It wasn't at first sight

Chapter 47

Some months later.

It's evening when Ashley returns home after a long day of work at The Radley. As soon as she steps inside, she discovers piles of boxes and packages, not only at the entrance but also down the hallway, blocking the way to the living room. She heads straight to the kitchen.

Ashley "Hanna?" She yells after opening the door that leads to the basement.

Hanna "Just a minute, mom. I'm in the middle of something." She yells back.

Ashley sighs and throws her purse on the kitchen island to pour herself a glass of wine.

Hanna shows up there some minutes later and finds Ashley having her wine at the table aside.

Hanna "What's up, mom?"

Ashley "What's all that mess of boxes there at the entrance? We've already discussed this. You need to keep your stuff in the basement. This is a house, not-"

Hanna "I know, I know." She cuts her off. "I'm sorry, Mom. I received a lot of orders today from my suppliers, and I didn't have the time to move it all to the basement. I'll do it now, okay? Don't stress yourself out."

Hanna's business is now a success, but the journey hasn't been without its challenges. In the beginning, she faced a slow start with no sales, which naturally led to some initial panic. During those first few days, she spent sleepless nights in front of her laptop, repeatedly refreshing her website, and even had Caleb check it to ensure everything was working correctly. Yet, she had unwavering support from Ashley, Caleb, and her friends who reassured her that all she needed was time. One day, she woke up to discover her first sales, little did she know, Caleb had played a crucial part in those initial purchases. He had secretly invested in social media advertising, giving her business the boost it needed, firmly believing that success was inevitable. Word of mouth took over, and her dresses became known for their exceptional quality and unique design. And, in the recent months, her business has experienced significant growth, with a rising demand that keeps her working harder than ever.

Hanna takes her phone to send Aria a voice message: "Hey, Ari... listen, could you talk to your friend and ask him if I could use his photography studio in these days? I'll pay him, I don't want him to lend it to me for free anymore. I need to take pictures of the new dresses. Or let me know if you know any other place I could rent. I can't keep using this guy's studio for free."

Then she heads to the entrance of her house to start getting her boxes in the basement.

The doorbell rings, so she puts a box down and goes to answer it.

Zeth "Hey, Han!" He greets her with a smile.

Hanna "Hi, Zeth! How are you doing?"

Zeth "I'm doing pretty well." He hands her Chocolate's leash. "You? Too much work?"

Hanna "Yeah... as always." She answers while putting the dog off his leash.

Zeth "I wanted to ask you for a favor..."

Hanna "Sure."

Zeth "I know you only sell your dresses online for now... but my girlfriend needs a dress for her sister's wedding, and she is a big fan of your designs, but she isn't so sure about buying a dress without trying it on first. She asked me if I could just talk to you and maybe-"

Hanna "Just bring her with you tomorrow." She interrupts him. "She can try on as many dresses as she wants, and I can adapt any of them for her."

Zeth grins. "Thank you, Han. You are the best."

Hanna "Sure. No problem. I owe you one anyway." She smiles back.

When Hanna couldn't keep up with the delivery of her dresses in Rosewood a couple of months ago, she asked Zeth if he knew someone who could be interested in that little job, and a couple of days later, he showed up at her front door with Ryan, a friend of his who was ready to start working for Hanna.