Chapter 33


    Hazel’s morning was off to a hectic start as she rushed to drop off her energetic twins at kindergarten


    before heading to work. Today held a significant event for Starlight as they were scheduled to meet with


    the shareholders of the corporation, Gentle Monster, in the morning.


    Settling into a taxi as she embarked on hermute, Hazel’s phone rang, and Chloe’s voice. pierced


    through the background noise. “Hazel, where are you?” Chloe’s tone held a hint of


    urgency.


    I’m on my way. I’m very sorry, I’ll be there soon,” Hazel replied, a tinge of apology in her voice. Her


    colleagues were already gathered, awaiting her arrival. They had coordinated to travel to Gentle


    Monster as a team, needing to finalize arrangements and rehear s e their presentations.


    Yawning tiredly, Hazel recounted the chaotic morning she had experienced. The twins had awakened


    earlier than usual, demanding their morning sustenance. Coaxing them back to sleep had been a


    challenge, especially since Daisy had clung to her more than usual. Consequently, the morning routine


    had been a battle of wills, leaving the children drowsy and irritable. Getting them ready for school had


    taken twice the effort.


    As the taxi carried her through the bustling city, Hazel couldn’t help but feel the weight of the ticking


    clock. “Step on the gas, please,” she urged the driver, who promptlyplied, increasing the vehicle’s


    speed. It was rush hour, and Hazel knew she needed to make up for


    lost time.


    Just when it seemed like they might catch up, they encountered an abrupt roadblock, a frustrating halt


    in the otherwise congested traffic. Hazel’s impatience grew as she scanned the surroundings. “What’s


    going on?” she wondered aloud. “The road’s free. Why won’t they drive?” she questioned the taxi


    driver.


    The driver exined the situation with a respectful tone. “Sorry, ma’am. It seems an important person


    is making their way through these roads. It’s one of the demands that we leave the roads clear for


    them, ma’am.”


    Hazel sighed in irritation, her frustrations mounting. She had heard of such situations before, where a


    VIP’s entourage passed through, and all other drivers were expected to slow down or halt entirely.


    Refusing to let her precious time go to waste, Hazel decided to make the most of the situation. She


    reached into her bag and retrieved herptop, determined to stay productive. As the taxi remained


    halted in traffic, she immersed herself in her work, seizing the opportunity to make adjustments, her


    presentation had to be perfect


    Ethan exuded an air of wealth and power as he sat in his sleek car, the road around him conspicuously


    devoid of traffic-amon sight whenever he traversed these streets. It was a crisp, autumn day, and


    the scenery outside momentarily captured his attention. The


    int leaves carpeting the pathway in hues of red and gold evoked memories of his teenage years, a time


    when he had walked these very streets on his way home from school. The sudden sense of déjà vu


    was palpable.


    they drove past, Ethan’s thoughts drifted back to those days, the ones he had spent here


    Hazel by his side. She had been a wide-eyed teenage girl, seemingly always in his orbit, ally stalking


    him until he Sually took notice. Hazel was the daughter of one of his


    sential pekociates, fact he had initially disregarded. It was only when her fathe


    had sacrificed his life to save Ethan’s own father that things had changed. Heartbroken by the loss,


    Hazel’s mother had soon followed.


    Ethan’s father had insisted that he take care of Hazel, and so, begrudgingly, he had made a conscious


    effort to be kinder to her. Over time, they had grown closer, forged by the shared experiences of their


    youth. As Ethan drove, the memories became more vivid, and he found himself approaching a


    particr spot that stirred powerful emotions within him.


    “Pull over,” hemanded abruptly, his entire entourageing to a halt as his car stopped. With


    determined steps, he exited the vehicle and headed toward a small eatery. Standing in front of it, he


    was overwhelmed by a sense of déjà vu so strong it was almost suffocating. This was the very ce


    where he and Hazel had shared countless meals during their school years. Back then, he had regarded


    her as a younger sister and would often treat. her to lunch.


    Ethan peered through therge windows of the eatery, the memories flooding back to him. He


    visualized a younger version of himself and Hazel, d in their sweaty school uniforms, enjoying dinner


    there on their way home from school. The familiar scent of mushroom soup wafted toward him,


    triggering memories of meals shared over fifteen years ago. It was a ce he hadn’t visited in years,


    and the sudden rush of nostalgia was overwhelming.


    “Boss, would you like some soup?” Ethan’s driver inquired, his voice breaking the businessman’s


    reverie.


    Ethan shook his head lightly, acknowledging the offer with a faint smile. “No, thank you.”


    Realizing that he had already taken up enough time, causing dys for other drivers and


    businesspeople, Ethan reluctantly tore himself away from the eatery’s window. He knew it


    was time to move on.


    “We should go,” Axel, his loyal assistant, urged.


    Ethan nodded, his mind still lingering in the past for a moment. “Right,” he mused, before decisively


    dering, “Let’s go.”


    With his brief but powerful trip down memoryneplete, Ethan returned to his car, ready to resume


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    his journey and the demands of his present-day life, leaving behind the echoes of his youthful


    camaraderie with Hazel.


    Moments after Ethan’s departure, the previously halted traffic was finally allowed to resume its journey.


    Hazel, feeling a wave of relief wash over her, muttered to herself, “Finally,” as the cars around her


    began to move once more.


    Her taxi pulled up to the Starlight building, and she hurriedly stepped out, practically sprinting into the


    bustling entrance. “I am so sorry,” she apologized as she caught up with Chloe, her colleague who had


    been waiting.


    Chloe waved off Hazel’s apology, understanding the hectic morning she had endured. Without wasting


    a moment, they immersed themselves in work. Minutester, their preparations wereplete, and the


    team was ready to depart. Thepany vehicle awaited them just outside the building, ready to


    transport Chloe, Hazel, and five other colleagues to G.G.


    The journey passed in a blur, and the car eventually pulled up in front of an imposing building. The


    group of coworkers scurried to the front desk, where Hazel took the lead in greeting the receptionist.


    The woman provided directions to the floor where the crucial meeting was scheduled to take ce.


    The stakes were high; this meeting with G.G could seal the deal for Starlight, paving the way for a


    lucrative contract. Their mission was clear: impress the representatives from Gentle Giants. As they


    made their way to the conference room, anticipation hung in the air.


    Upon entering, they found themselves among a group of about eight individuals, with a conspicuously


    empty seat at the head of the table-the customary position for the chairman of the deliberations. With


    confidence, Hazel stepped forward, prepared to lead the presentation following a brief introduction.


    She delved into the details with gusto, making use of slides, prototypes, and images showcasing


    Starlight’s sessful track record with past design contracts. Her presentation. culminated with a


    grand vision of what thepany nned to offer to G.G. Uponpletion, the team was ushered


    out, leaving the G.G representatives to deliberate.


    Unbeknownst to Hazel and her team, Ethan observed everything from behind the scenes. He watched


    her intently, captivated by her presence, even though she had no inkling that her presentation was


    being streamed into another room. Ethan was a man of few words, but his actions spoke volumes.


    After the presentation concluded. Ethan summoned his loyal assistant. Axel, into the room. Axel,


    somewhat taken aback by his boss’s increasingly peculiar requests, couldn’t help but voice his


    curiosity. “I have a question,” he began hesitantly.


    Ethan, a man whose decisions were rarely questioned, gazed at Axel with an air of restrained. intensity.


    “Starlight didn’t get a chance to make a presentation or impress me, so I decided to buy shares there to


    see what they had to offer. And I was impressed, so now I want Starlight,” Ethan exined, his voice


    carrying a subtle note of warning.


    Axel, recognizing the unspoken boundaries, offered a firm. “Yes, sir.”


    The situation remained perplexing to Axel. His boss had purchased shares in apany simply to


    witness a presentation? Ethan was proving to be increasingly unpredictable, but Axel had learned that


    it was unwise to probe further.


    With a resigned sigh. Axel set out to carry out his boss’s directive.


    The next morning, an email was dispatched to Starlight, arriving directly at the head office. It was a


    formal request for Starlight to be Tesco’s exclusive designer for a period of six months. While


    Hazel’s colleagues rejoiced at the prospect of partnering with such a prominent corporation, Hazel


    herself couldn’t shake her doubts. After all, they hadn’t made any formal presentation during their


    previous encounter. She couldn’t help but wonder how this opportunity hade about.


    Hazel decided to voice her concerns, heading to her director’s office.


    Her superior, however, dismissed her apprehensions. “They must have noticed our prowess and


    decided to give us a chance, the woman replied confidently. “We won the first bid, after all. That’s what


    the email stated. They would be going back to the original and first contract renewing their offer with


    Starlight. Hazel read the message with mixed feelings.


    “So, what happens with G.G.?” she inquired, seeking rity.


    “We’ll still proceed with G.G./ her superior assured her, her enthusiasm undiminished. “We have a full


    year ahead of us. She was excited at the prospects, they had their hands really full this year. Two


    DOC.


    Can I head that GG one?” Hazel asked. She would willing do anything to avoid meeting


    Ethan and bumping into him at his ownpany would be almost impossible. How could she work for


    her ex-husband she wondered desperately.


    “Let me head G.G.” she pleaded


    “The J.T. Starlight project will be your primary responsibility. That’s why you and Chloe. were


    transferred here in the first ce. Stick to your assigned duties.”


    Feeling her heart sink, Hazel left her superior’s office, the weight of her dilemma pressing heavily upon


    her. “Why did Ethan decide to go back to the original contract, even after knowing I was heading it?”


    she pondered, grappling with the uncertainty of how she would navigate the next six months working


    under her ex-husband’s watchful eye.


    How she was going to survive the next six months under her ex-husband was something she couldn’t


    fathom. And her kids! She had to make sure he never met them.


    Her children and their well-being remained her paramount concern. She was determined to ensure that


    her personal and professional lives remained separate, uncertain about how. she would handle the


    <pplex dynamic of working for her former spouse.