Chapter Thirteen: Mr. Snow!

Friday evening at the restaurant, Anna found herself in a rare situation. The place was unusually empty, and the absence of the usual bustling activity left her feeling both bored and contemplative. She realized how she used to keep herself preoccupied during busy hours and how the silence could be unsettling.

With a sigh, she took a seat beside the counter, leaning back and deciding to pass the time by checking her phone. As she scrolled through her WhatsApp messages, she noticed one from her mother but dismissed it without opening it.

Then, something made her look up, and her heart skipped a beat. Her gaze locked with the intense stare of the last person she expected to see. Raymond's piercing eyes were fixed on her, and there was an unexpected tension in the air.

For a moment, Anna felt as though her heart had stopped. Her breath caught in her throat, and her phone slipped from her grasp, crashing onto the floor.

"Hello, Miss Briggs," Raymond's voice broke the silence, his unwavering gaze leaving her utterly breathless

What the fuck is he doing here, looking all dapper in his all-tousled hair, white sweatshirt and black jeans, and white sneakers.

"Mr. Snow!" Anna finally managed to whisper, her voice barely cooperating as her cognitive functions seemed to have momentarily abandoned her.

She could have sworn she saw a faint, knowing smile flicker across his lips, as if he relished seeing her nervous and struggling to keep her composure.

"What a surprise!" she mumbled, the words stumbling out of her mouth, her brain still reeling from the shock of his unexpected presence.

"I was in search of a good restaurant, a perfect place to hold a business meeting, and my secretary mentioned this place. So, I thought I should check it out," he explained.

"Oh, is that so," Anna's subconscious mumbled, a mix of skepticism and curiosity dancing in her thoughts.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Briggs," he said, his voice firm and sincere.

"A pleasure?" Anna scoffed inwardly but managed to compose herself. "Please, have a seat and place an order if there's anything you want," she said, motioning to one of the empty seats. She tried to project confidence, not wanting to appear as flustered as the girl who had once nervously stumbled into his office.

Yet, despite her best efforts, her heart continued to pound frantically, and she blushed under his steady gaze. Why was her body reacting this way? Was it because he was not only handsome but breathtakingly so, an epitome of charisma? Here he stood before her, filling her senses with the intoxicating scent of his aftershave.

"Miss Briggs!" he called after standing before her for a moment, during which she hadn't responded or moved an inch, lost in her thoughts.

Can he not see what he's doing to her, or is he simply relishing the scene?

"Please call me Anna, and what would you like to have?" she finally asked again, gathering her wits and hoping that the evening would not take an unexpected turn.