It wasn't at first sight

Chapter 49

Some months later.

Hanna is at her store.

It took her some time to find the perfect place to set it up, and she had initial doubts because it was a bit over her budget. But once again, Caleb was there to encourage her to take the risk. He convinced her by pointing out that a larger space would mean more room. She could hire two seamstresses instead of one, increasing her dress production and income. Even if her store didn't have a high initial sale volume, she still would have a good number of sales on her website. Plus, he assured her he would have her back if she ever needed a small loan to cover any unexpected expenses.

Hanna rented a commercial site with two floors. Her store is on the ground floor, and her workshop is on the first floor. This setup allows her to work upstairs while keeping an eye on her store downstairs.

Initially, Hanna didn't want to take the risk of hiring too many people. So, she managed the store by herself at first. However, she later hired Chloe, who was recommended by Zeth, to assist in the afternoons. Chloe was looking for a part-time job after school, and she seemed like a perfect fit for the role.

After a few weeks of strong sales both on her website and in the store, Hanna finally decided to hire another full-time salesperson, Sidney. This allowed her to dedicate more time to her designs, which are the core of her business's success.

Now, Hanna is sketching a new design at her desk. It's the same desk Caleb bought for her when he renovated her basement over a year ago. She moved all the furniture to her new workshop, and also acquired some new pieces since she needed more workstations for her new employees, making sure everything matched perfectly.

Chloe comes up from the store downstairs. "Hey, Han... your friend Spencer is here. She's asking for you."

Hanna "I'll be right there." She answers without taking her eyes off her sketchbook.

Chloe goes back downstairs and Hanna stands up from her chair (also the one that Caleb got for her) when Anna, one of the seamstresses approaches her.

Anna "I just finished the belt for the black dress I was working on yesterday, Han." She hands it to her.

Hanna "It's perfect, Anna. Just like I had pictured it." She says after examining it carefully. "Thanks!" She smiles.

Hanna closely supervises every piece of work her seamstresses do for her. She usually creates the designs, writes down notes with instructions on which fabrics, zippers, accessories, etc. to use, and then monitors each step of the process until the dress is finished. That way, she can make sure the quality of them is perfect and that they are ready to be tagged as a "Hanna Marin" original dress.

She hands the belt back to Anna and heads downstairs.

Hanna "Hi, little Finnie!" She greets the baby in Spencer's arms first, of course. "Hey, Spence." She greets her friend as well, but keeps her eyes on the baby.

Spencer "Hey, auntie Han!"

The eight-month-old baby grins and reaches his arms out to Hanna asking to be carried by her. And Hanna takes him in her arms right away, obviously.

Hanna "Hi, little one!" She greets him again in a sweet voice, causing the little boy to smile even wider and wrap his little arms around her neck.

Spencer "He's crazy about you."

Hanna "I'm crazy about him too." She hugs the baby tightly and gives him a kiss on the cheek, getting laugh from the little one. "So, what brings you here?"

Spencer "I'm here for you to take my measurements." She says and grins.

Hanna looks confused, and that's when Spencer raises her hand to reveal the engagement ring.