The Real Heiress Is Coming Back (Hannah Carter) novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Hannah and Felicity returned to the living room with Lucian following close behind.

“Are you out of your mind?” the boy demanded, his tone a mixture of concern and exasperation. “Why would you give her money?”

He’d spotted Hannah passing the bank card to Evelyn earlier.

Given the Scott family’s financial collapse, it seemed reckless for Hannah to be giving money away, especially to someone connected to Susie.

Lucian’s eyes drifted to Hannah’s simple, unlabeled dress. Since returning to the family, she’d worn either school uniforms or these plain dresses, never anything new.

Dorian’s past favoritism became painfully clear. Susie’s wardrobe had once overflowed with designer outfits rarely worn twice.

Now, with the family’s finances in ruins, even Lucian had gone without new clothes. Hannah clearly had it worse, though she never complained.

Unaware of his thoughts, Hannah simply glanced at him. “That’s my business.”

“Who wants to meddle in your affairs anyway?” Lucian retorted with forced indifference.

He slid a bank card across the table with what he imagined was a graceful gesture. “Here. Consider it charity.”

The card contained his recent gaming console refund, 16 thousand dollars.

Though he thought Hannah foolishly generous, she remained his sister. He could always sell a couple of his limited-edition consoles later.

What he didn’t realize was that Hannah had no need for his pocket money. Her resources far exceeded anything he could imagine.

“Lucian, take your card back.” Dorian rose, his voice carrying a note of paternal authority. “Need I remind you that

your allowance comes from me? Your sister’s expenses are not your responsibility to cover.

“I may have made mistakes, but I’m still capable of providing for this family, even if it means working with my own two hands.” His eyes drifted toward Hannah, hoping it wasn’t too late to mend their relationship.

“Perhaps you should first address your mother’s mounting medical bills,” Felicity interjected with practiced calm. “We cannot continue relying solely on Arthur’s generosity.”

She then produced the same black card she had offered Hannah before. “This is for you, honey.”

To Felicity, it felt right that her daughter should spend her money.

Dorian looked somewhat chastened by his wife’s remark.

Hannah felt an unexpected warmth at her mother’s gesture.

“Mother, that’s merely a supplementary card with limited spending authority,” Arthur stated smoothly, stepping forward with an elegant black card edged in gold. “This primary card offers substantially higher limits. Please, take it.”

He believed in upholding family honor, and though their fortunes had faded, he remained determined to compensate for Hannah’s earlier hardships.

Hannah stared at the offered cards in bewilderment. This display of financial one-upmanship seemed utterly at odds with their supposed bankruptcy.

“The discussion is unnecessary.” Barnaby’s calm voice cut through the conversation as he placed a distinctive gold dragon-embossed card on the coffee table. “This carries no spending limits.”

A collective intake of breath filled the room at the appearance of the exclusive global card.

Magnus observed the exchange with quiet amusement, briefly considering presenting his own unlimited card before deciding it would be redundant after Barnaby’s display.

Lucian shifted uncomfortably, realizing his earlier gesture had been thoroughly overshadowed by the unfolding spectacle of financial one-upmanship.

*****

Gemma stormed into the surveillance room of Baker Villa, her eyes blazing with fury. “Two days have passed, and you still have nothing to show for it? What exactly am I paying you for?”

The expansive monitoring center housed over a dozen cybersecurity specialists, their faces illuminated by the ghostly blue glow of monitors.

A young woman with violet twin-tails finally broke the silence. “Mrs. Baker, we’ve confirmed the system was breached by a hacker.

“The intruder only restored previously deleted surveillance footage and took no other actions. Their sole target appears to have been that specific video.”

“Spare me the technical details,” Gemma snapped. “What I need to know is who did this.”

The consequences of the leaked footage had been immediate and severe.

Not only had the police opened a formal investigation into Yvette and her mother’s disappearance, naming Gemma as a person of interest, but Baker Group’s stocks had plummeted for two consecutive days.

The breach had essentially advertised their vulnerability, inviting constant cyberattacks that required twenty- four-hour monitoring.

“The perpetrator’s skill level exceeds ours,” the woman admitted. “They left no identifiable traces. However…” She swiveled her laptop to face Gemma. “We believe this individual may be involved.”

The screen displayed surveillance footage from the banquet, a clear shot of Hannah following Hedy into the

wooded area behind the garden, remaining there for an extended period before emerging just as Susie’s commotion began.

Gemma’s eyes narrowed as she studied Hannah’s retreating figure in the video.

A memory surfaced, Hannah’s words echoing in her mind. “Your unexpected entertainment for the evening.”

Gemma’s mind raced. ‘Coincidence? Or does she actually know about the past? But how could some country girl possibly hack the Baker family’s security?’

Their system was supposed to be impenetrable.

“Mom!” Jasper’s frantic voice cut through her thoughts as he rushed in. “It’s Grandpa. He’s collapsed! Where’s that doctor you found? We need her now!”

Malcolm’s health had been fragile for years. He’d been resting at a private hospice, deliberately shielded from the banquet drama to avoid stress.

Somehow, he’d seen the news online. The shock was too much.

Doctors had stabilized him, but offered no promises about when or if he’d wake.

Preoccupied with the security footage, Gemma had completely forgotten about the healer she’d worked so hard to find.

She’d first heard of the reclusive miracle doctor from a society contact, and it took two years of searching to arrange a consultation.

She’d brought the expert to see Malcolm just the other day, hoping for a double celebration. Now, everything was falling apart.

“Sir, Madam.” A maid who had received Evelyn spoke up tentatively. “Ms. Carter’s grandmother is the doctor you invited.”

“What?” Gemma and Jasper stared in disbelief.

The healer’s identity had always been a closely guarded secret, even more so after her retreat from public life.

“I’m going to the Scott family to bring her here,” Jasper said, turning to grab his keys.

“Stop!” Gemma’s voice was sharp. “We’ll find another doctor.”

“Mom, this is Grandpa’s life we’re talking about!” Jasper assumed his mother was worrying about their family’s reputation.

The Bakers had just severed all connections with the Scotts over the banquet dispute. Going back to beg for their help now would make the Bakers the laughingstock of Brynlock. Everyone would see them as paper tigers without real authority.

But with a human life hanging in the balance, pride was the last thing on his mind.

But Gemma’s expression was stony as she handed him her phone. “Read this.”

The text from Evelyn was brief and brutal. [Mrs. Baker, your family has offended my granddaughter. I will not be treating any of your patients.]

To Gemma, this wasn’t just a refusal. It was pure retaliation. For the Bakers to go crawling back now would be the ultimate humiliation.

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