"Thirty minutes late," Hanley glanced at his watch, his tone even but firm.
"Sorry, sir," Shane muttered, the weight of his lateness heavy on his shoulders.
"Hey, Shane," Hanley said, his hand landing gently on Shane's shoulder. "You know it's my fault too. But you have to be brave enough to admit it. It's always the ones who make the mistakes who should apologize.So, I'm sorry." His smile softened the words, dispelling the tension between them.
Shane let out the breath he'd been holding, his shoulders relaxing as Hanley's words washed over him. The pressure that had been building since the morning lifted, replaced by the relief of understanding. Shane smiled back, grateful, and swiftly opened the door for Hanley.
Stepping outside, Hanley gazed up at the towering building before him—Victoria Entertainment. The company his father had founded, named after his mother. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine himself standing here, in a suit, shouldering such a heavy legacy. Life had a way of thrusting decisions upon you, whether you were ready for them or not.
Shaking off the weight of those thoughts, Hanley straightened his coat and walked toward the building with purpose. Each step felt deliberate, the gravity of the day settling over him like an invisible cloak.
As he passed the staff, every one of them greeted him with quiet respect. "Good morning, Mr. Han," they said, their words polite, but curiosity flickering in their eyes.
Meanwhile, Bella sat at her desk, empty coffee cup in hand, elbows resting on the surface, her face buried in her palms. The croissant and small cake she'd eaten earlier had filled her stomach, but not her mind. She glanced at the menu again, tempted by more options, but her stomach churned with overindulgence. She would hold off until lunch.
The staff soon arrived, delivering her second coffee. "Thank you," Bella murmured, lifting the cup with a sigh. As she surveyed the room for a moment, and noticed that every table was now empty. Just moments ago, the space had been occupied,as though the room had been swept clean in an instant.
Curiosity tugged at her, and she stood up, moving toward the entrance to see what was happening.
A small crowd had gathered, their voices low but animated. Bella's heart raced as she wondered what had drawn everyone's attention.
Then, someone entered through the doors. Bella's breath caught in her throat as she recognized the figure. Her pulse spiked, and her hands trembled. In an instant, the coffee cup slipped from her grasp, falling to the floor and shattering, the liquid splattering around her feet.
Frozen, Bella couldn't move, her mind unable to process the sight before her.
"Hanley," Bella's lips whispered before she even realized it, her voice soft and tinged with disbelief.
Her heart began to race, and a wave of shock and recognition washed over her, leaving her frozen for a moment.
The sharp sound of the coffee cup shattering echoed across the room, causing several people to glance in her direction. Bella knew, without a doubt, that Hanley had seen it. There was no time to think, no time to react.
In a swift motion, Bella turned away, crouching down to retrieve a handkerchief from her pocket. She bent low to clean the spilled coffee from the floor, her hands trembling as she worked.
Hanley, hearing the crash, turned toward the sound. He saw a lady on the floor, gathering the pieces of the shattered cup, trying to mop up the mess. His pace slowed as he approached her, his footsteps becoming quieter. As he reached her side, he stopped for a brief moment.
Bella's face was turned away from him, but he could see the slight tremor in her hands.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice coming from behind her. Bella's heart skipped a beat. She froze for a moment, the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she nodded quickly, though she couldn't make a sound.
In that moment, she silently begged the universe for him to leave, to forget she was here, to let this moment slip away into nothingness. The sound of his footsteps grew closer, and with each step, her heartbeat quickened.
Hanley crouched down in front of her, carefully picking up the shards of the cup. Bella realized then that she had been caught.
"It's alright, Miss. We have cleaners here for this," Shane's voice cut through her thoughts. Bella quickly opened her eyes, startled by the unfamiliar voice.
Where was Hanley? She glanced around, only to find him walking toward the office, accompanied by a few people in official attire.
Her breath caught in her chest. She wiped her forehead with the handkerchief, only to see some of the coffee stains had transferred to her face.
Shane, noticing her distress, reached out to help. Bella, caught off guard, stared at him in confusion.
"I was just trying to help," Shane explained, his voice gentle.
"Are you alright?" he asked again, his concern clear. Bella forced a smile, nodding softly, though her heart still raced.
"It's not a big deal," she said quietly. "Really, it's fine." She quickly handed the broken cup's pieces to him and stood up, eager to escape the awkwardness of the moment. Without another word, she hurried toward the bathroom, needing a moment to breathe.
Shane stood there, frozen, his gaze flicking between the shards of the fallen coffee cup and Bella, who was hurrying away. He felt a surge of confusion. Had she really thought I was the cleaner? His thoughts were interrupted when a cleaner rushed over, and without a word, Shane handed the broken pieces to them.
He stood up, smoothing his coat and scanning the room, making sure no one had seen his brief moment of clumsiness with Bella. Satisfied that no one had noticed, he muttered to himself, a nervous smile tugging at his lips. "Two strange encounters today. I wonder if everyone here is this… different."
Meanwhile, Bella hurried into the bathroom, her hands trembling as she turned on the tap. The cool water splashed against her face, and she cupped her hands to catch it, pressing it against her skin in an attempt to calm the racing thoughts in her head. When she glanced up at the mirror, Hanley's reflection stared back at her with painful clarity.
She closed her eyes, her mind desperately trying to convince herself it was just a fleeting illusion, a trick of the light. But the warmth of his gaze, the sound of his voice, everything about him was so vivid, so real. If it were just a hallucination, surely her heart wouldn't ache so sharply, so deeply.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly splashed more water on her face, willing the emotions to subside, but they wouldn't.
"Mr. Han is very handsome, isn't he?"
The words, spoken just outside the bathroom door, startled Bella. She paused, her hand trembling as she held the edge of the sink.
"Oh yes," came a voice filled with admiration. "I never imagined the new chairman would be so young."
Bella's pulse quickened, and she found herself listening closely. The voices were unmistakably discussing Hanley.
"Maybe I will be the luckiest girl for whom the CEO will fall for,just like in one of those dramas" the first woman mused with a playful tone, a glint of hope in her voice.
Bella glanced at herself in the mirror, the reflection of a woman uncertain and heartbroken. The woman outside, however, was confident, beautiful, bold. It was impossible not to feel the sharp contrast between them.
But the second voice interrupted her thoughts, the words cutting through the air. "But there's one thing—Mr. Han is already married. I've heard he has a child too."
The news wasn't new to Bella—it was something she had known for some time—but hearing it spoken so casually, the mention of his child, stung in a way she hadn't expected. It was like a weight dropping into her chest, suffocating her.
"That's not something you'll find online," the second woman added with quiet pride. "He's very strict with his private life. I only found it out through a friend."
Bella stood still, her heart aching. The two women's voices faded as they continued to speak about him, their words echoing in her mind. She knew Hanley was married, but hearing about the child—his child—made something inside her crack.
"Anyway, the company will get famous now, and I'm happy that we can see him every day," the first woman added, her voice full of excitement and anticipation.
As they left, Bella remained, lost in thought. She had always known that Hanley had moved on. His life had gone on without her, as it should have. But a part of her had always hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would remember her—remember them. Now, as she stood there, reality settled around her like an unshakable weight. Hanley had a new life, a new family, and nothing of that old life remained. She wasn't part of his world anymore.
And yet, a part of her couldn't help but wonder—if only he knew. If only he remembered. But the ache in her chest reminded her that this was just a painful memory, one she had to let go of. He had moved on,
And as much as it pained her, Bella knew she had to do the same. But the thought of seeing him every day, knowing the life he had built without her, made it harder to breathe. The possibility of moving on, of finding her own happiness, felt so distant, so uncertain.
With a quiet sigh, she turned away from the mirror, wiping the tears that had started to fall. "Maybe," she whispered to herself, "maybe it's time to let go."
Yet, why had she run when she saw him? Was she truly afraid of him? Bella wondered why she felt that way. She had done nothing wrong, nothing to warrant fear. She had loved him, yes, but was that really the reason she couldn't face him? There was no need for hesitation. He wouldn't even recognize her now. From this moment on, Bella promised herself she wouldn't run from anyone—least of all him.
She wiped her face and adjusted her glasses with a newfound resolve. Standing tall, she walked back into the office, sitting down with purpose. She scanned the room once more to make sure no one was watching, especially Hanley.
As she took her seat, Vicky made his way toward her without a sound. Bella, still lost in thought, didn't notice him approaching until he spoke.
"What are you looking at?" Vicky's voice caught her off guard, and she spun around, surprised.
"You startled me," Bella admitted, placing a hand on her chest and meeting his gaze.
Vicky smiled and settled into the chair across from her.
"Is this what it feels like to see a ghost?" he teased. "You looked just like Jenny from that old BS webtoon, all startled like that."
Bella blinked, confused by his words. She didn't fully understand, but then Vicky continued.
"Remember 'Love Forever'? Jenny was terrified of the ghost," he clarified with a playful grin.
Bella's confusion melted into realization, and she laughed softly. It warmed her to know that Vicky remembered even the smallest details from her story, even though it was her own creation.
.
"Do you remember everything about it?" she asked, curious.
"Of course," Vicky replied without hesitation. "I remember Jenny's shoulder-length hair, her dress style, and that three-star bracelet she always wore."
As he spoke, his eyes grew more focused, as if he could see Jenny vividly in front of him. Bella noticed how he described her with such detail, and it made her smile. He was now looking at her, remembering not just Jenny but her, too.
"And it's exactly like this," Vicky said, taking the bracelet from her wrist, his fingers brushing against hers. "And the hair, too."
Bella pulled her hand away, laughing, the sound genuine and free. She leaned closer, lowering her voice.
"Let me tell you a secret," she whispered, drawing him in.
Vicky leaned in eagerly, intrigued.
"I'm the ghost who scared Jenny," Bella whispered with a mischievous smile. "I took this from her."
Vicky froze for a moment, his eyes wide in surprise. He shook his head in disbelief, as if trying to process the truth.
"No way!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.
Bella nodded, her smile widening.
"Yes, exactly."
The realization hit, and both of them burst into laughter, the moment light and carefree.
"You're too funny, BS," Vicky teased, pointing at her with a grin.
Bella raised an eyebrow, her tone suddenly serious.
"From now on, you're my superfan," she said, the words landing with playful gravity. "You got a promotion."
Vicky's face lit up with joy, as if he had just won some grand prize. He jumped up with the energy of a child, thrilled by the unexpected turn of events.
Bella couldn't help but smile, her heart lightened by Vicky's unpretentious excitement. She had already grown fond of his innocence and his ability to bring humor and lightness to any situation.