Chapter 1

Veronica Jane Florence Montana epitomizes elegance, renowned for her striking beauty, innate grace, and opulent lifestyle. With a captivating presence, she effortlessly commands attention, whether gracing magazine covers or attending high-profile events. Her name is synonymous with sophistication and luxury, reflecting her impeccable taste and discerning eye for style. As a woman of means, she exudes confidence and poise, effortlessly navigating the realms of wealth and influence. Yet, amidst all the adoration, there's one person who seems indifferent to her charms—Liza Ysabel Antonio, her brother's secretary.

Liza, with her unassuming appearance and calm demeanor, remains aloof in Veronica's presence, barely acknowledging her existence. However, her demeanor changes drastically in the company of Veronica's brother, Paris, where she radiates warmth and smiles brightly. Veronica, intrigued by Liza's apparent indifference towards her and her affection towards Paris, begins to devise a plan to capture Liza's attention. Despite her initial irritation, Veronica's curiosity about Liza intensifies, leading her to wonder what lies beneath the surface of the secretary's composed facade. Thus, Veronica sets out on a mission to unravel the mystery of Liza Ysabel Antonio, determined to make her notice her in return.

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EcoBuild Innovation Building, 24th Floor, CEO Office

After returning from abroad, Veronica always made it a point to drop by her brother's company. Paris, perpetually busy with stacks of papers at his designated spot, would invariably frown upon seeing her.

"Why are you here again?" he grumbled, not looking up from his documents.

With a shrug, Veronica replied, "What else am I supposed to do? I just miss you, and I don't have anything pressing on my schedule."

"Are you not going to work on any new projects?" Paris asked, his tone laced with exasperation.

"Nah, I just finished one, remember?" Veronica smiled playfully as she picked up a candy from the bowl in front of her and began unwrapping it carefully.

Paris shook his head, watching her make herself comfortable on the office sofa. Since her return from a long business trip, Veronica had taken to visiting his office daily, much to his annoyance. Her frequent presence had even led to the occasional misconception that she was his girlfriend.

Despite their stark differences in appearance and demeanor, the siblings shared the same strikingly beautiful brown eyes. Paris, the younger of the two, exuded the mature, no-nonsense vibe of a businessman, always neatly dressed in a suit and tie. Veronica, on the other hand, was the epitome of laid-back sophistication, often seen in fashionable and expensive attire that reflected her occupation as a clothing line owner.

Their contrasting personalities and infrequent joint appearances at gatherings often led people to mistakenly assume they were a couple. There was even a rumor circulating in the media about how perfect they were together. They were too busy to correct the misunderstanding, though it irked Paris to no end.

“People might get the wrong idea again,” Paris complained, looking up briefly from his papers.

“Let them,” Veronica responded lightly, unbothered. “It's fun reading the articles about us anyway.”

“Tsk! How troublesome,” Paris muttered, shaking his head.

Veronica chuckled at her brother's irritation. “Come on, those baseless rumors won't hurt our reputations. And besides, bugs don't bother us much because of that rumor.”

In truth, Veronica had an appointment today; she had just dropped by to annoy her little brother. Stretching her arms, she stood up.

“Since you seem busy today, I think I'll be going now.”

“Where are you going?” Paris frowned. “I need to get to work on the site today. Are you not going with me? There’s a lot of work, and since you’re here, you might as well help instead of causing trouble.”

Paris, the CEO of EcoBuild Innovation, a construction company, was always buried in work.

“No thanks, brother. I actually have an appointment today. I'm kinda busy too. I just dropped by to see you.”

Veronica quickly grabbed her handbag and left the room before Paris could start berating her for wasting his precious time. Once he started nagging, he was hard to stop.

As Veronica strode down the hallway of EcoBuild Innovation, she couldn't help but admire the building's sleek, minimalist design. The walls were adorned with large photographs showcasing the company's groundbreaking projects. The air carried a faint scent of freshly sawn wood, mingling with the hum of activity around her. Employees passed by, some engrossed in conversations about the latest sustainable building techniques, while others rushed to meetings with blueprints in hand. Many stopped to greet her, to which she responded with polite nods and smiles.

As she approached the elevator, her eyes landed on a familiar figure across the hallway.

"Liza," Veronica muttered, recognizing her brother's secretary.

Liza Ysabel Antonio, with her black hair neatly tied in a bun, was wearing a black coat over what looked like a long-sleeve blouse.

Each of her steps exuded professionalism as she walked, eyes glued to her iPad, likely checking Paris's schedule for the day. Suddenly, Liza looked up, sensing someone’s gaze on her.

Liza’s eyes widened, then narrowed, then widened again as she came to a stop, realizing Veronica was staring at her. After a brief moment of direct eye contact, Liza's bewildered expression returned to its usual calm demeanor.

What a cutie, Veronica thought, a smile forming on her lips subconsciously.

Veronica stopped walking and waited for Liza to approach.

“Good morning, Ma'am Veronica. Sir Paris has a meeting in the conference room later…” Liza's voice was small yet clear as she stopped in front of Veronica, her usual polite smile in place.

"Good morning, Liza. I'm about to leave anyway," Veronica responded, maintaining her friendly smile.

Liza nodded, her expression professional as always.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she turned and walked briskly back towards the CEO's office.

Veronica raised an eyebrow as she watched Liza.

Veronica's thoughts lingered on Liza as she found something intriguing about her that piqued her curiosity. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Shrugging off her thoughts, Veronica stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.

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