CHAPTER 5: Christian

　　Hannah's POV

　　The next day, I pushed all lingering doubts aside and prepared myself for the new chapter in my life. I woke up early because I was expecting the interior designer to come today, I took a sip of my coffee and felt refreshed. I was going to take a shower when I received a call from my new boss, Mr. Thompson.

　　"Hannah, we're thrilled to have you on board," Mr. Thompson said warmly. "We're hosting a little welcome party for you tonight. It'll be a great chance to meet the team."

　　I hesitated briefly. A party sounded overwhelming after everything I'd been through. But I knew I had to face this new beginning head-on. "Thank you, Mr. Thompson. I'll be there," I replied.

　　After that I took a fresh and meet the interior designer, he seemed to love the house but he wanted to do a few changes and I didn't mind it.

　　"I will come tomorrow with my team, have a great day!" He said and left. Today, I didn't feel like cooking so I ordered a pizza. I had to get ready to go on the office party. What should I wear? First impression is the last one. So, I have to look my best. After doing some makeup, I straighten my hair. And picked up a black shirt and a skirt to match with it. I paired them with some medium black heels.

　　When I arrived at the office, which had been transformed into a lively gathering. The room buzzed with conversation and laughter. A smile came upon my face. I stepped in, I thought I will be getting glares but no, I was wrong. As soon they saw me, a group of women approached me, their faces friendly and welcoming.

　　"You must be Hannah!" one of them said with a smile. "I'm Emily, and these are Sarah and Lisa. We've been dying to meet you." She said in excitement.

　　"Nice to meet you all," I said, shaking hands with each of them. "Thanks for the warm welcome."

　　"So, how are you finding everything so far?" Sarah asked, curiosity in her eyes.

　　"It's my first time meeting all," I admitted, "but all of you are so welcoming. I think I'm going to like it here."

　　As we chatted, the conversation naturally drifted to the topic of office gossip.

　　"Have you met Christian yet?" Lisa asked, her eyes twinkling. "He's practically the office heartthrob."

　　I laughed, slightly taken aback. "I've heard a lot about him. But I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him." I didn't tell them that I had met him in court.

　　"Oh, you'll know him when you see him," Emily said with a wink. "Tall, handsome, with a smile that could melt ice." I remember what he looks like, and Emily has explained it quite well.

　　Just as I was about to respond, a ripple of excitement spread through the room. I turned to see what the fuss was about and saw a tall, striking man walk in, surrounded by a group of laughing friends. There was no doubt—Christian.

　　"Speak of the devil," Sarah whispered.

　　Christian's eyes scanned the room, and when they landed on me, his expression shifted. There was a brief flicker of something in his gaze—recognition, maybe? He politely waved off the women who approached him and headed straight in my direction. I was feeling a but nervous. We are seeing each other after years.

　　"Looks like he's found his target," Lisa teased, nudging me playfully.

　　Before I could respond, Christian was standing in front of me, his smile warm and genuine. "Hannah, right? I've been hearing great things about you."

　　I nodded, trying to hide the slight tremor in my voice. "That's kind of you, Christian. I've heard a lot about you too."

　　He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "All good things, I hope?"

　　"Mostly about your charm and good looks," I teased, echoing the earlier conversation.

　　Christian chuckled, a deep, rich sound that seemed to reverberate through the room.

　　"It's so good to see you after so much time," He said.

　　"Same here, Christian. I can say the girl were not gushing for nothing, you are handsome." I laughed.

　　"Flattery will get you everywhere, Hannah. But in all seriousness, I'm really looking forward to working with you."

　　"Likewise," I said, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease.

　　"And you look beautiful!" I saw the same spark in his eyes again, I never noticed it before but now I can see how he looks me. A blush came upon my face.

　　"Thanks!" I said.

　　There was something disarming about his easygoing nature. His humor was infectious, and before long, I found myself laughing along with him, the weight of the past few weeks lifting slightly.

　　"I will go ask boss why haven't he recruited you soon…" He laughed. I looked at his care free self. I was smiling all the time. At one point, Emily and the others joined us, unable to resist teasing Christian. "So, Christian, are you going to share the new recruit with the rest of us, or is she all yours tonight?"

　　Christian grinned, not missing a beat. "I'm just keeping her entertained. You know, making sure she feels welcome."

　　"Well, you're doing a great job," I chimed in, playing along with the banter.

　　Emily winked at me. "Don't let him monopolize you all night, Hannah. We want to get to know you too."

　　I smiled, appreciating the camaraderie. "I'll make my rounds, I promise."

　　The evening flew by, and before I knew it, people were starting to leave. I exchanged contact information with a few colleagues, feeling a growing sense of belonging. Just as I was about to slip out, Christian caught up with me near the door.

　　"Leaving so soon?" he asked, a hint of disappointment in his tone.

　　"I've got an early morning tomorrow," I explained. "I have to exchange suitcases with someone who accidentally took mine."

　　Christian's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You know, fate has a funny way of bringing people together."

　　I frowned, not understanding what he meant. "What do you mean?"

　　"Ah, nothing, well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, have a good night, " He said with a very warm smile and he left. Someone called me from the back, I went inside and came back to find him gone.

　　Oh, I didn't get a chance to tell him, I would not be coming to the firm tomorrow, he will get to know anyways, I smile thinking about all of his jokes. He is such a gentleman. I walked to my car, a mix of emotions swirled within me.

　　I was getting in when I saw three beautiful roses placed on my cars roof with a note.

　　"See you tomorrow, :)"

　　A smile came upon my face.