Chapter 3 : Wanting A Fresh Start

In the evening, Steven's assistant Tony stared in surprise at Hannah who had suddenly showed up. He rushed forward to receive her.

"Miss Oliver why are you here?"

Hannah did not bother to correct him. After all she had once prohibited anyone from addressing her as Mrs Van.

She glanced around asking, "Is he in the office?"

Tony understood that she was asking for Steven but could not tell if she came to cause him trouble.

"Steven is currently in a meeting he will probably need an hour or so before he finishes."

"That's fine, I'll go up and wait for him."

After being brought to the CEO's office, Hannah thanked Tony and walked in alone.

It was a modern office space both large and comfortable. The design was simple but it had the effect of seeming luxurious. The most attention grabbing feature of the room was the two hundred and seventy degree floor to ceiling window. It was clear and bright.

As of now Steven had not yet taken over the family business and he was not Shine Group's CEO.

A few years ago, he set up a technology company and within a span of three years he managed to monopolize most of the country's technological resources.

The company that was initially worth five hundred thousand dollars was now worth twenty billion dollars.

Now that stephen was already the prominent Shine Group's CEO four years from now. He would surely be a legend in the corporate world.

Hannah waited for nearly an hour yet never once caught sight of him.

She barely rested at all last night and the whole of today was consumed with questions about her rebirth.

By now her eyes could barely remain open.

When Steven returned to his office space, he saw Hannah who wore a thin long dress lying upon his dark leather sofa, her eyes closed.

Her peaceful expression made her seen even more attractive under the warm office light.

Feeling someone's eyes on her, Hannah opened her eyes and alarmed but quickly became lost in Steven's dark eyes which seemed to stare deeply into hers.

She immediately sat up, gazing up at him.

Just as she remembered, he stood tall dressed in a clean expensive suit.

His figure was perfect so much so that Hannah struggled to find any faults and his features were equally attractive.

Hannah stood up, "You're Back!!"

Steven walked towards his desk.

Hannah did not think through her actions and subconsciously rushed forward to grab onto his elbow. This action not only surprised Steven but also embarrassed Hannah.

It would be weird to remove her hand at this point but keeping it there was equally strange.

She could not recall herself ever being the one to initiate contact with him.

Steven glanced at her snow white hand on his elbow then slowly but firmly pulled away from her.

He asked coldly, "Do you need anything?" Hannah raised her head, asking him "Do you want to come back to city park for dinner tonight?"

Steven loosened his tie keeping silent.

She continued... "I learned to make a few dishes from Rose."

Rose was the families personal chef.

Hearing this Steven finally looked her in the eye "You...Cooking??"

He said it as though she were a rich lady who would not even dip her fingers in spring water.

Even if she wants was once like that but everything is different now.

"Do you want to give it a taste?" Hannah glanced up at him and her brows tilted with her smile.

Steven smiled coolly, "Since the drug didn't work, are you planning to use poison this time."

Indeed as hannah had feared, she'd made too many mistakes. After all she had only used the drug yesterday.

Why did she think steven would be so quick to forgive her.

In the past Hannah had been very willful. With her new experiences in mind, the person she had been in the past seemed almost ridiculous.

Hannah raised her head to look at him causing the light to fall on her neck.

Steven did not know if she did this on purpose or not but this caused the love bites on her collarbone to come into his line of sight.

"Just using that drug alone caused you to torture me for the whole night. If I still use poison, the first one to die would probably be me." She spoke openly, her eyes reflecting no dishonesty whatsoever.

Steven stared at her with his impassive eyes. Last night he had not held back at all. This morning when he'd seen Hannah lying limply on the sheets. Her body littered with the marks left behind by him. He quickly headed for the office unwilling to hear how she would once more insist on divorce when she woke up.

"After last night, based on the hatred you hold for me. It's not surprising if you tried to kill us both together." Steven said coldly.

"Killing us both together?? Why don't i just attach a bomb to myself and confine you. Isn't that more straightforward!!"

Steven did not bother to pay her any mind. Hannah remained standing there for a long time, her eyes fixated on him.

Even if Steven treated her like she was invisible focusing on his work. She stood there unmoved.

Steven rubbed his brows, "What on earth do you want?"

"I want to have dinner with you." Hannah replied matter of factly.

Steven frowned, "For the sake of a divorce you are willing to do anything. What act are you putting on!!"

Soft tactics seem to not affect this man.

Did that mean she had to be more direct?.

She went forward and rested her head on his desk. Staring at him closely as he worked.

They say that a man is most attractive when he is working but she felt that her husband was attractive at every moment.

She couldn't fathom why her past self had insisted on divorcing this man.

Steven flipped open a page of a document. Hannah moved her hand forward to block him from reading it.

Earlier she had noticed that it was the company's progress report.

Even as she messed with it. It would probably not cause too much trouble.

"Remove your hand."

Steven could no longer ignore her.

Hannah leaned close to him smiling brightly,

"Do you want to go home?"

Undoubtedly, Hannah was breathtakingly beautiful. At that moment her smile made her look like a charming young lady. In fact she looked so charming that Steven almost forgot how frustrated he was with her.

He spoke calmly "I'm working."

Hannah blinked, "I can wait for you to finish your work and we can return home together."

"I still have a video conference tonight. You head back first."

Just as before his eyes did not hold much emotion.

"That's fine I'll wait for you."

Steven closed the file in his hands and stared at her, drumming his fingers on the desk.

"What are you playing at this time?"

Hannah's expression was impressively calm.

She even purposely fluttered her lashes at him.

"I've already slept with you. What more can i play at!!"

Steven wanted to throw her out.

He said that he had a video conference and he left for it.

Steven had made it clear that he did not plan on spending any time with her.

Two hours passed just like that and Steven still did not return home.

Having just fallen asleep on the sofa, Hannah awoke in shock.

Could it be that he planned to just leave her here without any care.

Would he leave her to sleep for the whole night.

After all what she had done in the past was too much. It was not completely unlikely that he planned to leave her behind for good.

Hannah thought about her next course of action.

After a while she stood up to push open the other door in the office. Inside was Steven's break room.

There was a bathroom, a bed and some living necessities.

Hannah was used to showering every night before 10 p.m.

In her past life when she was imprisoned she was only allowed to shower once a month.

As a result, she often felt that ants were crawling on her body. Now she was obsessive about cleanliness to the point where even the slightest bit of sweat on her body made her uncomfortable.

Should she take the chance to shower before Steven's return!!

She walked in grabbing a random white dress shirt from the closet.

Ten minutes later Steven returned from his meeting to see that Hannah had vanished.

The office was completely quiet with Hannah's fresh scent faintly lingering in the air.

Steven surveyed the empty office in silence. Just as he was about to pick up his jacket from the back of the office chair he suddenly heard movement coming from his break room.

Was she still here?

Hannah walked out of the bathroom in Steven's white dress shirt, drying her long hair.

At the sound of the door opening she glanced up to see Steven. She instantly stiffened. Steven did not expect to see such a scene when he entered. He could not believe that Hannah had dared to shower here.

Not only that but she stood under the warm light of the room in his shirt.

Her eyes seem slightly teary and dazed.

His shirt was very large on her and the color shifted to reveal a large patch of unblemished skin.

Hannah felt burnt by his gaze and consciously rushed to cover her legs. Flushing red suddenly aware that she could not cover all her skin.

"I thought you planned to leave me here tonight all alone."

She placed the towel down finding a random excuse to explain why she was in the room without permission.

Steven looked away, "Put your clothes on."

"I didn't bring any clothes to change into but i called city park earlier. Someone should be coming to drop some off soon."

She walked towards him as she spoke.

"Are you done with your work?? Can we head back to city park together now."

Steven stared silently at Hannah, who exhibited a fearlessness she never had before.

He could scarcely believe that she dared to dress like this in front of him.

"What time is it!! It should be quite late." Hannah spoke to herself while holding up his wrist to look at his Patek Phillipe watch.

The time was already nearing 10 p.m.

The watch was nice to look at.

It suited his noble disposition perfectly.

He was a man with indisputably good taste. How on earth did he fall for her.

Hannah was about to let go of his wrist when she felt his hand tightened around hers.

He pulled her to the wall directly pressing her against it with his body.

"Hannah what exactly are you planning!!" his eyes were unreadable and his voice was low full of warning.

Hannah stared at him for a long time before speaking up. Her voice firm with determination.

"After last night, I decided to rethink our relationship."

Steven stared at her, "Why are you suddenly so sensible. What's the price? divorce?"

How was she going to tell him that a divorce was the last thing she wanted. She yearned for his love. She wanted to start afresh. She wanted to live with him. Anything but a divorce.

But she knew she'd have to prove to Steven that she loved him considering recent events.

She'd have to show him that she changed. That she was no longer the woman who had drugged his drink.

As she gazed up at him she noted just how beautiful he was. His face was moulded to perfection. His eyes were gentle yet strong.

Why in the world had she wanted to part ways with him.

In her past life the divorce had harmed her so much.

Hannah lifted her face to meet his. Her eyes bright.

She couldn't think of anything better to do.

She knew he wouldn't take it well.

But she had to try.

She suggestively bit her lip, draped her arms around his neck and lean forward to kiss him.