Serendipity - A Chance Encounter

Samantha felt all kinds of weird, this is too much of a coincidence, did this pervert plan it all along? How could they keep meeting in unexpected places? Samantha changed her expression and smiled, "Likewise, President Daniel Cho.", they shook hands.

"So formal." said Daniel, grinning.

"This is great, would you look at that Alice, they already know each other!", exclaimed Mrs. Cho.

Mrs. Kim smiled brightly, observing Daniel and Samantha, "Yes, it"s indeed very nice. We"re good friends and now our children are also friends."

"We"re not friends.", Samantha corrected her mom.

"Well sweetheart, you gotta start somewhere.. you can be friends. I"m sure Daniel doesn"t mind."

"Of course not, Samantha seems… gentle." Daniel said, amused.

"Alice.. you know, I saw a bag earlier at LV, how about you come with me? I want to check it out." Mrs. Cho hinted at Mrs. Kim.

Mrs. Kim understood her friend, "Oh sure, I also saw a flower shop near the area... You know how I love flowers." The duo stood up, leaving Samantha out.

"I"m coming with you, mom." Samantha tried to follow her mom refusing to be left alone with Daniel.

"It"s okay Sam, you guys stay here, we"ll just be quick."

"But I like quick." Samantha reasoned while she gaped.

Daniel chortled, he looked down, crossing his arms obviously amused at her behavior, Samantha noticed this and she frowned but he just smiled.

Mrs. Cho hastily added, "Daniel, accompany Samantha for a while, we"ll have dinner after. You kids stay here and play." Mrs. Cho tapped her hand in the air towards Samantha and Daniel like she was talking to toddlers.

"Yes, mother." Daniel Cho said obediently

"STAY HERE AND PLAY? What are we?? Five??" Samantha sighed at the thought.

When the moms left, Samantha stood up and walked out of the café. Daniel followed her out and they began strolling around the shopping center. Samantha found a place to sit near the fountain situated outside; Daniel sat beside her.

"You don"t really have to follow me around, you know. I don"t mind being alone, you can leave."

"I can"t do that, my mother told me to play with you." Daniel said with a smile.

Samantha gave him an icy glare.

"So… you like, quickies?" Daniel asked with a serious expression.

Samantha scoffed and crossed her arms, "I did NOT say that!"

"If you say so." Daniel responded, amused by her actions and then Samantha felt her cheeks getting hot.

The two just sat there in silence for almost an hour without talking to each other but neither of them felt uncomfortable. While Samantha prefers to be alone most of the time, she didn"t mind that Daniel was there minding his own business. Daniel on the other hand, normally can"t stand being alone with a woman he doesn"t know very well for a long time especially since most of them came onto him; very obvious about their motives. But sitting in that bench with Samantha, he actually finds it…pleasant; even if the two of them didn"t really talk. Even if they"re just being alone, together.

Samantha cleared her throat, breaking the silence she spoke, "I know what they"re doing.. I"m not dense."

"Huh?" Daniel was surprised by the sudden initiative to talk.

"Your mom and mine, they"re trying to set us up.", she said.

"I know. I"m aware. My mom told me about it a month ago."

"Is that why I keep meeting you in random places? Did you plan this?"

"As much as you"d like for it to be the case, sorry to disappoint you but nope, I didn"t plan any of this. They"re purely coincidental.", he said.

"Who says I like them?", she scoffed but Daniel just chuckled.

After a few moments of silence.

"And you agreed to this? You agreed to be set up?", she asked, truly curious about what Daniel thought.

"I said I"ll think about it."

"We don"t have to do what they say. I"m not…--" Samantha couldn"t complete her sentence.

"Me too. I"m not interested in dating as of now." Daniel understood what she meant, he was also reminded of what happened that night.

Samantha nodded, "Good. At least we both agree on that." Although she said this, there was a hint of disappointment in her response.

Samantha"s phone beeped, when she saw the notification, her expression turned sour. Andrew Park sent her another message, it"s probably the thousandth time that he did. He had not stopped contacting her since that incident; he kept apologizing and asking for Samantha to meet him many times but Samantha never gave him a reply. Andrew doesn"t really know much about her background since she kept a low profile; so he doesn"t know where to look for her which was a good thing for Samantha; she was able to avoid him easily.

Daniel Cho noticed her expression, he had already glanced at her phone and saw the sender"s name and part of the message. So he had an idea why she was like that, he was just about to ask her if everything was okay, but then his phone rang. He spoke and ended the call quickly.

"They"re waiting for us at the restaurant, we should head back."

Samantha nodded and she followed him.

When they arrived at the restaurant, they haven"t even sat down when Daniel"s phone rang again. He exchanged replies for a few times before he ended the call.

Daniel turned to his mother, "Mother, I have an emergency meeting back at the company. I may have to leave the city tonight. I"ll have to take a rain check on the dinner."

Mrs. Cho sighed, clearly saddened, "Ok... It can"t be helped. Make sure you have enough rest, don"t just work all the time."

"I will." He nodded then turned to Samantha"s mom. "Mrs. Kim, I"m sorry but I have to leave you ladies, duty calls."

"It"s okay Daniel, I"m sure we"ll see each other again."

"We"ll do that." Daniel smiled politely, "Mom, order whatever you want, I"ll take care of the bill." Mrs. Cho smiled and nodded.

He turned to face Samantha and lightly tapped her shoulder, "It was nice meeting you, Samantha.", he smiled gently.

"Yeah… it was nice…meeting you." she smiled back.

Samantha watched as Daniel went to the counter to instruct the management to send the bill to him and then he left the restaurant. She doesn"t know why but when he saw him leaving, she felt a bit…dispirited. "Hmmm…weird."

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Almost 2 weeks later, Samantha is currently in her office and has just finished discussing some important matters with her a.s.sistant and Alexander.

"Chen, execute the plan and draft out a proposal. Send it to Mr. Li by tomorrow. You can go now.", Samantha ordered her a.s.sistant.

"Yes, madam. I"ll go ahead, Madam, Mr. Li, please excuse me,". she replied.

Samantha and Alexander both nodded.

When a.s.sistant Chen left the office, Alexander looked at Samantha and thought of something.

"How"s everything? Is Andrew still bothering you?"

"He still keeps on calling and sending me messages but I just ignore him.", Samantha didn"t tell Alexander and Seo Joon about the whole truth. She just told them that they fought about something and that she broke up with him because she"s fed up.

"Do you need my help?" Alexander asked showing concern.

"It"s okay, I can handle him. Thank you, Alex... you"ve always been so sweet." Samantha smiled.

"Anything for you, Sam." he said gently. "Why don"t we leave work earlier? I"ll treat you to some good food."

"Hmmm.. Shall we do that?", Samantha was pleased but before Alexander could reply, Samantha"s phone rang.

Looking at the caller ID, it was an unregistered number. She wondered who could be calling her, so she answered curiously.

"h.e.l.lo?", Samantha"s angelic voice was heard on the other line and a smile spread across the caller"s face.

"h.e.l.lo, Samantha... this is Daniel Cho. I"d like to invite you for dinner."

Samantha was stunned, she did not expect for him to call her. What did the CEO of Cho Corporation want from her?

"Uhh... where did you get my number?" she probed, Alexander on the side observed quietly.

"From Mrs. Kim."

"You have my mom"s number and she gave mine to you?"

"Don"t be silly, Mrs. Kim gave it to my mother and my mom gave it to me."

"Oh. Okay. So why did you want to meet? Can"t you tell me on the phone?", she asked.

"Well, if I could tell you everything on the phone, then I wouldn"t need to invite you over for dinner; would I?"

Samantha accepted defeat, "Fine, where?"

"I"ll pick you up, where are you?"

"No need, I have my car. Where shall I meet you?"

"I"ll text you the address. See you at 7." Daniel hung up the call after speaking. And right away Samantha"s phone beeped,

Daniel: [Four Seasons Hotel, private room 108.]

"Who was that?" Alexander noticed Samantha who was in a daze.

"Daniel Cho... He wants to have dinner with me." Samantha replied, still trying to think things over.

"Daniel... Cho? You don"t mean, the CEO of Cho Corporation, right?" Alex was shocked but Samantha nodded. "Why would he want to meet with you? Did he mention about the bidding?"

"I"m not sure, I"ll find out when I"ll see him." Samantha glanced at Alexander and noticed that he looks a bit dejected. "Sorry, Alex.. can we have that dinner some other time?", she said apologetically.

Alexander composed himself, "Sure, no problem. I"ll have some doc.u.ments to go over anyway. Take care.", Alexander smiled at Samantha as he left her office.

Samantha stared at Daniel Cho"s text message, "President Cho, what could you possibly need from me?"