Chapter 2
Everyone could see that Zachary had a thing for Anna. But because Anna once mentioned she wanted a slow–burning, steady kind of love, he just quietly watched over her from a distance.
Finally, when they graduated college, Zachary felt the time was right to confess. Just as he was about to make his move, Anna unexpectedly started dating someone else and left the country with him.
In disbelief, Zachary rushed to the airport that night, but on his way, he got into a car accident. When he woke up after surgery, Anna had already married the guy abroad.
After that, Zachary spiraled into a haze of drinking, a former golden boy now shadows of his former self.
That was when Hannah came into the picture. Cecilia then decided to enlist Hannah’s help to pull Zachary out of his misery.
To repay a favor, Hannah gave up her chance to study abroad and signed a five–year agreement with Cecilia.
At a party, she “accidentally” ran into Zachary, pretending it was love at first sight, and began to pursue him, relentlessly. Soon, everyone in their circle knew that Zachary had a woman crazy in love with him.
Zachary grew accustomed to her attention, but he never really took that leap.
Then one night, while on a yacht with some buddies, they made a bet: whoever’s date could dive into the sea and retrieve a lost ring would win a prime piece of land in the north of the city.
Hannah knew Zachary had been losing sleep over acquiring that land for days. While everyone else hesitated because of the giant waves, she jumped in without a second thought.
It was the first time Zachary lost his composure over her. He held her tightly after she was pulled from the water, his words trembling with fear.
“Hannah, let’s get married. I’ll try to love you.”
But later, Hannah found out that his proposal was triggered by a Facebook post Anna made that day, sharing a photo of her passionately kissing her husband under the northern lights.
Even so, determined to fulfill her promise and help Zachary move on from Anna, Hannah poured her heart into taking care of him. She cooked, managed the household, and upon learning that his childhood birthday wish was to watch a meteor shower – which his busy parents never took him to – she spent six months finding the perfect mountaintop for stargazing.
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Yet, that night, she waited alone. Zachary never showed up. Later, she discovered he had gone to see Anna. Anna’s marriage had hit a rough patch, and from then on, Zachary flew out of the country every week, always bringing unique, quirky gifts to leave at Anna’s doorstep, lifting her spirits without revealing himself.
The day Anna returned home, Zachary, desperate to see her first, ended up in another car accident. Hannah stayed by his side, keeping a round–the–clock vigil for three days and nights, yet during his coma, he mumbled Anna’s name 999 times.
At that moment, Hannah realized that the task Cecilia entrusted her with was impossible to complete. Fortunately, the agreement was about to end, and with Anna’s return and divorce finalized, Zachary finally had his chance with his true love.
It was time for Hannah to move on too. From now on, both of them could start fresh.
