Chapter 5 - The Gift in the Envelope
By three o’clock on Friday afternoon, Hannah was sitting at the oak desk in her small back office at Briar House, staring at a stack of unpaid heating bills.
The wind outside was howling, rattling the loose storm windows. In the main hall, Sophie was setting out bowls of hot pretzel sticks for the evening crowd, while Evelyn was folding donated blankets in the corner.
Hannah rubbed her aching temples with her fingertips. The pressure of the impending board vote had kept her awake all night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Grant Mercer’s dark, penetrating eyes looking at her across the kitchen table. She had called his corporate office three times that morning, but his executive assistant had politely informed her that Mr. Mercer was in high-level meetings all day and could not be disturbed.
It’s over, she had thought bitterly to herself an hour ago. He chose the numbers.
A soft knock at the office door broke her train of thought.
"Hannah?" Sophie called out, pushing the door open. "There’s a guy outside in a uniform. He said he has a hand-delivery that requires your signature."
Hannah’s heart gave a sudden, painful thud. She pushed her chair back and walked quickly out into the main hallway.
A courier dressed in a navy blue uniform was standing near the front door holding a heavy, cream-colored linen envelope stamped with a red wax seal bearing the Mercer Vale logo.
"Hannah Price?" the courier asked.
"Yes."
"Sign here, please."
Hannah signed her name on the digital pad with trembling fingers. The courier handed her the thick envelope, tipped his hat, and stepped back out into the cold wind.
Evelyn and Sophie instantly gathered behind her, their eyes wide with anticipation.
"Is that the eviction notice?" Sophie asked quietly, her voice laced with fear.
Hannah didn't answer. She broke the red wax seal with her thumb and pulled out a stack of heavy paper documents. On top rested a thick, personalized card written in precise, elegant handwriting.
She read the note silently to herself:
Hannah,
The board voted at 9:15 AM this morning. The original demolition order for Briar House has been permanently revoked.
Attached you will find a draft for a twenty-year master lease for the Juniper Street parcel at a fixed rate of one dollar per year. Mercer Vale Development will assume full financial responsibility for all structural, plumbing, electrical, and roofing repairs over the next twelve months, beginning with the second-floor radiator supply line on Monday morning.
Your building is no longer structurally compromised.
Grant.
Hannah stared at the handwriting, her eyes filling with fast, hot tears that blurred the ink on the page. She read the words three times, unable to process the magnitude of what she was holding.
"Hannah?" Evelyn asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft as she touched Hannah’s arm. "What does it say, honey?"
"He saved it," Hannah whispered, her voice choking as she looked up at them. "He saved Briar House."
Sophie let out a loud, ecstatic scream and threw her arms around Hannah’s neck, hugging her so tight they both nearly tumbled over. Evelyn clapped her hands together, letting out a joyful, theatrical gasp before immediately wiping a tear from behind her silver spectacles.
"I knew I liked that man!" Evelyn declared triumphantly. "Even if he looks like he needs a good home-cooked meal and a vacation!"
Hannah laughed through her tears, hugging Sophie tight while clutching the paper against her chest.
Underneath the lease document, inside the heavy envelope, Hannah noticed a smaller, formal invitation card printed on heavy cardstock. She pulled it out and turned it over.
It read:
The Mercer Vale Annual Spring Charity Gala Saturday Evening at Seven O'Clock The Grand Ballroom, Mercer Tower Admit Two
Across the bottom, Grant had added a small handwritten postscript:
I would be honored if you would attend as my guest. The terrible coffee is on me.
Hannah stared at the invitation, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
"What's that?" Sophie asked, peeking over her shoulder.
"An invitation to a gala," Hannah murmured, her mind spinning. "Tomorrow night at Mercer Tower."
Evelyn snatched the invitation out of her hand, examining it closely. "A gala! At the top of the Mercer building! Hannah Price, you are going!"
"Evelyn, I don't have a dress for a corporate gala," Hannah protested instantly, gesturing to her corduroy pants and oversized sweater. "I don't belong in a room full of billionaires and high-society board members."
"Nonsense!" Evelyn snapped, her eyes sparkling with absolute determination. "My daughter has a vintage navy blue silk gown sitting in my guest closet that she wore to a charity event in Chicago three years ago. It’s sitting in a garment bag doing nothing. And you are going to wear it."
"Evelyn—"
"Do not 'Evelyn' me, Hannah Price!" the older woman commanded, stepping forward and taking Hannah by both shoulders. "That man walked into this building, listened to you yell at him, fixed your water leak, saved your life’s work, and then personally invited you to his kingdom. You are getting into that dress, you are going up that elevator, and you are going to say thank you like a woman who knows her worth!"
May you like
Hannah looked at the handwritten card in her hand, feeling a strange, breathtaking flutter deep within her chest—a feeling she hadn't experienced in twelve long years.
"Okay," Hannah whispered softly, a blush climbing her cheeks. "Okay. I’ll go."
