I have several things to address, so please just bear with me here, and I'll try to avoid Authors' Notes as much as possible in future chapters, since I know mine can get out of hand.

1. The title: I started writing this shortly before folklore came out, and didn't have a title, so as soon as Taylor dropped folklore, I thought this was the perfect title. But this is NOT a songfic in any way, it's not based on or inspired by the song, I just thought the title worked well.

2. When I used to write multi-chapter FanFics back in the day, I always seemed to lose inspiration/motivation, and never finished, and always felt bad that they never got a real ending. So I have spent the last several weeks working on this FanFic, making sure it was completely written before I posted. However, if there is anything you want to see, please leave a review, and I will see if I can work it in somewhere. As long as nothing changes, it will be 22 chapters in total. But all of the chapters will be packed full of action, because I've decided to not really do any filler chapters for this story, since that's just not what I'm inspired to write. So, since it's all finished, I promise I will be updating regularly until the story is over, so long as I don't die or get amnesia and forget I wrote it or the entire United States loses internet access or something else drastic like that.

3. There are several references to Hanna's housekeeper, Dorota. This is Dorota from Gossip Girl. I wanted Hanna's housekeeper to be just like Dorota from GG, so I figured I would just make it Dorota. But this isn't a crossover or anything, so Dorota doesn't know Chuck and Blair or anyone from the UES, it's just Dorota's look, accent, personality, etc.

4. If you enjoy this story, please, please go read my other stories. I have a Haleb oneshot, a Haleb twoshot, and a Tyshley oneshot posted. I worked really hard on them all, and they haven't gotten much attention or feedback at all, so please go check them out and leave them a review!

5. This story will have some smut in later chapters. I won't be changing the rating to M, so I am warning you now. Also, this story is my first attempt at smut, so please don't be too harsh!

6. There are some references to canon/OG/classic Haleb, including some exact quotes, or some quotes that were altered slightly to fit the context. I hope you Haleb superfans can pick them out and appreciate them! There's also a few references to some of my other favorite couples, including Zoe and Wade from Hart of Dixie, Elle and Noah from The Kissing Booth, and Damon and Elena from The Vampire Diaries, so if any of you like them as well, see if you can pick those out, too!

7. Finally, I do not approve of cheating at all. I think it's terrible in real life, and I hate people who cheat. With that being said, this is a fictional story about a fictional couple, so no real feelings were hurt and no real hearts were broken in the making of this FanFiction. You've gotta admit, when there's no real people involved to get hurt, the sneaking around is pretty hot. Plus, it's Jordan getting cheated on, and all us Haleb shippers hate him anyway, right? Not even because there's anything wrong with him, but just for the sole reason that he had the audacity to propose to Hanna. That he ACTUALLY thought he could make Hanna happy. Um, NO! That role belongs solely to Caleb. So basically, the inspo for this story was that even if Hanna hadn't met Caleb in high school, even if she did go through and marry Jordan, Haleb will ALWAYS end up together. I mean, they made it through Jenna, -A, Ravenshit, Moaning Miranda, Unattractive Travis, Spa-blech, Boring Jordan (Hope you all appreciate my nicknames for everything, haha!); they're soul mates, and NOTHING can keep them apart. So yeah, spoiler alert: Don't you worry, it might take us a little while to get there, but Haleb is ALWAYS endgame.

Thanks for sticking out this super long A/N! Please please please review, follow, favorite, etc! I worked so hard on this!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. All rights belong to I. Marlene King, Warner Brothers, Sara Shepard, etc.

Without further ado:

Illicit Affairs

At 26 years old, Hanna Marin-Hobart's life was exactly the way she always expected it would be. Growing up as the only child of wealthy hotel developer, Tom Marin, and his wife, socialite Ashley Marin, she always had a pretty good idea of what was in store for her future. She had never had to work a day in her life - the hardest she had ever had to work was choosing her designer outfits in the morning. She had coasted through high school, thanks in large part to the new athletic center her parents had funded, before securing her spot in the Class of 2016 at prestigious Ivy League, Yale University, due to a generous donation from Marin Enterprises.

At Yale, she had joined the top sorority, Alpha Phi, partied and drank a lot, slept with a lot of frat boys, and missed a lot of 8 AMs, finally learning senior year that she needed to stop registering for 8 AMs. She knew college was her last chance to have fun and be wild, before she was expected to settle down into the role of an obedient wife, her life revolving around charities and galas and politics, as her mother and both grandmothers had been grooming her for her entire life.

After graduation, she had returned to her hometown of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, an affluent suburb of Philadelphia. She quickly met Jordan Hobart, a recent MBA graduate from Wharton Business School, and a real estate developer who was working with her father to find prospects for the next Marin Enterprises hotel. Jordan was smart, wealthy, from a great family, attractive, and, best of all, Australian, and in the four years since they had met, his career had blossomed, meaning she was living the luxurious lifestyle she was accustomed to, complete with designer clothes, multi-million dollar mansion, and a staff, so that she didn't actually have to care for said mansion. He had proposed to her after a year of dating, and another twelve months later, they were hosting a lavish wedding for 500 of their nearest and dearest. Her family approved of him, her friends loved him, and he adored her.

Sure, they didn't have the most passionate or intense relationship, and it was nothing like what "The Notebook" had led her to believe love would be like. But Jordan was a great man, and a great husband. He treated her right, he was faithful, and he supported her. He bought her expensive gifts, he took her out on lavish dates, they vacationed all over the world, they hardly ever fought, and she was content. She knew her parents or grandparents weren't passionately in love, either, and they had been married for nearly 30 and 55 years, respectively. This was what Marins did; they didn't marry for love, they married for status, money, and affluence. And Hanna just happened to be lucky enough to find a man who really did love her, too.

Sometimes she wondered if there was more to life than this, if that intense, extraordinary, all-consuming, do-anything-for-each-other love really existed, the kind that Allie and Noah, or Bella and Edward, shared, and the kind that Taylor Swift sings about. But then she'd talk to her sorority sisters from college, and they'd complain about dating, and how hard it was to find a decent man, and she would realize just how fortunate she was. She may not be madly in love with Jordan, but she did care about him a lot, and she was comfortable with him. And he gave her a lifestyle that she was comfortable with.

Hanna finished applying a final coat of her favorite Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara, looked in the mirror one last time, and fluffed her perfect blonde curls before making her way down to her and Jordan's state-of-the-art kitchen, all marble countertops and stainless steel appliances, where he was waiting for her.

He looked up as he heard her heels clicking on the hardwood floors, and took in her tight navy cocktail dress.

"You look lovely, darling," he told her, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"Yes, Miss Hanna, you look very pretty!" chimed in their housekeeper, Dorota, who was currently cleaning up the kitchen.

"Thanks, Dorota!" Hanna called out as she and Jordan made their way out to their garage, getting into Jordan's Porsche Cayenne.

They were headed to a swanky hotel in Philadelphia, where Veronica Hastings, the mother of one of Hanna's best friends from high school, Spencer Hastings, would be officially announcing her campaign for Senate. Hanna had remained close with not just Spencer, but also with her two other best friends from high school, Aria Montgomery and Emily Fields, now Emily Fields-Cook.

Veronica had been a lawyer as long as Hanna had known her, and she was always trying to make a difference in the community, so it was about time she ran for office and chased the opportunity to make a more widespread impact.

As soon as they arrived at the hotel and entered the ballroom where the announcement party was being held, Hanna was welcomed by Veronica, Spencer, and Spencer's older sister, Melissa. Melissa had always struck Hanna as incredibly uptight, and they never really seemed to see eye-to-eye on anything. But Hanna had mastered the art of being polite, even to people she couldn't stand, so she greeted Melissa with a tight smile and gave her a hug, before moving on to Spencer and her mother.

"Hanna, Jordan, thank you so much for coming," Veronica told them, pulling them each into a hug.

"Hey, Han," Spencer greeted Hanna, pulling her into a hug. "And Jordan," she added, kissing him on the cheek. "Thanks for being here."

"Where else would we be?" Hanna asked rhetorically. "'Don't be hasty, vote for Hastings!" Hanna cheered, throwing her arms up like a cheerleader.

"You know that's definitely not her slogan, right?" Spencer clarified.

"Well, it should be," Hanna said, poking her tongue out at the brunette.

Jordan laughed at his wife, before offering to go get drinks for them, giving Hanna the perfect opportunity to catch up with Spencer.

They started to make their way towards a quieter, more empty corner of the ballroom, so they could actually hear each other, when they ran into Aria and Emily, as well as Emily's wife, Samara.

"Oh my gosh, Aria!" Hanna squealed, pulling the tiny brunette into a tight hug. Out of all of the girls, Hanna had always been closest to Aria, but Aria had spent the last couple of years traveling all over the world teaching English to underprivileged children, so Hanna didn't get to see her nearly as much as she wanted to. But now, she was back in Rosewood to stay and Hanna couldn't have been more excited. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you, too, Han," Aria squeezed her back before pulling away.

"Wow, Han, it's nice to see you, too," Emily told her, laughing, as Hanna had completely ignored her.

Hanna laughed, too. "Sorry, Em, but I see you guys all the time!" She hugged both Emily and Samara, before turning her attention back to Aria.

"I was so sorry to hear about you and Ezra," Hanna told Aria as convincingly as possible. Aria had met Ezra when he was working as the TA for one of her college classes, and they had been pretty much inseparable ever since, but something must have happened in their travels, because Aria returned home solo. In all honesty, Hanna had never liked him, though, and wasn't too upset to see him out of Aria's life.

"It's fine," Aria said, forcing a smile. "And I know you're not really sorry." She gave Hanna a pointed look. "But I think the relationship just ran its course and we realized we didn't want the same things. He wanted to keep traveling but I was ready to come home and settle down."

The girls all shot her sympathetic looks, before Aria put on a bright face and said, "But in better news, let me see that rock of yours, Spence!"

Spencer had recently gotten engaged to her on-again, off-again boyfriend since high school, Toby Cavanaugh.

Spencer proudly showed off her diamond engagement ring, letting the girls all admire it. It was definitely a lot more modest than Hanna's, but Hanna still thought it was beautiful, and she was really proud of Toby for picking it out, surprised that he actually seemed to have taste.

"Where is the lucky guy?" Samara asked as Spencer retracted her hand.

Spencer got a dreamy expression on her face as she turned to find her fiancé, who appeared to be deep in conversation with another guy across the ballroom.

Hanna followed Spencer's gaze to see Toby talking to a dark-haired guy, dressed in jeans, combat boots, a military green jacket, and a gray beanie.

"Who is that?" Hanna asked, wrinkling her nose up in disgust. This guy certainly didn't look like he belonged here, and she was most definitely judging him.

Although, she had to admit, he was pretty hot, if you were into the bad boy, biker type. (Seriously, who wore jeans to an upscale political event?)

"That's Caleb, Caleb Rivers," Spencer told her, turning her attention back to the blonde. "He and Toby have been friends for years, and he's some kind of tech genius, so my mom brought him in to work on the campaign."

"I wouldn't trust that guy to work on my campaign for sixth grade Vice President," Hanna said, shooting him a suspicious look.

"He's a little rough around the edges," Spencer agreed, noticing the look on Hanna's face, "But he's really good at what he does.

"Speaking of the campaign," Spencer added, "Have you thought any more about what we talked about?"

Hanna had majored in public relations in college, so Spencer had asked Hanna if she wanted to help out with the campaign, designing ads, running the social media, etc. She knew Hanna didn't have a whole lot going on, unless you counted luncheons and galas, so she thought this would be a good opportunity for Hanna to do something on her own.

"I don't know," Hanna said hesitantly. "I've never done anything like this before."

"Well, that's why you're lucky it's my mom's campaign. She's willing to give you a chance, even though you have absolutely no qualifications!" Spencer said with a grin.

Hanna thought about it, before deciding. "You know what, yeah, I'll do it," she declared. What else did she have to do?

"Really?" Spencer exclaimed. "My mom will be so excited!"

Just then, Jordan returned with their drinks, as Spencer summoned Toby and Caleb over to join them.

"Toby!" the girls all greeted him excitedly.

"Congratulations on the engagement!" Aria told him. "It's about damn time!"

"Yeah, it definitely was," Toby laughed, looking at Spencer lovingly.

"Oh, by the way, this is my friend, Caleb," he added, gesturing to the guy standing next to him. "He's handling all the tech stuff for the campaign."

Hanna took this opportunity to look at Caleb, really look at him for the first time.

She was immediately taken in by his deep chocolate brown orbs, thick lashes, and sharp cheekbones, but she couldn't get over that ridiculous beanie on his head. Did he not know anything at all about social etiquette?

She could see Caleb staring back at her, and their eyes locked for a beat too long, before she looked away awkwardly.

"Caleb, these are my friends," Spencer told him, gesturing to the group.

He shook each of the girls' hands in turn, as they introduced themselves.

"Hanna," the blonde said curtly when he had gotten to her. He had his hand held out to shake hers, and she hesitantly reached out, giving him an apprehensive stare, grasping just the tips of his fingers, looking at his hand in disgust, as though she was going to catch some contagious disease from a handshake.

"And this is my husband, Jordan," Hanna emphasized. She didn't know why, but with the way Caleb was looking at her, she felt the need to make it very clear to him that she was taken.

"Pleasure," Jordan said in his Australian accent as Caleb shook his hand firmly.

"Caleb, Hanna's just agreed to help out with the campaign," Spencer added. "She'll be handling all of the social media, so you guys will probably be working together a lot."

Caleb turned his attention back to Hanna, evaluating her. Snobby, stuck-up, definitely - by the way she had refused to fully shake his hand. He noticed the huge diamond on her hand, so her husband was obviously loaded. Stereotypical trophy wife. But she was certainly nice to look at, so he couldn't complain about working with her for the next several months.

"Is that so?" Caleb drawled. "Well, I look forward to it."

Hanna didn't like the smirk on his face, or the way he was blatantly checking out her body in the tight dress she was wearing. She did not trust this guy.

So my plan as of right now is to update every Sunday night! I know this chapter was kind of boring/short/didn't have a lot of Haleb, but it was necessary to set the scene, so I promise the chapters get better from here! I hope you come back next Sunday to check out Chapter 2!

Please review!