The girl he was never supposed to meet

Chapter 1: The Girl He Was Never Supposed to Meet The rain had been falling for almost an hour when Lia Carter stepped out of the small café, clutching her black umbrella in one hand and a folder of documents in the other. She glanced at her phone. 7:42 PM. “Great,” she whispered. “Late again.” Tomorrow was supposed to be the beginning of a new life. After months of sending applications, attending interviews, and hearing one rejection after another, Lia had finally gotten the job she desperately needed. Harrington Group. It was one of the most successful companies in the city, known for its expensive offices, powerful executives, and extremely high standards. For Lia, however, the job meant more than a fancy company name. It meant paying the bills. It meant helping her younger brother finish school. And maybe, just maybe, it meant finally escaping the life she had been struggling with for years. She couldn't afford to lose it. Lia opened her umbrella and hurried down the sidewalk. The rain became heavier, hitting the pavement like tiny stones. She was halfway across the street when a strong gust of wind suddenly turned her umbrella inside out. “Oh, come on!” She stopped beneath the rain and tried to fix it. Then disaster struck. The folder slipped from her hand. Papers scattered across the wet sidewalk. “No, no, no!” Lia immediately bent down. Her heart raced as she grabbed one document after another. “My résumé…” Another page floated toward the street. She reached for it, but before she could grab it, a man's polished black shoes stopped beside the paper. A hand reached down and picked it up. Lia slowly looked up. And forgot what she was about to say. The man standing before her was tall and striking, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. His dark hair was slightly wet from the rain, and his expression was calm and unreadable. He looked completely out of place on the rainy sidewalk. Like someone who belonged on the cover of a business magazine. He looked at the paper in his hand. Then at her. “Looking for this?” His voice was deep and calm. Lia blinked. “Yes.” She reached for the paper. Their fingers touched. She immediately pulled her hand away. “Thank you.” The man studied the document for another second. His eyes stopped at the name printed on it. Lia Carter. Something changed in his expression. Only for a moment. But Lia noticed. “You're Lia Carter?” She frowned. “Yes. Do I know you?” He didn't answer. Instead, he looked at her as if he were trying to remember something from a distant past. “No,” he finally said. “I don't think we've met.” “Then why did you ask?” “Curiosity.” Lia raised an eyebrow. “That's a strange reason.” The man's lips curved into a faint smile. “Maybe.” Before Lia could respond, a black luxury car stopped beside them. A driver quickly stepped out and opened the rear door. “Mr. Harrington, we're going to be late.” Lia froze. Harrington? She looked at the man again. Her eyes widened. “You're…” “Adrian Harrington.” Her mouth fell slightly open. Of course. She had heard that name many times during her interview. Adrian Harrington. CEO of Harrington Group. Young. Wealthy. Successful. And, according to everyone in the company, nearly impossible to impress. Lia suddenly felt embarrassed. “Oh.” Adrian raised an eyebrow. “Is that all?” “I—I didn't know.” “That I was Adrian Harrington?” “Yes.” “Would it have changed anything?” Lia looked at him. She thought for a moment. “No.” Adrian seemed surprised. “Really?” “I would still have asked you to help me pick up my papers.” For the first time, Adrian laughed. It was quiet, but genuine. And somehow, that small smile made Lia's heart beat faster. She immediately looked away. He's your future boss, she reminded herself. Nothing more. Adrian handed her the last paper. “You're starting tomorrow?” “Yes.” “Be on time.” Lia looked at her broken umbrella. “I am usually on time.” “Usually?” “Today is an exception.” Adrian studied her for a moment. “I don't like people who make excuses.” Lia crossed her arms. “And I don't like bosses who judge people after meeting them for five minutes.” Silence. The driver looked uncomfortable. Lia suddenly realized what she had just said. She cleared her throat. “Sorry.” But Adrian didn't look angry. Instead, that faint smile returned. “Don't be.” He turned toward the car. “Then I suppose tomorrow will be interesting.” Before getting inside, he looked back at her. “Good night, Ms. Carter.” “Good night, Mr. Harrington.” The car drove away. Lia remained standing in the rain. She watched the red taillights disappear into the distance. Then she looked down at the documents in her hands. “What just happened?” She shook her head. “Forget it.” She repaired her umbrella as best she could and walked home. She had no idea that the stranger she had just met would soon become the most important person in her life. And she certainly didn't know that Adrian Harrington already knew something about her that she didn't know herself. Something buried in the past. Something their families had spent years trying to hide. The next morning, Lia stood outside the Harrington Group building. She stared at the enormous glass structure. “Okay, Lia,” she whispered. “You can do this.” She looked down at her clothes. A simple blue blouse. A black skirt. A pair of modest heels. Nothing expensive. Nothing impressive. But she had done her best. She took a deep breath and walked inside. The lobby was beautiful. Marble floors reflected the bright lights above. Employees moved quickly from one side of the building to another, carrying documents and coffee cups. Everyone looked confident. Everyone looked like they belonged. Lia suddenly felt like she didn't. She approached the receptionist. “Good morning. I'm Lia Carter. I'm the new executive assistant in the CEO's office.” The receptionist smiled and checked the computer. “Yes, Ms. Carter. You're expected on the thirty-second floor.” “Thank you.” Lia entered the elevator. As the doors closed, she exhaled. “Just do your job.” The elevator reached the thirty-second floor. A woman named Claire greeted her and explained her responsibilities. “You'll be directly assisting Mr. Harrington.” Lia swallowed. “Mr. Harrington?” Claire nodded. “Yes.” Lia forced a smile. “Right.” Claire smiled knowingly. “Don't worry. You'll get used to him.” “Is he really that difficult?” Claire laughed softly. “You'll find out.” At exactly 8:30 AM, Lia entered Adrian's office. He stood near the enormous windows, looking over the city. Without turning around, he spoke. “You're three minutes early.” Lia looked at the clock. “That's a good thing.” “It is.” He turned. Their eyes met. For a moment, neither spoke. Adrian looked exactly as he had the night before, except now he seemed even more intimidating. Lia placed several folders on his desk. “These are the documents you requested.” He picked up the first folder. “Organized?” “Yes.” “Checked?” “Twice.” “Good.” He continued reading. After a few seconds, his eyes stopped on one page. “You corrected this.” “Yes.” “This report was prepared by one of our senior managers.” “I know.” “And you changed the numbers.” “The original numbers were incorrect.” Adrian looked up. “You weren't afraid to correct him?” Lia shook her head. “Should I have been?” For several seconds, Adrian said nothing. Then he nodded. “No.” He returned his attention to the documents. “Sit.” Lia sat across from him. For the next hour, Adrian explained her responsibilities. He was demanding. Precise. Serious. But Lia noticed something unexpected. He wasn't rude. He simply expected everything to be done properly. By lunchtime, Lia was exhausted. She stood in the break room with a cup of coffee when one of her coworkers approached. “You survived your first morning.” Lia laughed. “Barely.” “You know you're lucky, right?” “Why?” “You're the first assistant Mr. Harrington has hired in months.” Lia nearly choked on her coffee. “What happened to the others?” Her coworker lowered her voice. “They couldn't handle him.” Lia smiled. “I can handle him.” Neither of them noticed the man standing on the other side of the glass door. Adrian had heard every word. He looked at Lia for a moment. Then he walked away. There was something different about her. Something he couldn't explain. And that bothered him. Because Adrian Harrington didn't allow himself to become interested in people. Especially not her. That evening, most of the office had already emptied. But Lia was still working. At 9:15 PM, she finally finished the report. She closed her laptop and leaned back in her chair. “Finally.” She gathered her things and walked toward the elevator. Then she noticed Adrian standing alone near the windows. He was looking at the city lights. “You're still here?” Lia asked. He turned. “So are you.” “I had work.” “So did I.” Lia smiled. “Good night, Mr. Harrington.” She pressed the elevator button. The doors opened. She stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to close, Adrian spoke. “Lia.” She looked at him. “Yes?” His expression suddenly became serious. “Be careful.” Her smile disappeared. “About what?” Adrian didn't answer immediately. He looked at her as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Finally, he said quietly, “About getting too close to me.” The elevator doors closed. Lia stood frozen. Her heart was pounding. She didn't understand what he meant. Why would he say that? She stared at her reflection in the elevator doors. “Getting close to him?” She shook her head. “That's impossible.” But somewhere inside her, she knew something had changed. Meanwhile, Adrian remained standing in the empty hallway. He closed his eyes. He had recognized her name the moment he saw it. Lia Carter. The daughter of the man his family had sworn never to forgive. Twenty years ago, a secret had destroyed two families. A secret Adrian had spent years trying to understand. And now, the daughter of the man connected to that secret had walked directly into his life. The worst part wasn't that Lia Carter was his enemy. The worst part was that he already felt drawn to her. And Adrian knew one thing for certain. Lia was the one woman he was never supposed to love. But fate had already brought them together.