Chapter 3 - THE FIRST SPARK
Three weeks passed.
The routine was brutal. Adrien was a demanding patient, but Hannah was an unrelenting force. She pushed him past his pain threshold, refusing to let him give up when his legs cramped or his muscles shook with exhaustion.
In return, Hannah discovered a different side of Adrien Romano. Beneath the ruthless mob boss was a man burdened by immense responsibility, surrounded by vultures waiting for him to fail.
One rainy evening, after a grueling two-hour therapy session, Adrien collapsed back onto the examination table, sweat dripping from his dark hair, breathing heavily.
"That's enough for today," Hannah said softly, wrapping a warm towel around his shoulders.
Adrien caught her wrist. His touch was warm, his grip firm. Hannah’s breath hitched as she looked down into his face. They were inches apart.
"Why do you stay, Hannah?" he asked, his voice low. "I know Marcus tried to offer you fifty thousand dollars last week to leave my service and give him your therapy reports."
Hannah gasped. "You knew?"
"I know everything that happens in this house," Adrien said. "Why didn't you take the money? It would have paid off your debts."
Hannah looked at him, her dark eyes filled with absolute sincerity. "Because I don't sell out people who trust me. And because... I know what it feels like when everyone around you wants to see you break."
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Adrien stared at her, his dark eyes softening in a way she had never seen before. Slowly, his fingers slid down from her wrist to hold her hand.
"You're too good for this world, Hannah," he murmured.
