Caught Between Two hearts

“Tell me again why you’re staring at your phone like it just proposed marriage to you.”

Lee Anna didn’t answer.

She was lying across the couch with her legs hanging over one armrest, her phone held inches from her face. The faint glow of the screen reflected in her eyes as she stared at the picture in front of her.

Mia looked over from the kitchen.

Then she looked again.

Then she sighed.

“Please tell me that’s not Adrian Cole.”

Lee Anna’s lips curved into an immediate smile.

“It is.”

“Oh, Lord.”

Mia walked into the living room, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel.

Lee Anna barely noticed her.

On the screen was Adrian Cole, looking effortlessly perfect in a campaign photo for one of the most talked-about luxury fashion brands in the world—Sterling Luxe.

The black suit he wore looked as though it had been designed specifically for him. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his expression calm and confident, and the entire photograph had that expensive, untouchable feeling that Sterling Luxe was known for.

Lee Anna zoomed in.

Mia stared at her.

“You zoomed in?”

“I was looking at the details.”

“The details?”

“The suit.”

“You're looking at his face.”

Lee Anna slowly lowered the phone.

“I can look at both.”

Mia burst out laughing.

“You are unbelievable.”

Lee Anna ignored her and returned to the picture.

“Look at him, Mia. Just look at him. This man doesn't even look real.”

“He looks like a man who has never had to wash his own plates.”

“That doesn't matter.”

“It matters to me.”

Lee Anna laughed.

Mia dropped onto the couch beside her.

“You've been obsessed with this man for how long now?”

“I don't know.”

“That's a lie.”

“Maybe two years.”

“Two years?”

Lee Anna shrugged.

“Maybe three.”

Mia stared at her.

“Three years?”

“He's famous. It's not like I'm dating him.”

“Exactly. You're not dating him. You're running a full-time fan club with one member.”

Lee Anna rolled her eyes.

“You're just jealous.”

“Of what?”

“His face.”

“I have my own face.”

“Not one like his.”

Mia grabbed a cushion and threw it at her.

Lee Anna caught it, laughing.

For a moment, the apartment felt warm and easy, filled with the kind of laughter that came from two people who had known each other long enough to stop pretending to be normal around each other.

Then Mia noticed the folder sitting on the coffee table.

She pointed at it.

“Wait.”

Lee Anna's smile faded slightly.

“What?”

“Isn't that for tomorrow?”

Lee Anna looked at the folder.

Her interview.

Tomorrow.

She sat up.

“Oh.”

Mia raised an eyebrow.

“You forgot?”

“No.”

“You absolutely forgot.”

“I didn't forget.”

“You were just staring at Adrian's face instead of preparing for your interview.”

Lee Anna grabbed the folder.

“I can multitask.”

“You clearly cannot.”

Lee Anna opened it and began checking the papers inside.

Her résumé.

Certificates.

References.

Copies of documents.

Everything she'd carefully prepared.

Tomorrow wasn't just another interview.

It was Sterling Luxe.

One of the biggest luxury fashion companies in the city.

And somehow, after weeks of applications and rejection emails, she'd finally gotten an interview for an executive assistant position.

Lee Anna swallowed.

“I really need this job.”

Mia's teasing expression softened.

“I know.”

“My mom needs help.”

“I know.”

Lee Anna closed the folder.

Her mother hadn't asked for much.

She rarely did.

But lately, Elena had been trying to stretch money that simply wasn't enough. Bills kept coming. Repairs needed to be made. And every time Lee Anna called, her mother insisted everything was fine.

Lee Anna knew better.

“I just want to be able to help her,” she said quietly.

Mia nodded.

“You will.”

Lee Anna smiled faintly.

“I hope so.”

Then her eyes drifted back to the phone.

Mia immediately noticed.

“No.”

Lee Anna blinked.

“What?”

“Don't.”

“I didn't say anything.”

“You were about to start talking about Adrian again.”

Lee Anna smiled.

“Well…”

“Lee Anna.”

“What?”

“You're hopeless.”

Lee Anna laughed.

Then she looked at the Sterling Luxe logo on the campaign photo.

Her expression changed.

“Actually…”

Mia narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

Lee Anna hesitated.

“I have another reason for wanting this job.”

Mia leaned closer.

“What reason?”

Lee Anna smiled.

“I'll tell you after I get it.”

“Lee Anna.”

“I promise.”

“Tell me now.”

“No.”

Mia groaned.

Lee Anna stood up.

“I need to go to the supermarket.”

“Why?”

“We're almost out of food.”

Mia pointed toward the kitchen.

“There's food.”

“That's seasoning.”

“Seasoning is food.”

“No, it isn't.”

“It is if you're creative.”

Lee Anna laughed as she grabbed her bag.

“I'm going.”

“Get snacks.”

“I'll get snacks.”

“And don't spend all your money.”

“I won't.”

“And prepare for your interview!”

Lee Anna opened the door.

“Yes, Mom.”

Mia smiled.

“Good luck, future Mrs. Adrian Cole.”

Lee Anna's face immediately lit up.

“You're so annoying.”

She shut the door behind her.

---

The supermarket was busier than Lee Anna expected.

She pushed her cart slowly through the aisles, checking her list on her phone.

Rice.

Pasta.

Milk.

Bread.

Chicken.

A few vegetables.

And snacks Mia would probably finish in two days.

She reached for a packet of cereal.

Her phone rang.

Mom.

Lee Anna smiled and answered immediately.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Have you eaten?”

Lee Anna laughed.

“Hello to you too.”

“I'm serious.”

“Yes, Mom. I've eaten.”

“Good.”

There was a pause.

Then her mother's voice softened.

“How are you feeling about tomorrow?”

Lee Anna glanced at the cart.

“Nervous.”

“You'll do well.”

“I hope so.”

“You've worked hard.”

Lee Anna smiled.

“Thanks, Mom.”

They spoke for a few more minutes before Elena hesitated.

“There is something I wanted to ask you.”

Lee Anna's smile faded.

“What is it?”

“I don't want to disturb you.”

“Mom.”

A sigh came through the phone.

“It can wait.”

“No. Tell me.”

Her mother explained what she needed.

It wasn't an enormous amount.

But Lee Anna knew what it meant.

Another expense.

Another thing her mother was trying to handle alone.

Lee Anna looked down at the small amount of money left in her account.

“Okay,” she said quietly. “I'll help.”

“You don't have to.”

“I know.”

“Lee Anna—”

“Mom, I'll send it.”

Her mother went quiet.

Then she said softly, “Thank you.”

Lee Anna smiled despite the knot forming in her chest.

“Don't worry about it.”

After they ended the call, Lee Anna stood still for a moment.

Tomorrow's interview suddenly felt even more important.

She couldn't afford to fail.

She placed her phone into her bag and continued shopping.

A few minutes later, she turned into another aisle.

She was distracted, mentally going through everything she needed to do before the interview.

Clothes.

Hair.

Documents.

Questions.

Answers.

Confidence.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice the person standing directly in front of her.

Her cart hit something.

Or rather—

Someone.

“Oh!”

The cart stopped abruptly.

A few items slipped from the other person's hands and landed on the floor.

Lee Anna's eyes widened.

“Oh my God. I'm so sorry.”

She immediately stepped around the cart.

“I'm really sorry. I wasn't looking.”

The man bent down at the same time.

Their hands reached for the same item.

Lee Anna stopped.

So did he.

For one strange second, neither of them moved.

Then he picked it up.

“It's fine.”

His voice was calm.

Deep.

Almost too calm for someone who had just been attacked by a shopping cart.

Lee Anna looked up.

And forgot what she was about to say.

He was…

Wow.

There was no other word.

Tall.

Broad shoulders.

Dark hair.

Sharp features.

A perfectly composed expression that somehow made him look even more intimidating.

He wasn't smiling.

He wasn't trying to impress anyone.

He simply stood there, holding the fallen item in one hand.

And somehow that made him more attractive.

Lee Anna blinked.

“Sorry.”

He looked at her.

“It's okay.”

She quickly took the item from him.

“Thank you.”

He gave a small nod.

Then he walked away.

Just like that.

Lee Anna stood there.

Watching him disappear around the next aisle.

What?

She looked down at herself.

Then back toward where he had gone.

Who was that?

She shook her head.

“Okay, Lee Anna.”

She pushed her cart forward.

“You have an interview tomorrow.”

But after three seconds, she glanced back.

He was gone.

She sighed.

“Definitely not important.”

She continued shopping.

She lasted approximately twenty seconds before thinking about him again.

There was something about him.

The way he carried himself.

The quiet confidence.

The cold expression.

He looked like the kind of man who never had to ask for anything twice.

Lee Anna smiled to herself.

“Okay…”

She looked down at her shopping list.

“Focus.”

Tomorrow was about getting a job.

A job at Sterling Luxe.

A company connected to the one man she had spent years obsessing over.

Adrian Cole.

She had no idea that the stranger she had just bumped into in a supermarket was about to become far more important to her life than she could possibly imagine.

And she certainly had no idea that tomorrow morning, she would see him again.

Only this time—

she would learn his name.

Alexander Sterling.