Chapter Two

Samantha's heart fluttered as she recalled the moment Ethan had proposed, the memory as vivid as a movie scene. The evening had been perfect—the sunset casting a golden hue over the city skyline, the scent of blooming jasmine filling the air, and Ethan's voice, steady and sincere, as he asked her to be his forever. She blushed, her hand instinctively touching her stomach. She was nervous about the news she had to share, but the joy overshadowed her fears.

With a sigh, Samantha reluctantly left the warmth of her memories and tossed her duvet aside. She slid out of bed, her feet sinking into the plush carpet, and began her morning routine. The spacious bedroom, with its elegant décor and floor-to-ceiling windows, was bathed in soft morning light.

Kingston Enterprises, a renowned company owned by Ethan’s parents, was a towering structure in the heart of the city. Its sleek glass exterior reflected the bustling streets below, where luxury cars and pedestrians in designer suits moved like clockwork.

Samantha arrived at the company, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she made her way to the elevator. She stepped inside, the cool air and soft hum of the elevator calming her nerves. The 5th floor, where her office was located, came quickly. The doors opened, revealing a sleek, modern workspace filled with the hum of productivity.

“Good morning, Ms. Brooks,” the receptionist, Lily, greeted her with a warm smile.

“Good morning, Lily,” Samantha replied, her own smile polite but distant.

Her office was a sanctuary of modern elegance, with large windows offering a panoramic view of the city. Samantha placed her designer handbag on her polished mahogany desk and headed to the kitchen for a cup of tea.

“Good morning,” she greeted her colleagues as she entered the kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the scent of pastries.

“Hi Samantha , did you get the news?” Leah asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

“What news?” Samantha asked, approaching them with curiosity.

“Oh, you don’t know already?” Bettie smiled, her tone teasing. “The Boss is off the market.”

Same's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. “What? What boss?”

“Come on, stop being dramatic,” Leah rolled her eyes, laughing. “Who else would we be this excited about?”

“Mr. Blake’s getting married?” Samantha managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. She had expected their relationship to go public eventually, but not today.

“Yes, girl! What world do you even live in? Do you watch the news at all?” Bettie asked, as Leah chuckled, “I doubt she does.”

Samantha tried to keep her composure. “Yeah, you all don’t have to throw it in my face. I listen to the news, but not the gossip ones.”

“How do you know it’s not just gossip? This isn’t the first time we’ve heard something like this,” Samantha said, struggling to keep her voice steady.

“You should know us by now. We don’t do fake news or gossip,” Bettie smirked.

“Yeah, the news was everywhere last night, but his sister confirmed it this morning in an interview.”

“His sister?” Samantha felt a wave of relief and warmth. Ethan’s sister was someone she admired, and knowing she approved of their relationship eased her fears about going public.

“Even though I’m really sad that Ethan Blake is off the market and we can no longer flirt with him, I’m happy for him, and I’ve been hearing good news around me lately,” Bettie cooed. “Hey, let me see that,” she gestured at Samantha’s hand.

“Yeah, me too. I never got a close look at it,” Leah added.

Samantha blushed as she showed them her ring, the diamond catching the light and sparkling brilliantly.

“This is so gorgeous,” Leah mumbled. “I can imagine how beautiful Ethan’s wife’s ring will be.”

Samantha felt a pang in her heart. She thought they knew already. “You all don’t know?”

The duo stared at her, confused. “Oh sorry, what I mean is, you all don’t know the bride?”

“You know her?” Bettie asked, intrigued.

“I’m just asking,” Samantha shrugged, trying to hide her nervousness.

“Oh, we don’t know who yet, but it’s definitely going to be a rich man’s daughter, right Bettie?”

“Of course. That’s what always happens in the end. The rich marry the rich, and they get richer.”

“I… I need to go.”

“Already? I thought you might want to chill with us for a while,” Leah said, her tone disappointed.

“Sorry, I have work to do.” Samantha forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and exited the kitchen, forgetting the tea she came for.

Back in her office, Samantha searched her handbag for her phone. Seeing no calls or message notifications, she let out a sigh of relief. She tossed her phone aside, opened her MacBook, and saw the trending topic on her browser.

Curiosity piqued, Samantha took her time reading through the contents. It was just as Bettie and Leah said: there was going to be a wedding, but the bride was anonymous.

A small smile crept onto her lips, knowing Ethan did this to respect her privacy. Despite her eagerness to know if his parents approved of her, she decided to wait and hear the good news from Ethan in person.

She exited the browser and got to work. Samantha was so engrossed that she didn’t realize three hours had passed until she finished her first task. She stood, adjusted her skirt, printed out her documents, grabbed her phone, and exited her office.

“Hi Lily, do you know where Sara is? I went to her office, and she’s not there,” Samantha asked the receptionist.

“Miss Sara should be in the meeting.”

“Meeting?” Samantha frowned. “What meeting?”

“The one for the launch of the new product.”

“Wasn’t it scheduled for 2 pm?”

“I think it was brought forward to 8 am.”

“What? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“I have no idea, Ma’am. But I’m sure a circular went around about the change in time of the meeting.”

“I refresh my email almost every hour. I didn’t see anything,” she mumbled, trying to recall if she saw any memo about the change.

Samantha felt even more confused. Sara was a good colleague, and they usually worked together. If Sara was at the meeting, she would have called or texted Samantha.

“I have no idea, ma’am. But I was about to come to see you.”

“For?”

“HR requests your presence.”

“Perfect! Because I need to see him too. Why exclude me from the meeting?”

She made her way to the elevator,

then to the 4th floor where the HR’s office was. She knocked, didn’t wait for a response, and walked in.