CHAPTER 2: Wrong Suitcase

　　Christian 's POV

　　After years of being an attorney, I feel so worn out. I want some excitement in my life. I don't feel like going to the court and repeating the same process everyday, I like to work. But my life is now becoming so hectic and I feel like a robot.

　　I am bored and I want some excitement and something new, or I say I want some motivation. I lazily saw the time on my watch. There is still time in my flight, this business trip exhausted me.

　　I had just finished a tense court session, the atmosphere in the courtroom still lingering in my mind like a heavy fog. This client had been sentenced, and although the outcome was better than I thought, the weight of the case remained on my shoulders.

　　Now I have to go meet my last client and that will end my two weeks work trip. My firm is happy with me and they pay me well, so I work hard. 

　　My client shared the details of their case and we settled on a preliminary defense strategy. This new case demands my full attention. I couldn't shake the exhaustion that clung to me, I could feel a little sleepy. 

　　After the meeting, I organized the client's information and case file and prepared to return to the firm for closer study. The process of arranging the documents was a ritual that grounded me, these documents are not only papers, but we call them proofs, the control in the chaotic world of law. With everything in order, I finally boarded the plane to return home. My mind is still buzzing with the complexities of the previous case.

　　As the plane taxied down the runway, my thoughts wandered. The stress of the day began to fade away, replaced by a profound fatigue. My eyes felt heavy, so I closed my eyes. I wanted to rest for a few minutes but soon fell into a deep sleep, my body succumbing to the exhaustion that had built up over the week.

　　The plane landed smoothly, and a flight attendant gently woke me up.

　　"Sir, we have reached our destination," she said with a smile. I nodded. I then realized that I was the last person on the plane, the rest of the passengers had already left.

　　"Thank you!" With a sheepish smile, I thanked the attendant and made my way to the baggage carousel. I watched the bags loop around, and spotted my suitcase—or what I thought was my suitcase—and grabbed it without much thought.

　　I came back home and wanted to change and unpack. But when I tried to open it at home, I realized something was off. The lock wouldn't budge, and upon closer inspection, I found the luggage tag with a name that sent a jolt through me—Hannah  Mclean. I had accidentally taken the wrong luggage.

　　But this sudden surprise brought back memories of my first encounter with Hannah  Mclean in court. It was her second case, I thought she would be nervous or she would hesitate to fight her case as a defense attorney. But I was shocked. 

　　I remembered when our eyes met for the first time. She was neither nervous nor feared anything, there was a spark to prove herself and I knew that it would not be easy fighting her in the court. She walked into the courtroom with such confidence, her head held high, her eyes full of determination. She was a force to be reckoned with, and I had been captivated from that moment on.

　　Hannah  Mclean was a formidable opponent, confident and sharp-witted. Her arguments had been precise and devastatingly effective, leaving me scrambling to keep up. For the first time, I didn't win an argument in court. But beyond her professional prowess, I had always been struck by her beauty and charm. 

　　Hannah  was unforgettable, a woman who had left an indelible mark on my memory and my heart. But fate was not with me, because I wanted to tell her that I liked her way more than I can think of, but she got married. She is now living a happy life with her husband. Because she was married, and I never allowed myself to hope for anything more than professional respect and admiration.  

　　But reading her name, I remembered those courtroom battles. The excitement and spark I felt when she was there and that I missed the intellectual challenge she presented, the way her eyes would light up with determination. She was the one who encouraged me to work hard and it was so much fun. The court rivalry aside, but I always admired her. A smile came upon my face thinking how she bit her bottom lip when she felt a little nervous. I can hear my heart beat. I sometimes question myself why I didn't propose to her sooner, but then I think it was all fate. She always considered me as her senior and respected employee, we were not even friends. So what was I expecting from her?

　　She is someone's wife. I should stop thinking about Hannah . She already had a husband, and I had to respect those boundaries, though it hadn't been easy. 

　　Should I call her? No, I don't think so, I will call the airport helpline and ask them to get my luggage back. Yes, that should be right, but I will do it later, I should eat something first. 

　　The last meal I had with Hannah  was after the case we both worked with. We ate steak and mashed potatoes and she said she likes it. It was a professional meeting, but I still remember it. A smile again came upon my face. Just as I was about to get up and came out from the memories of Hannah , my cell phone rang, I came back to my boring present. I answered my phone, and a familiar voice came from the other end of the line.

　　"Hello, this is Hannah ."