Jessica’s car sped along the road and gradually slowed as it neared its destination. With a smooth, precise turn of the steering wheel, the car pulled into the parking lot of Da King Hotels—a luxurious five-star hotel known for catering to the rich and powerful.
A hotel staff member quickly stepped forward and opened the car door for her. With calm poise and quiet elegance, Jessica stepped out.
She glanced around the area, slipping on a pair of dark sunglasses that hid her sharp eyes, leaving only her pointed nose and naturally rosy lips visible. The sunlight kissed her fair skin, making it glow.
Carrying her handbag in one hand and her phone in the other, she walked toward the hotel lobby with graceful steps. Her aura was commanding, impossible to ignore. As she raised her hand briefly, the ring on her finger caught the sunlight and glimmered.
Her phone buzzed. Without stopping, she glanced at the screen and tapped her Bluetooth earpiece. Davis’s deep, rich voice filtered through.
"Arrived?" he asked gently.
"Just walking into the lobby," Jessica replied with a soft smile, her eyes scanning the lobby with sharp awareness—checking both for safety and anything familiar.
"Alright," Davis said, his voice warm. "I’ll leave you to it. Waiting for you at home."
Jessica’s heart skipped at his words. If he were standing in front of her right now, she might have kissed him without a second thought.
"I’ll be right back. Just a little while," she said softly and ended the call.
Still holding onto the smile that played on her lips, she walked deeper into the hotel with calm, measured steps.
Just then, from the opposite direction, a young man emerged from one of the lounges. Tall and confident, he looked distracted, speaking urgently into his phone. His steps were rushed and unfocused. Without watching where he was going, he collided with Jessica, causing her handbag to fly from her hand.
In a flash, Jessica spun around. Her long black hair lifted in a graceful arc as she caught her handbag midair—just before it hit the ground. Her presence turned cold in that instant, her eyes hidden behind the sunglasses, making her unreadable.
The young man froze. He stared at her, stunned and speechless.
She stood about 5’4", but there was something commanding about her. Her oval face was elegant and striking. Even with most of her face covered by the sunglasses, her beauty radiated clearly. Her dark, wavy hair spilled down her back, secured loosely by a clip, creating a sharp contrast with her glowing fair skin.
There was something about her that was hard to put into words—composure, strength, grace. Most women might have panicked or dropped something, but the speed and precision of her reaction made Julia silently admire her.
She stared at him with a cold gaze.
"Mister, don’t you think you owe me an apology?" she asked, her voice calm but firm.
Snapping out of his daze, the man blinked and opened his mouth, closing it again as if trying to find the right words.
"I’m really sorry, young lady. I’m in a bit of a hurry because of an emergency, and I didn’t watch where I was going," he said sincerely, bowing his head slightly in apology.
Jessica glanced at him, noting his honesty. She gave a small nod and was about to walk past him when her eyes met his—and she froze.
His eyes were striking—deep onyx irises flecked with gold.
Her heart skipped a beat. Her breath hitched.
"Those eyes..." she thought. "Aren’t they just like mine?"
In her twenty-two years of life, she had never seen anyone else with eyes like hers.
She gave a small shake of her head, pushing the thought away.
"Jessica Davis," she said, extending a hand. Not willing to take the neither the Allen family name nor the Brown family, she opted for the simplest her husband’s name—quite unknown to avoid attraction of foes.
"Julia Anderson," he replied smoothly, shaking her hand with quiet courtesy, careful not to let on what he was really thinking.
"Alright. Have a nice day," she said, about to pass him by.
But his next words made her stop in her tracks.
"Care for a drink with me?" he asked with a slight smirk, though deep down he already knew the answer.
Jessica turned back slightly and shook her head.
"Sorry. I have a business meeting. My partner might already be getting restless since I’m running late."
"I understand," he said with a nod. "But could I get your number? Maybe we could talk some other time?"
Jessica usually wouldn’t give her number to a stranger, but after a second’s pause, she called it out for him to save.
"Alright, I’ve really got to go," she added, walking away without waiting for a reply.
"Have a nice day," Julia called after her, still watching her walk away.
He hadn’t expected such a surprising encounter.
He had actually come to meet Lady Bright, the CEO of Angel Wears and a top fashion designer, to discuss a potential collaboration. But she had texted to say she’d be late due to an urgent matter.
Just then, his phone had rung—it was an emergency that needed his own attention other than anyone else, he had no choice but to return and leave the meeting to his assistant.
But now, he’d walked away with something unexpected: Jessica Davis’s number.
Jessica continued walking toward the lounge where the meeting was scheduled, but her mind was far from calm. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had settled in her chest. There was something about that man—his presence, his voice, the way he looked at her—that felt oddly familiar. Almost comforting, like he was someone from her past... someone she should remember.
She had hesitated before giving him her contact number. It wasn’t something she normally did, especially not with strangers. But a part of her wanted to know more about him. Who was he? Why did he feel so familiar?
She let out a quiet sigh as she approached the door of the private lounge. It was closed, and the quietness around it made her realize she was running late.
Raising her hand slowly, she knocked softly on the door, her heart still lightly fluttering from the strange encounter.