Chapter III. Stereotypes that Leave Their Mark, Part 2:

Hanna:

"Well, Mr. Patel, what are you doing here? From what I've observed, you don't seem to be feeling very comfortable," I said with a smile as I watched his eyes focus on my lips with an intense gaze that made me uncomfortable.

"My girlfriend had to come, and she asked me to accompany her. Now she's meeting with some clients. And you, Hanna. What is a beautiful woman like you doing among so many boring businessmen?" He said this without taking his eyes off my body, as if revelling in it.

One of the things this job has taught me is how to tell when a client is asking you to accompany him or thinks he'll be entitled to a gift in return. Walter Patel was one of the latter. He wasn't faithful, as he devoured me with his eyes while his girlfriend was in a meeting.

To be honest, he wasn't ugly. In fact, you could say he was one of the most attractive men in the room. He had green eyes and dark hair. He was tall, and you could tell he worked out. The tuxedo fit him very well. It wasn't designer, but it wasn't cheap, either.

"I'm here to do public relations and make sure everyone has fun. The hotel hired us to liven up the party," I said, smiling as I looked around the room, searching for a way to get away from him.

With every passing minute, his intense gaze made me nervous. It was as if he wanted to unwrap me like a Christmas present. I wasn't stupid. He wanted me, and best of all, he hadn't even noticed his girlfriend was there. I felt sorry for her. If he behaved like this just because she said hello, I didn't even want to imagine what it would be like if they did more than greet each other.

"Do you want to entertain me tonight, beautiful?" I could give you some hot and desirable ideas," said Patel, approaching me and caressing my shoulder. I tried to get away from him.

"Shit, another innocent little lamb that turns into a wolf!" I thought as I was about to tell him where he could stick his ideas. However, a deep, magnetic voice made me swallow my words.

"May I ask what ideas you have for your little friend, Patel?" When I turned around, I felt as if I had hit an unexpected wall: the most attractive man at the party and at every party I could remember attending.

He was also the fiercest wolf of all, the alpha of the pack, and the most dangerous. For a few seconds, our eyes met, and the impact of his blue eyes, which exuded cold ice, took my breath away. My geeky mind kicked in, and I imagined myself in a manga as a damned virgin submissively handed over to be sacrificed to the god of ice.

If he hadn't spoken, the woman with him wouldn't have been able to pull me out of my trance. Looking at my savior, I could see that she was an exact copy of the god of ice, but female. Yet, her ice was warm, like a sunset in the snow. She was a tempting ice goddess who could freeze a man's soul and steal his heart with her warmth.

"What are you doing here, Walter?" Weren't you supposed to be at the office? Why are you offering to cheer up your friend? Have you forgotten that you're married?" the blue-eyed beauty with the body of a man-eating siren asked.

"Wow, it looks like the wolf has a lot of explaining to do: girlfriend, wife, and sexual cheerleader. Tonight is going to be a long one for Walter Patel," I thought.

I decided to walk away and let them deal with their problems. But it wouldn't be that easy, at least not with one of them.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work, Mr. Walter." I said confidently at first, but when I looked at the ice god, I lost my train of thought. I made my retreat without finishing the sentence.

My strategic escape had started off fairly well, or so I thought, until I heard that damn deep, magnetic voice again behind me, very close, too close.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced, Miss..." he said, waiting for me to finish.

"Think fast, Hanna. Make up a name and get out of here," I thought, without turning to look at him.

He didn't understand my nervousness or why I was trying so hard not to look him in the face. Maybe it was because my geeky imagination had turned this perfect specimen of human genetics into a character in one of my mind-blowing fantasies.

But what can I say? I have blood in my veins, as well as healthy female hormones. It must be said that man is worth pouring lots of whipped cream and hot chocolate syrup over his genetically perfect body and then devouring it little by little with delight.

"Ha... Hanna. Hanna," I said. As soon as I heard myself speak, I decided to punish myself in the cruelest way possible as soon as I got home.

"One month without manga, sweets, or anime—and certainly not those sexualized, perverted romantic manga novels—Hanna Müller, and not a day less," I said to myself, mentally beating myself up for saying my real name. My brain had certainly stopped working.

Thank God my infatuation with that man disappeared when he opened his mouth again. I had heard the saying that handsome men were just that—handsome—but until now, I hadn't believed it. I have friends and colleagues who are very good-looking but also intelligent in various ways. Apparently, this was not the case.

"Okay, Hanna, how much would it cost to get you away from him? You have more clients to choose from here. Even I could offer you a good price. How about a thousand pounds for one night?" He said this while looking me in the face to see if I had heard him correctly.

This wasn't the first time people had confused being an escort with providing other services. I always dismissed them elegantly but firmly. But something happened to me when I looked at that idiot. His ironic smile and the sparkle in his blue eyes only made my anger grow. It was like when a fantasy turns into a nightmare or beauty becomes ugliness—like receiving poison and the antidote within minutes of each other.

I approached him with a seductive smile, caressing his tuxedo jacket and making imaginary circles with my hands. He kept that look and smug smile, the kind of person who always gets what he wants. I had seen that look many times in the past two years, but I found it unacceptable in him.

"It would be very simple for you, handsome. Die and be reborn as a beautiful, sweet little dog. Only then could you sleep in my bed as my pet. Otherwise, swallow your money," I said, walking away from him. He looked at me with anger and determination.

This was the moment that changed my life, giving me an enemy for the first time, the most dangerous one of all. I would soon find this out, and the confrontations would be fierce.