Hannah — Chapter 42

Hannah, seated away from Charlie and among raucous, coked-up guests, feels unsettled after Will’s speech. She watches Charlie, anxious he may be drinking, as he introduces the best man, Johnno. The crowd’s chanting recalls last night’s menace, heightening Hannah’s dread.

Drunk and volatile, Johnno begins with school camaraderie and admiration for Will, then slides into envy and resentment. He frames their past at Trevellyan as brutal “Survival,” implying shared transgressions. The room quiets as Johnno’s tone turns dangerous and personal.

Johnno recounts a suit incident: Will insisted on an expensive Paul Smith, but didn’t pay; Johnno bought it on credit and later returned it, then used Will’s spare. He calls Will stingy, credits Jules for Will’s wealth, and mocks himself, drawing uneasy laughter while publicly embarrassing the couple.

Pressing further, Johnno asserts that best mates “always have your back,” then pointedly asks whether Will would ever betray him. Will, visibly strained, says no. Johnno hints he knows compromising things about Will from their school years, further whitening Will’s face and chilling the room.

To cap the “tradition,” Johnno signals the ushers, who surround Will. Amid forced laughter, Johnno blindfolds Will with a tie, and the ushers hoist and carry him out into the dark, leaving Hannah and the guests with a sense of foreboding.