I was signing the contracts on my desk quickly; they'd arrived early this morning. I made sure to be efficient when handling work like this. I hated piled-up tasks, it could be dangerous for the company. Each document needed careful review, and I never signed anything without cross-checking it twice.
It was already evening. I had taken my father to the hospital earlier for urgent treatment after he complained about sharp pains in his chest. The doctor had tried to reassure me, saying it was nothing too serious, that my father just needed rest and regular medication. Still, I wasn't sure if he was telling me the truth or just trying to calm me down.
He'll live many more years if he takes his medication properly, the doctor had said.
I held onto that hope tightly. My father was all I had, my only family in this world. I couldn't imagine him dying and leaving me alone. My friends were there, yes, but it wasn't the same. He was my everything.
It was almost time to pick him up from the hospital, just as I had promised. Daddy made sure I promised him, and I always kept my promises.
My pen glided over the last contract. My desk was stacked high, but I kept working through them, checking, rechecking, marking the ones that needed correction. Then,
A knock.
I looked up. My secretary, Gloria, stepped in. She was a petite blonde woman who had been with the company long before I took over. She had that calm, dependable aura I secretly admired.
"Someone by the name Jake Harry wants to see you," she said, her brow furrowing slightly. "He doesn't have an appointment. I tried calling through the line, but you weren't answering."
I blinked, snapping my gaze toward the silent telephone beside my laptop. My mind had been so preoccupied that I hadn't even noticed it ringing.
But when I heard his name, my heart thundered in my chest.
Jake Harry.
He was here.
Finally.
After all this time thinking he might never come.
I straightened a little, pretending to compose myself though excitement was bursting inside me. "I— I'm sorry, Ms. Gloria. My mind's been elsewhere today." I set my pen down and clasped my hands beneath my chin, trying to hide the trembling smile that wanted to form. "Yes, I'm expecting him. Please, send him in."
She nodded but gave me that kind, motherly look. "You really need to take it easy, Ms. Mabel. You're only twenty-eight. Too much work isn't good for you."
I gave her a small laugh. "But Gloria, if I don't do it, who will? The company needs to run smoothly. And that means I have to overwork myself sometimes."
She sighed, she knew me too well, and smiled faintly. "Still, take care of yourself."
When she left, I exhaled deeply and hurriedly straightened my dress, running my fingers through my hair. I already smelled nice, but still, I reached into my leather purse for my favorite cologne and sprayed a little over myself.
Then the door opened again.
Gloria stepped in, followed by him.
Jake.
The moment he walked in, I froze. He looked even more handsome than I remembered, his tousled blonde hair caught my attention, his blue eyes soft but piercing. My heart skipped a beat.
"Ms. Mabel," Gloria said kindly before stepping out and shutting the door behind her.
I smiled. "You came."
He returned the smile, that lazy, effortless one that melted my chest. "I did."
He wore a dark jacket and pale blue jeans, simple but effortlessly attractive. I gestured toward the chair opposite me. "Please, have a seat."
As he sat down, his eyes swept around my office. "You've got such a nice place," he said lightly. "It's an honor to be invited here by the owner herself. I must be good at what I do, huh? Maybe I'm a star after all."
I chuckled softly. "You are. You sing beautifully, Jake. Why don't you sing professionally? Or is it just for fun?"
He shrugged, a faint shadow crossing his face. "You think I haven't tried? It's tough. You need money, time, sacrifices. And I don't have much of any of that. For now, I just sing because I love it. I'm glad you enjoy it, it means a lot to me, honestly."
My heart ached for him. He was so talented, so humble. It wasn't fair that the world didn't know his voice yet. Without thinking, I blurted out, "What if you got a sponsor? Someone willing to turn your dream into reality?"
His brows lifted. "I don't think anyone would want to sponsor a boy who sings on the street and hasn't even recorded a song yet."
He returned the smile, that lazy, effortless one that melted my chest. "I did."
He wore a dark jacket and pale blue jeans, simple but effortlessly attractive. I gestured toward the chair opposite me. "Please, have a seat."
As he sat down, his eyes swept around my office. "You've got such a nice place," he said lightly. "It's an honor to be invited here by the owner herself. I must be good at what I do, huh? Maybe I'm a star after all."
I chuckled softly. "You are. You sing beautifully, Jake. Why don't you sing professionally? Or is it just for fun?"
He shrugged, a faint shadow crossing his face. "You think I haven't tried? It's tough. You need money, time, sacrifices. And I don't have much of any of that. For now, I just sing because I love it. I'm glad you enjoy it, it means a lot to me, honestly."
My heart ached for him. He was so talented, so humble. It wasn't fair that the world didn't know his voice yet. Without thinking, I blurted out, "What if you got a sponsor? Someone willing to turn your dream into reality?"
His brows lifted. "I don't think anyone would want to sponsor a boy who sings on the street and hasn't even recorded a song yet."
I leaned forward. "What if I became that sponsor? I have connections. I could help make your career happen. What do you say?"
He laughed softly, shaking his head. "You can't be serious."
"I am," I said firmly. "You have a gift, Jake. The world deserves to hear it."
He looked at me for a long moment, as if trying to read my sincerity. Then he sat up straighter. "Well… I wasn't expecting this when I came here, Ms. Mabel. This would mean everything to me, and my mother."
I tilted my head slightly. His mother. "Tell me about her," I said softly. I leaned forward, my fingers clasped together. I wanted to know everything about him, his past, his world, his heart.
He smiled faintly. "How about I tell you over lunch? My treat."
For a moment, I froze. The man of my dreams had just asked me out, on the very same hour I was supposed to pick my father up from the hospital.
My heart warred with my duty. But in the end, my lips betrayed my thoughts.
"Of course," I said, smiling. "I'd be delighted to go on a date with you."