CHASING THE CARPENTER'S HEART

CHAPTER 1 CHASING THE HANDSOME CARPENTER Chatrine Madison officially ruined her perfect life at exactly nine o’clock in the morning, in the heart of New York City. “This is my resignation letter.” The forty-second-floor conference room of Denton Tower fell into silence. Three Denton Global directors stared at her as if they had just witnessed an angel voluntarily fall from grace. Someone nearly dropped their coffee. Because the woman standing before them was Chatrine Madison. Personal secretary to Aron Loghan. The most disciplined woman in Denton Tower. A cold, precise mind capable of managing a billion-dollar empire without ever showing a trace of panic. A woman who always had an answer for every problem. And now… That same woman had just quit her job… for a carpenter. “Miss Madison,” one of the directors finally spoke, his voice careful. “Are you joking?” “Unfortunately not.” Chatrine offered a faint, controlled smile and slid a red folder across the tab

“I’ll give you a three-month trial. You don’t even have to pay me.” The entire warehouse fell silent. Even the floating sawdust seemed suspended in the air. Liam and Chatrine stared at each other sharply, like enemies forced into the same battlefield. “Tell me honestly,” Liam said, narrowing his eyes. “What is it that you really want? I don’t like jokes or drama. I still have work that’s far more important than this.” Chatrine straightened her posture and lifted her chin with practiced elegance, though internally she felt seconds away from collapsing from the combination of pounding nerves and wood dust. “I truly want to work at your gallery,” she answered lightly, a faint smile appearing on her lips. “Give me three months, and you’ll thank me when your business starts growing.” Chatrine Madison still clung fiercely to her professional pride. If only she had been brave enough to admit her real reason for coming, perhaps Liam would have kissed her again right then and there, hott

Even now, with the beautiful blonde woman standing directly in front of him, Liam still found it difficult to believe that someone like Chatrine Madison had recklessly come all the way to a tiny countryside town just to work at a small gallery on the outskirts of Canterbury. And somehow, at barely half past six in the morning, Chatrine already looked perfectly prepared. Elegant. Stylish. Immaculate. As though she were about to lead an executive meeting in the center of the financial world. The perfume she wore drifted softly through the morning air, fresh and delicate without being overpowering. Liam forced himself to focus on the conversation instead of the dangerously intelligent woman standing before him. For what felt like the thousandth time, he reminded himself not to entertain reckless thoughts. “What time are we leaving?” Chatrine asked. She looked completely ready already, professional, energetic, and far too enthusiastic for this hour. “The gallery opens at nine,” Liam an

The moment the door clicked shut, Chatrine found herself alone inside Liam’s office, a room that looked less like a workspace and more like the headquarters of a functioning psychopath. She set down her bag, let out a long breath, and muttered to herself, “Alright, Chatrine. The challenge begins. If you can survive working in this room without losing your sanity, you can survive anywhere.” Before opening her laptop, she carefully began tidying the clutter across the desk. A man’s territory could hide all kinds of unexpected dangers. Chatrine decided caution was necessary. “Please don’t let me find a used condom.” Meanwhile downstairs, the roar of machinery erupted through the workshop once again, vibrating against walls coated in sawdust. Liam, his arms already dusted pale with wood particles, focused on trimming the corner of a massive classical dining table commissioned by Tobias Harlot, a billionaire who had entrusted the interiors of his new London mansion entirely to Liam’s g

Even though Liam was still irritated by Chatrine’s behavior, he could not bring himself to let a woman go hungry. So that afternoon, long past the proper hour for lunch, he finally took her to the small restaurant he frequented whenever he wanted a decent meal and a few moments of peace. The glass swing door creaked softly as Liam pushed it open, and warmth immediately spilled around them. The old wooden floor groaned beneath every step. Chatrine glanced around in silence. The walls were covered with faded photographs of Canterbury from decades ago, as though the owner wanted every customer to feel they were returning home rather than simply entering a restaurant. She found herself unexpectedly startled. She had never imagined a place this small could feel so alive. Not because of luxury or elegance, but because of the people inside it. Nearly everyone seemed to know one another. They laughed across tables, exchanged greetings, waved casually at newcomers the moment the door opened.