The meeting with Alexander Knight stayed with Hazel long after the conference ended.
His offer was compelling, but there was something else about him — something strangely familiar that gnawed at her subconscious.
That evening, as she sat in her study reviewing his proposal, her mind drifted.
Why does he feel so familiar? she wondered.
The next day, while flipping through old photo albums she kept from her childhood at the orphanage, a photo slipped out.
It was a group photo — all the children lined up with some of the sisters standing behind them.
There she was: little Hazel, standing beside Rose, smiling shyly.
But her eyes caught someone else in the background — a young boy, slightly older, standing off to the side, looking directly at the camera with sharp, observant eyes. Hazel leaned closer, her breath catching in her throat.
That face… those eyes.
Suddenly, it clicked.
It was Alexander.
Her heart raced as a flood of buried memories came back.
Back then, she was just a scared little girl, and though they never spoke, she remembered feeling his gaze on her many times.
Alexander had always kept to himself, watching quietly from afar.
She never knew why.
He had been there the day she was adopted by the Brookes.
She remembered catching a glimpse of him standing by the orphanage gate, watching silently as she left with her new parents.
It was the last time she saw him — until now.
Hazel sat back in shock.
All this time... Alexander Knight, the powerful investor, was that same boy from the orphanage.
Her mind swirled with questions.
Had he recognized her all along? Was this coincidence? Or had he been seeking her out for years?
Determined to get answers, Hazel requested another meeting with Alexander — this time in private.
They met at an exclusive rooftop lounge overlooking the city skyline.
The air was crisp, and the soft glow of the city lights created a surreal atmosphere.
"You requested a second meeting," Alexander said as he arrived, his voice calm but curious. "I'm intrigued."
Hazel wasted no time.
"You were at St. Mary's Orphanage, weren't you?" she asked directly, watching his expression closely.
For the first time since she met him, Alexander's confident facade wavered for a brief moment.
His eyes softened, and he let out a slow breath.
"You remember," he said quietly. "I wondered when you would."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hazel asked, her voice steady but filled with emotion.
Alexander leaned against the balcony railing, gazing out into the city.
"Back then, I was a lonely, invisible boy.
I used to watch you from a distance — you always seemed so hopeful, even in that dark place. When you were adopted, I watched you leave.
I was happy for you, even though we never spoke."
He paused before continuing.
"Shortly after you left, I too was adopted — by the Knights.
They were extremely wealthy but couldn't have children of their own.
They gave me a life I never imagined possible, but I never forgot where I came from." His voice grew softer.
"And I never forgot you."
Hazel swallowed hard, emotions swirling inside her.
The mystery of his interest suddenly felt more personal, more vulnerable.
"So you found me again after all these years," she said softly.
Alexander finally turned to face her, his eyes filled with something more than business.
"Yes. And I won't lie to you, Hazel — part of me wants to help you grow your business. But part of me... wants to finally know the girl I spent so many years quietly admiring."
The weight of his words hung heavily between them.
For the first time, Hazel saw not the powerful businessman, but the lonely boy who once stood behind the orphanage gates.