barnaby’s absence since the previous day was an inexcusable breach of protocol, and they were no doubt already furious with him.

He’d had it tough enough with the Thole family as it was. She didn’t want to be the reason they gave him even more grief.

Hannah was about to walk over and suggest maybe Barnaby should head home first, but suddenly her phone started vibrating, a call from Evelyn. She picked up right away.

“Grandma…” Hannah said softly.

But it wasn’t Evelyn on the line. Instead, a girl’s anxious voice came through, “Hey, is this Hannah? Your grandma’s in

trouble!”

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