"I don't believe you"

Protesting on the information received from the stranger, Rachel stood in the middle of Financial Capital, unable to believe a word out of his mouth.

Even though the stranger told her something which only a conman or a stalker would say, still she wanted to test him till his patience ran out. Also, because it was not every day that she'd meet a man who would confess about a strange thing such as this.

"It is true.. Fine.. How do I prove it?" the stranger protested, raising his hands.

Rachel couldn't help notice that if he was indeed a con artist, he would make a very handsome one. The impeccable jawline was one which only models possessed while his broad shoulders and a properly tucked in shirt revealed a muscular body. The neatly adjusted hair with a couple of strands falling on his forehead waved with the wind and made him look even more attractive.

Although she had to leave quickly to be at her first job, she couldn't resist the beautiful, wholesome smile which adorned the man's face. She somehow wanted to continue the ruse he concocted.

"I don't know, conman.. Umm..how about vanish into thin air.. Then I might believe...."

Before she could actually finish her sentence, the man smiled at her and did what was asked of him.

He vanished.

Unable to believe the incident, she considered the possibility of being the scapegoat for some prank held on cameras. It was something which she watched quite often with her puppy.

She turned around everywhere trying to spot the hidden camera. "You got me.. You got me good guys.. Now come out.. Jokes over... You got me"

She spoke nervously while bouts of anxiety formed a pit in her chest and raised with every passing second. She looked around for someone with a camera to come out and state what she believed to be the only possibility, but nobody did.

In fact, all she saw were a bunch of strangers looking at her as they passed by, thinking she was some sort of a crazy person to be talking to nobody.

Inhaling deep, she felt a calming sensation fighting its way through all her anxiousness. She tried to compose herself while rethinking about what really happened. A man appeared out of nowhere stating two things which she never would have fathom to be stated together.

'He was her husband from the future'.

"What's happening? It's not a joke or if it is, I swear I will fucking kill everyone who is in on it" murmuring to herself, the anxiousness now turned to rage as she sat on the sideway; not a care in the world, if it would result in spoiling her dress for her first job.

As her phone beeped a reminder, she got up, reeling over the incident. Whatever it was, she could talk to her therapist about it, her solace in times of anxiety and panic attacks, the bouts she had since childhood.

Let's reserve some of the panic for him. For now, it was time to face the world, she reminded herself. A motto, which her therapist has imbibed in her from the time she met him.

Getting up, she dusted her skirt before walking in the marble lobby and into the elevator. After graduation, Rachel was offered campus placement. Being a finance major, she had an eye for numerical details. She got the chance to work with the elitists of the finance world.

She pressed the well-lit floor button in the metal box and looking outside the glass casing on either sides. Her reflection was hazy on the metal inside the elevator but she could see that her black curls stayed where she placed them without any rogue.

Her dress check was already done and she moved closer to her facial reflection, smiling at her self and checking her pink lips and white sets within. As seen in movies, she winked at herself and checked for her jet black liner for any smudges, the color she coordinated with her pupils. One final puff up for the face and she was confident about her looks.

As the elevator ascended, her dream job was within reach with every passing second. Once the doors opened, she trotted to the reception where the big and scintillating sign of Star Finance was hard to miss.

"Hello, my name is Rachel" she smiled at the receptionist, waiting for her to respond.

"Yes I know. I was told about your arrival. Follow me"

Rachel walked behind her as she was taken through array of cabins and cubicles. There were many men in the bullpen, as they call it. She was one of the few females who would be on the floor.

As the receptionist took a turn to a huge open cubical, Rachel finally saw the right proportion of men and woman, all in plain suits looking at her in amusement.

Is there something stuck in my teeth? God did I sit on something when I sat outside. These thoughts rushed in her mind as Rachel slowly look away, quickly brushing her teeth with her tongue while a hand ran a clean check on her skirt.

"This is your place of work. You will be joining the strategic finance team. They all sit here.." the receptionist showed her the space and her teammates. She turned towards the team while Rachel stood behind, waiting for her to leave.

"Guys be nice to her" the receptionist commanded.

"We are always nice to people, Suzie" a cheerful and beautiful doe eyed woman protested at the walking figure before smiling back at Rachel. Her demeanor felt welcoming but also reflected a mother hen persona.

Rachel stood at the entrance of the cubical, waiting for introductions. Treading lightly while dying of nervousness inside, she thought back of all her first days and her peculiar hate towards them. Hated them in college, school. Everywhere.

Rachel was an introvert like most of her family members. She detested being the center of attention anywhere but mostly when she had to introduce herself to a crowd of strangers. She especially disliked the way she felt about everyone's judging eyes on her while she spoke; a classic anxiety trigger.

"If you are waiting for us to introduce ourselves to you, then you are gonna wait a long time." the woman spoke again, reeling Rachel out of her thoughts.

"Sorry. I am Rachel. I recently graduated from Cambridge."

"Ohh star player already.. huh" raising her brows the lady revealed her impeccable  features added onto a perfectly oval face.

"Sorry what?" Rachel couldn't understand the reference.

"What Anna means to say is that anyone from Cambridge is already making good in the company" another well-dressed man leaned in, forwarding his hand for Rachel to take. "Hi there. I am Finn."

She noticed the clean shaven face, beautiful and a warm smile and a feeling of kindness which emanated to her while the suit screamed money. He must be loaded to be wearing a suit like that, she thought.

"Hello" Rachel smiled and took his soft hand, before another voice broke their contact.

"Don't mind any of us. You can sit here.." another man who sat opposite to Finn, patted the chair besides his. That would be her workstation.

She couldn't help but notice that his features were soft. It was not that he wasn't handsome but he wasn't someone whom she'd call a hunk. The guy was toned not muscular and he had disheveled hair, which Rachel always thought to be a disastrous look on someone but for his frame, it suited him.

Unlike Anna and Finn, the man wasn't eyeing her like a new animal in the zoo. He was gaining her trust and making her comfortable. 

"Ooowwww Someone likes the new girl" Anna's voice came through as Rachel took her designated seat. All she could do at that moment was blush away.

"Shut up Anna" the guy protested before turning to Rachel with a soft smile on his face.

"Hi, I am Marc. Anna is the crazy one. And Finn here, he knows everything about everything besides finance" Marc stated the introduction both in a friendly and smart way telling Rachel, her teammate's qualities.

She already felt at ease with the new members.

"Yup that's right" Finn laughed and raises a hand to hi-fi with Marc which after an eye roll, he accepted.

Seated, Rachel looked around the entire bullpen. People were minding their own business unlike in school or college where she would have already been the new target.

"Nervous?"

Anna turned Rachel's chair, pulling her close to talk. Rachel smiled and nodded. She couldn't collate words to express the volcano of nervousness writhing inside of her.

"Don't worry. We already had our meeting. So the next one is only in the evening. You will be relaxed by then" Finn pulled himself close to the huddle Anna and Rachel had with the chairs, getting his part in the conversation.

"Ohh did I miss something important? I was told to reach by 9. When do you guys come in?" Rachel asked, she wasn't told about any morning meeting.

She took a notebook to record the time meeting started in the morning. Being a typical A class bookworm, writing things down made her happy.

"God we have a nerd here" Anna giggled.

"Such a nerd, Rachel. You are with the best team and the best people. We report to no one but the boss" Finn chimed with Anna as he took Rachel's notepad away.

"And he is the chillest guy on this planet earth" Marc stated the last of the finishing lines making Rachel wonder if they always talked and finished each other's sentences.

"Speaking of.. Ethan.." Anna eyes travel above and beyond before she stood up and announced, "Come meet the new girl."

The chair revolved before her gaze landed on him.

As her eyes scanned the man stating in front, her expressions froze and the smile and dimple faded into her skin. Her brows bridged together when she saw the man with the name Ethan; her boss.

Rachel's body stood stunned as Ethan moved closer to meet her. He was the guy whom she encountered downstairs. The one who stated of being from the future and her husband.

"Hey there" Ethan extended his hand. All Rachel could do was stare at him as if she was shell shocked. "I am Ethan, as you would know that because Anna shouted it out"

His demeanor was relaxed and happy. He didn't look like the finance guy who work here but a smile toothpaste commercial guys. The same smile which she swooned over. His smile stayed on as he looked at her with curiosity.

Anyone would be curious if they had their hand held out, while the other person gawked at them.

"Seems like you all spooked her" Ethan addressed the others, snapping Rachel to attention.

Rachel realized that she was only staring at the man for a whole minute with her mouth ajar. Now she must come up with a better excuse or be accused of having a crush on the very first day.

"No sorry. I thought I saw you somewhere.. I am Rachel.. Hi" she somehow managed to utter those words out.

"Hi" Ethan held her hand out again and she couldn't help notice the similarities from the one she met downstairs.

"Someone is smitten already" Anna whispered only for Rachel ears.

'Shit, was it that obvious.' Rachel replayed all things that happened in a span of a minute. 'Of course it was...'

She was staring at the man as if she saw a Godzilla knocking down buildings.

Ethan smiled and nodded at them before he walked back into his office and closing the translucent glass door behind him. She could still see a silhouette taking a seat.

Justification were in order.

"I thought I saw him from somewhere"

"You must have, he is the face in all the business articles" Finn conveyed that Ethan was a celebrity of.

Rachel was glad that Ethan was famous. Her lie was sold.

There was nothing else that she could say and definitely not the part about meeting him downstairs. People would assume that she was going insane.

"Yah that must be it"

"Anyways you would love working with us. We are the dream team. With the dream boss" Anna seemed happy saying it while holding onto Rachel's hand. It was evident that she missed having a female company.

"Yes.. true that" Marc chimed in.

Before Rachel could say anything, a beautiful blond in red with heels the side of a fist walked the floor. The clacking of the marble coming in contact with the heel turned everyone's head to her presence as she walked into Ethan's office.

Finn contorted his face responding; "Yes dream team, dream boss and a witch in waiting.."

"What do you mean" Rachel peeled her stare from the woman.

Finn tone reflected disappointment when he spoke. "That woman who just walked in is Ethan's fiancé, Miley".

*****

Author's note

Awesome pawsomes

Did you like this chapter? Tell me if you have any theories on this time travel.

I would love to know your thoughts 😊 😍