Chapter 5 Marriage Proposal

"Why don't you reply to my messages, babe?"

Hannah froze mid-step, her heart plummeting. She turned her head slowly, disbelief plastered across her face. Cameron Carson stood there, looking infuriatingly casual, a bouquet of vibrant red roses in his hand, and a smug smile playing on his lips.

"W-What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, her voice a low whisper, her eyes darting nervously around the office.

The murmur of whispers spread like wildfire among the employees.

"They're... dating?" Denise whispered to Amy, her eyes wide.

"Did you hear what he called her? Babe," someone else chimed in, their tone a mix of shock and intrigue.

Hannah felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Her coworkers' stares burned into her skin. Oh no. This is bad. Very, very bad.

Cameron stepped closer, his expression shifting into an almost believable mask of concern.

"Why do you look so pale? Are you feeling sick? I told you not to push yourself, honey." He reached out and touched her forehead with the back of his hand.

Hannah jerked away as if his touch had burned her.

"What are you doing?!" she whispered harshly, eyes darting between him and the growing crowd of curious onlookers. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"Hmm? Ah, sorry," Cameron replied smoothly, clearly unfazed. "You wanted us to be professional at work. I get it." He even had the audacity to wink at her.

Her jaw clenched as she fought the urge to strangle him. This wasn't just messing with her life; this was sabotage.

Denise, emboldened by the drama unfolding before her, raised her hand hesitantly. "Um, sir, are we allowed to know about your... relationship with Hannah?"

Cameron turned his gaze toward her and the other employees clustered nearby, all looking at him with barely contained curiosity. Then he turned back to Hannah, his lips curving into a slow, devilish smile.

"Well, looks like we can't keep our little secret anymore, can we, honey?"

Hannah's eyes widened in horror.

"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath.

The employees gasped, covering their mouths, their eyes darting between Cameron and Hannah as though they'd just uncovered the office's juiciest scandal.

Hannah acted on instinct, grabbing Cameron's arm and dragging him toward the hallway, away from the prying eyes and ears of their coworkers.

Once they were out of sight, she whirled on him, her frustration spilling over. "Are you insane?! What on earth were you thinking, pulling a stunt like that in front of everyone?!"

Cameron leaned casually against the wall, unfazed by her outburst. "You can't blame me for this. You're the one who suddenly decided to cancel our arrangement without warning."

Hannah groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Do you even realize what kind of mess you've made?! What about your reputation?!"

"My reputation?" Cameron tilted his head, as though the idea had never crossed his mind.

"What's wrong with it? I mean, technically, we are 'dating,' right?" His sly grin was back, teasing and insufferable.

"You've completely lost it," she muttered, shaking her head. "If my career gets ruined because of this nonsense, I swear I'll haunt you for the rest of your life."

Cameron smirked, unfazed by the threat. "Oh, come on, sweetheart. Don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic?!" She took a step closer, her voice low and full of venom. "I'm not the one waltzing into offices with flowers and calling people babe in front of their coworkers!"

Before Cameron could respond, she spun on her heel and stormed off, her heels clicking furiously against the tile floor.

"See you at six, babe!" Cameron called after her, waving nonchalantly.

Hannah turned her head slightly, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. "Shut up!"

Several employees passing through the hallway glanced over in confusion, their curiosity rekindled by the outburst. Cameron, meanwhile, chuckled to himself, clearly enjoying the chaos he'd created.

Hannah slumped into her chair with an annoyed sigh, rubbing her temples as she tried to shake off the events of the day. Unfortunately, her reprieve was short-lived. Denise, along with several other coworkers, swarmed her desk like vultures descending on fresh gossip.

"Since when have you been dating the CEO's grandson, Hannah?" Denise asked, her tone a mix of awe and disbelief.

"I can't believe you hid something this juicy from us!" another coworker chimed in, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"No wonder you didn't care about all the hype around Mr. Cameron visiting. You're his girlfriend!"

"Come on, spill! How did you land someone like that?" Denise leaned in closer. "Give us some tips on snagging a rich guy!"

Hannah groaned internally, her head pounding from the barrage of questions. How was she supposed to explain this? She couldn't just blurt out that there was no relationship, not without sounding like she was denying the CEO's grandson in front of everyone. That would only make her look arrogant, or worse, like a liar.

'Damn you, Cameron,' she cursed silently. 'Why do you have to ruin my life like this?'

The relentless interrogation stretched on for hours, and by the time her coworkers finally dispersed, Hannah was completely drained. She packed her things with sluggish movements, desperate to get home and put this ridiculous day behind her.

As she zipped up her bag, Ellie's snide voice cut through the room. "I didn't think Mr. Cameron's taste was that bad."

Hannah paused, her grip tightening on the strap of her bag. She turned to face Ellie, who stood with her arms crossed, a smug expression on her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked sharply, clearly unimpressed by Ellie's tone.

Ellie shrugged, her lips curling into a smirk. "I mean, what could he possibly see in someone like her? Guess the guy's got terrible taste."

Hannah raised an eyebrow, her patience hanging by a thread. "Oh, maybe you're right. Why don't you try flirting with him then? See if he even bothers to look your way. Spoiler alert, he won't."

Laughter rippled through the group as Lucy and Denise clamped their hands over their mouths to stifle their giggles. Ellie's face turned an angry shade of red, her composure slipping.

"Shut the hell up!" Ellie snapped. "Don't get cocky just because you're riding on Mr. Cameron's coattails!"

"Do I look like I'm bragging?" Hannah asked coolly, tilting her head.

Ellie let out a derisive laugh. "Ha! We'll see how long it lasts. Guys like him don't stick around for long. Once he's bored, he'll toss you aside like yesterday's trash."

"Who's playing around?"

The low, commanding voice came from the doorway. The room fell silent as everyone turned to see Cameron leaning casually against the doorframe, his sharp eyes fixed on Ellie.

Ellie stiffened, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Cameron stepped into the room, his expression icy.

"You should watch your tongue," he said coldly, his gaze piercing.

Then, as if flipping a switch, his demeanor softened when he turned to Hannah. His lips curved into a warm, almost playful smile. "Ready to go, babe?"

Before Hannah could protest, Cameron strode forward, taking her hand in his. His grip was firm yet gentle as he led her toward the door.

Hannah glanced over her shoulder, locking eyes with Ellie and giving her a subtle, triumphant wink. Ellie's jaw dropped, her face burning with embarrassment as Cameron and Hannah walked out together.

The whispers followed them like shadows as Hannah and Cameron walked down the hallway. Every glance, every hushed conversation seemed to drill into Hannah's nerves.

Inside the elevator, Hannah finally yanked her hand away, glaring at Cameron.

"Stop grabbing my hand like that!" she snapped, crossing her arms.

"Better get used to it," Cameron said smoothly, his calm demeanor making her want to scream.

"Never," she hissed, turning her back to him. "And for the record, I'm going home by myself. Don't even think about driving me anywhere."

Cameron leaned against the elevator wall, arms folded casually. "Uh-huh. Except, you're coming with me."

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, but before Hannah could make her escape, Cameron seized her hand again and led her toward the parking lot.

"Let me go!" she hissed, struggling against his grip. "I'm not going with you!"

She didn't think twice before leaning in and biting his hand.

"Ah!" Cameron yelped, recoiling slightly.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you crazy woman?" He shook his hand, glaring at her. "Fine. You want to keep your job? Then you'll get in the car and behave."

Hannah froze, her eyes narrowing. "Are you threatening me?!"

"Call it... motivation," Cameron said, flashing her a smug grin.

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. She hated how powerless she felt against him, but she didn't have much choice. With a resigned sigh, she climbed into the car, slamming the door behind her.

The drive was awkwardly quiet, with Cameron humming a tune as if he hadn't just strong-armed her into his car. Hannah glared out the window, fuming in silence.

When the car finally pulled up to a fancy restaurant, Hannah frowned. The sleek exterior and softly glowing chandeliers hinted at exclusivity far beyond her comfort zone.

As he led her inside, Hannah's unease deepened. The ambiance was almost dreamlike, with soft jazz music floating through the air and the kind of quiet that made her hyperaware of every sound.

"Why is it so... empty?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cameron pulled out a chair for her, his movements annoyingly smooth.

"Because I rented the whole place," he said nonchalantly.

Her jaw dropped. "You what?"

"Didn't feel like sharing," he replied, settling into his seat.

Before Hannah could process his outrageous response, a waitress appeared, ushering them to a private table adorned with candles and fresh flowers. It was straight out of a movie, or a nightmare, in Hannah's case.

"What's going on?" she muttered, her eyes darting around as if searching for an escape route.

Cameron reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red box, placing it on the table between them.

"Marry me."