“Thank you very much,” Estelle expressed her gratitude to the security guard and glanced at the excited children in the backseat. She then led them out of the car and handed the car keys to the guard.
After sitting in child car seats for a while, Yvonne and Christina couldn’t contain their excitement and started jumping and playing as soon as they got out of the car. Yohan took on the role of the responsible older brother, holding their hands and following Estelle as they headed towards the office building of the Hans Group.
Estelle didn’t want any special treatment due to Cristofer’s position in the company. Instead, she approached the front desk to make an appointment. However, the receptionists were familiar with her and treated her politely.
The woman in the lead, dressed in a business suit, smiled warmly and said, “Mrs. Hans, Mr. Hans is currently in a meeting, which may take a while. Would you like to wait for him in the reception room? Plenty of toys are there to keep the children entertained while they wait.”
“Thank you.” Estelle wanted to suggest waiting in Cristofer’s office but seeing the woman’s enthusiasm made it hard to decline her offer.
Although some tabloid publications had suggested that Cristofer and Estelle had divorced, neither of them had officially addressed the rumors. As a result, the staff at the Hans Group still regarded Estelle as the CEO’s wife, deserving of respect and care.
The reception room was conveniently located near the meeting room and office space, allowing Cristofer to spot Estelle and the children easily once his meeting ended. It was a thoughtful arrangement to accommodate them.
After guiding them to the room, the receptionist brought them some fruit and beverages. She smiled and said, “Mrs. Hans, these are snacks from our micro kitchen. I wasn’t sure of your preferences, so I selected some fruits that the children might enjoy while waiting.”
“Thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you,” Yohan graciously replied. His polite demeanor surprised the receptionist, who exclaimed in amazement, “Wow, you must be Mr. Hans’ son. You resemble him a lot, but you definitely smile more than he does…”
Cristofer was known for his serious and unsmiling work demeanor, often intimidating his employees. So, no one expected his son to be so charming and polite. Estelle smiled warmly upon seeing that others also admired Yohan.
Suddenly, the receptionist realized she was discussing her boss in front of his wife and children. Seeing that Estelle wasn’t upset, she quickly excused herself. Shortly afterward, many people dropped by the reception room to catch a glimpse of their boss’s children.
The room’s door near the corridor remained open, and the windowsill was at waist height for adults. This design allowed staff to check if anyone was in the reception room without needing to knock on the door. Now, it made it easy for everyone to see the children.
“Mom, can I go outside and play with them?” Despite her shyness, Yvonne wasn’t afraid to interact with strangers. She was filled with excitement and eager to explore this new environment.
Estelle was confident in the security in the office building, and there was no need to let the children stay in the room only now that they had come here. At the same time, Estelle said to herself, ‘Eva used to complain to me that Cristofer was a very harsh boss a lot. She told me she was satisfied with the salary, yet she was always scared by the workload Cristofer had put on her. Well, I guess that the high salary provided by the Hans International Corporation comes with a high workload.’
With that in mind, Estelle cautioned, “Okay, but remember not to wander too far from this reception room. And don’t go downstairs, so Dad can find us easily. Also, be sure not to disturb the hardworking people here. They are very focused and might be tired. Understand?”
Yohan promptly offered to accompany Yvonne, ensuring Estelle wouldn’t worry about her being outside alone.
“Okay,” Estelle agreed and turned to Christina. She said softly, “You can go with them too. As the receptionist mentioned, there’s a micro kitchen here. If you get hungry, you can grab some snacks.”
Christina pouted and shook her head, saying, “I’ll stay with you, Mom. Otherwise, you’ll feel lonely.” To emphasize her decision, she picked up yogurt from the table and began eating it while snuggling into Estelle’s embrace, as if she intended to stay there indefinitely. Estelle felt a warm affection as she hugged Christina tightly.
Afterward, Yvonne and Yohan happily went into the corridor. Their adorable faces instantly caught the attention of people in the office space. Even those who weren’t particularly fond of children couldn’t help but whisper, “They’re so cute!”
“Hi. May I have a chocolate bar, please?” Yvonne politely asked an employee in the micro kitchen, curious if there was any chocolate left for the day.
“Of course,” a woman, unable to resist Yvonne’s charm, retrieved a chocolate bar from her desk and replied, “Here you go. The chocolate over there is quite bitter, but we haven’t received the new ones yet. I think this strawberry-flavored chocolate suits a cute girl like you. You’re incredibly adorable. Can I touch your cheek?”
As she gazed at the chocolate and the friendly young lady, Yvonne nodded, saying, “Yes, but please be gentle.”
Hearing that, the young lady gently touched Yvonne’s cheek and exclaimed excitedly, “You’re incredibly cute, and your cheek is so soft.”
Initially, people had only stopped by to admire the children, but now they began engaging in conversations and playful interactions with them, filling the area with genuine laughter.
Yvonne had always been sweet, and when she realized that everyone liked her, she became as chatty as she was back in kindergarten. She conversed with the employees, both men and women, in the company, delighting everyone. They generously shared their snacks with her, and her pockets quickly overflowed.
Yohan came up with a solution, gathering all the snacks and placing them inside Yvonne’s little hat, making her look even cuter. At this point, the receptionist offered, “I have a paper bag. It might be more convenient to use a bag instead. We wouldn’t want any delicious treats to fall on the ground while you’re walking accidentally.”
Yvonne and Yohan expressed their gratitude to the receptionist and followed her to the front desk. To their surprise, they were caught in the middle of a dispute.
A difficult client was arguing with a stubborn employee, and Yohan puffed out his chest as he approached them, asking, “What’s happening here?”
The presence of the future young boss instantly boosted the employee’s confidence. He explained, “This client has exceptionally high standards, but her offer is quite low. I can’t reach an agreement with her. I suggested she reconsider, but she refused and continued arguing as if we were trying to deceive her.”