Chapter 3 The Unexpected

Hannah’s Point of View

"Good morning, Ms. Hannah," Natalie greeted me as I walked into the lobby. She was our receptionist—always kind, and it was clear she held a great deal of admiration for me.

She was stunning. I still vividly remembered a company outing where she stood out with her effortless grace and kind face. Yet, despite her friendly attention, I couldn't bring myself to feel a spark. I was so preoccupied with my feelings for my best friend that I hardly noticed anyone else around me.

Up in my office, I was buried under expansion documents for our new branch when a sudden, sharp knock broke my focus. I looked up, holding a stack of papers, as my secretary hurried in.

"I am so sorry to disturb you, Ms. Hannah, but someone in the lobby is insisting on seeing you. She’s being very persistent," Anna said, her expression entirely serious.

Anna was my secretary. She managed my schedule and handled client transactions. Sensible and highly intelligent, she never caused a single issue. In fact, she had been at the company longer than I had and mastered every operational detail.

"Can you just patch her through to my phone, Anna? I’m far too busy to go down for this," I said, staring at her with growing irritation. When she just stood there, I added, "Go ahead, Anna. Please."

She nodded quickly and stepped out.

Anna’s Point of View

I grabbed the desk phone and dialed the front desk. "Natalie, please connect whoever is looking for Ms. Hannah directly to her office line. She is very busy today and would prefer a phone call."

"But Anna, she claims to be a major client and insists they have a meeting today!" Natalie fired back. "She says she won't leave until she speaks with Ms. Hannah. Did you check the schedule?"

I sighed. Natalie was often competitive with me. She seemed to dislike that, aside from Billy, I was the one constantly working closely with Ms. Hannah. But I was just the secretary. There were no personal feelings here—only professional dedication.

I walked back into the private office. "Ms. Hannah, according to Natalie, she’s a major client. She insists you have a meeting today."

Hannah’s Point of View

"What? Seriously?" My eyebrows furrowed. I immediately checked my digital planner, racking my brain for any massive client I might have missed.

I tried not to jump to conclusions, but my mind flashed back to a woman I had met recently who hinted our paths would cross again.

"Anna, you’re my secretary. You should be the one tracking this. Check the log again," I ordered.

"I did, Ms. Hannah. Multiple times. There is absolutely nothing on the books," Anna replied frankly.

"Fine, I'll go down myself," I muttered, standing up. "This better be incredibly important, or I'm asking her to leave."

The moment the elevator doors slid open in the lobby, I froze. Is this real? Is that actually her?

A familiar face was standing right at the reception desk. She wore a sharp, sleeveless black top with a matching skirt and stilettos. Everything about her posture screamed elegance and wealth.

What was she doing here? How did she find out this was my company? Was she looking for some kind of advantage? Looking at her, she didn't seem ordinary. Was this a calculated move after our first meeting?

Suddenly, her soft but intimidating voice broke through. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked, waving a hand in front of my face. I realized I had been standing there staring for ten straight seconds.

"Yeah! Of course. I'm... I'm fine," I stammered. She let out a soft chuckle.

"What are you doing here? What do you want from me?" I fired off the questions rapidly.

She burst into a laugh that left me flabbergasted. "What's so funny?" I snapped. "I am asking you a serious question."

"Don't tell me your father didn't say anything to you at all?" she asked, her eyes widening.

"How am I supposed to know anything? We haven't spoken today. And how do you even know my father?"

She just smiled. "Are you following me? Is that why you showed up here?" I whispered, looking around. "If I'm asking you, it clearly means I have no idea what is going on."

My frustration boiled over. "Are you here to tell me you're working with my father behind my back?"

"What are you even saying?" she laughed. "I'm certainly not working behind your back. Your father and I have been discussing a very specific partnership."

I felt the blood drain from my face. Behind the desk, Natalie looked absolutely shell-shocked. Before I could respond, the woman leaned in and gave me a quick, surprising kiss on the cheek, catching me off guard.

"I’ll just come back another day," she whispered playfully, pulling away. "Maybe once you've processed all this."

She turned on her heel before tossing one last remark over her shoulder. "Oh, and give my regards to Tito Mike."

She even knew my father's nickname. Who was this girl?

I rushed back upstairs, needing to confront my father immediately. He better have an explanation ready.

Ally’s Point of View

After our initial meeting, I had reached out to my father to learn more about the merger he was planning. To my absolute shock, the person he wanted to introduce me to was Hannah Spaughton.

I had been curious to see her again, and knowing she was the one my family was partnering with was a relief. Our meeting in her lobby was a bit chaotic, but seeing her in her formal corporate attire made her look so sharp and refined. It sparked a new sense of excitement in me, and I looked forward to our next encounter.