"I-I will." Oscar's restrained voice choked from deep within his throat.
Hannah's eyes flickered, and she tried hard to hold back her tears. The two of them looked at each other wordlessly, knowing that from this day forward, they would be separated by life and death.
Lillian asked in a frigid tone, "Are you done?"
"Yes," Hannah replied softly.
There was nothing left to say. She had no regrets or grievances towards Oscar, and he felt the same way towards her. They didn't owe each other anything, so there wasn't much to entangle them.
"Oscar," Lillian called out to him.
But he didn't respond to her call.
Lillian seemed unbothered by it as she said, "I'm giving Una to you now. Will you take good care of her?"
Oscar nodded slightly in response.
"Will you take better care of Una than Salem?" Lillian taunted him on purpose until the very end just for the sake of tormenting both Oscar and Hannah further.
Hannah looked at Lillian with a hint of anger in her eyes as she said firmly, "Salem will take good care of Una."
Lillian sneered mockingly at Hannah and said sarcastically, "In front of both of you, here today I am truly an unforgivable person!"
It was true; for once she felt like a cruel monster compared to Oscar and Hannah's selflessness towards Una.
"Come over here and take Una away."
At this moment when everything was decided upon before death arrived, seemingly all things became clear; everything had been let go of and finally rest peacefully forevermore.
As soon as Oscar moved forward slightly, Lillian suddenly stopped him with another call, "Don't move!"
Both Oscar and Hannah stared intently at her, afraid that something might happen again unexpectedly.
"Hannah, come over."
Hannah's eyes narrowed suspiciously but still got up slowly walking closer toward Lilian anyway. Then Lillian handed over the little baby girl to Hannah, who immediately took hold gently, cradling the child close against herself protectively.
Una stopped fussing altogether, staring wide-eyed straight into Hannah's face with such innocent cuteness that made Hannah feel somewhat bad inside.
"Una, grow up to be a good girl." Said Hannah.
Una didn't understand. But she seemed to sense Hannah's kindness. She suddenly smiled at Hannah as if responding to her. Hannah's eyes were a little red.
"Cian, this is all I can do for you." Hannah thought to herself.
Lillian also saw Una's smile at Hannah. Her heart hurt. For so long, Una had been numb towards her; she wouldn't laugh or cry. When she did show emotions, it was in front of Oscar and Hannah. Did Una hate her too?
"Give Una to Oscar!"
He held Una's arm tightly and kept exerting force until Una cried out loud. Her crying seemed to have brought some sanity back into Oscar's mind.
He bit his lip and used the pain to calm himself down, saying "Goodbye."
He knew they would never see each other again.
Hannah still didn't respond as she walked away with an indifferent attitude towards him. Oscar took one step after another until he finally left completely behind them, with heavy footsteps echoing in the background.
Hannah remained composed on the outside. Lillian saw Oscar leave slowly with Una in his arms.
"Oscar." Lillian suddenly called out to him, "Let them leave, all the ships."
Oscar nodded in reply and he got on that speedboat with Una in his arms. They were heading to one of the ships waiting for them.
In the darkness, Lillian saw all the ships retreating. Then she looked towards the coast and then back at Hannah.
"Do you think I ask them to retreat for survival purposes only?" asked Lillian.
Hannah just looked at her silently.
"No," said Lillian firmly, "I just don't want Oscar to see me die such a gruesome death! We'll be lost at sea forever without any bodies for him to find."
Hannah swallowed hard, wondering how extreme Lillian could get this time.
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