NINA

"Nina, stop being a stupid bimbo!" Benny said, his voice sharp as they walked out of the Art History building, with her boyfriend Seth, who had come to pick them up. Class had ended for the day, and Nina was already exhausted. 

The weight of the long lecture still lingered in her mind. She didn't want to talk about the impending doom that was her marriage. It had been a week since the charity ball, and it seemed Ritvik was convinced her time belonged to him. He took her out on dates every single day, and it had become a sort of monotonous routine. Like routines tend to be, it was boring. 

She had clearly told him that morning she had tons of homework and couldn't meet him. But she wouldn't be surprised if he showed up later that night with take-out. He was annoying and entitled. He had no intention of keeping his hands to himself as well, often touching her in a manner that made it seem as if her opinion didn't matter with regards to his treatment of her.

Although he hadn't gone too far yet, just touching her waist, back and shoulders, it was already too much for her. Fortunately he hadn't yet expected her to be intimate with him. She had no idea how she could dodge that.

She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life with him, or the rest of her life until the inevitable divorce. She dreaded even a second she would spend as his wife. Since her father was threatening her career, the only way to get what she wanted was to marry the guy, get the job, and then divorce him. She really just wanted to skip to the divorce part.

And that's where Benny's nagging voice cut through her thoughts. "Actually, you know what? Just marry the guy. I mean, I'm sure your dad won't threaten you again when you tell him you want a divorce. He's so understanding now, I'm sure he'll be later too," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Fuck, I didn't think of that," Nina groaned, her voice a mix of frustration and disbelief. "What if he doesn't let me end the marriage? What if he threatens to get me fired or something?"

"First of all," Benny said, linking her arm with Seth's, "Are you even sure you'll get that job? I mean, I don't think it's that easy to be a curator at th-"

"Really, Benny?" Nina glared at her, her eyes sharp with irritation. "You know how hard I've worked for this." She sighed, the weight of her thoughts pressing down. "Can you imagine having only one thing to hold on to for more than six years? That kind of single-minded focus demands all attention and faith. I never had the liberty to second-guess myself. It's the only thing I have. And I don't know what my life will be without it."

Benny stopped, her expression softening, the concern clear in her eyes. She sighed deeply. "Honey, I believe in you. Trust me, I do. I know that you are the kind of person who can make anything happen once you set your mind to it. But I'm just saying that maybe, just maybe, you're going about it the wrong way. If achieving your dream takes making unhappy choices, I'm just not sure it's worth it."

"I've thought about this too. But I just—"

"Benita!" Nina heard a familiar voice call from behind. Melissa, Benny's ex, strode towards them, her black ringlets bouncing as she moved with a confident stride. Her luscious lips curled into a grin as she approached.

"We need to go now, babe," Benny said, her tone suddenly lighter as she turned to Melissa.

Nina bid them goodbye, "All the best! I hope it works out for you."

Benny had told Seth about how she had feelings for Melissa as well. She had confessed to loving both of them and couldn't choose. Seth, while uncomfortable with the idea of sharing her, was open to trying it. So, the three were headed to a café to discuss the logistics of their unconventional relationship. Nina could only hope it didn't end messily.

The bus ride home felt shorter than usual. The streets outside were a blur as her mind spun with thoughts and worries. After speaking to Benny, it was clear her plan wasn't foolproof. Her father wasn't an idiot. He didn't get to where he was without a sharp mind. Faulty? Yes. Sadistic? Definitely. But he wasn't someone she could easily manipulate. In fact, she had never once been able to outsmart him in all her life.

As she climbed the stairs to her apartment, she couldn't help but sigh. What kind of situation was this? The only way out seemed to be dropping out of college, abandoning her dream. But if she did that, would the headache return? Would she be stuck in that prison again? Or maybe she could try speaking to her father. But breaking through his thick skull with an idea required more than just words. Maybe a drilling machine. She should check if she had one lying around.

The keys jingled as she unlocked the door. Her roommate, Irene, wasn't home yet. Nina dropped her bag and shrugged off her jacket. A bunch of envelopes were scattered on the table. Irene must have brought the mail up. A small sealed package sat beside the pile of letters. A sticky note from Irene said it was for Nina. She frowned. She hadn't ordered anything.

She opened the package and found a velvet box. Her heartbeat quickened. Since she had received her engagement ring in a velvet box, she was wary of them. Velvet boxes were tied to her wealthy past, to memories she was trying so hard to forget. They were never good news for her present, ordinary self.

With trembling hands, she opened it. The soft glow from the window highlighted the glittering pink diamonds inside. It was the necklace. The one Eric had bought during the auction. What was it doing here?

She quickly shut the box and placed it carefully on the table, covering her mouth with her fist. Forty-five million dollars sat on her table, like a glittering reminder of everything she had tried to leave behind. Forty-five million dollars. If she sold it, her tuition problems would be solved instantly. She could go to college without marrying someone in exchange for it and...

What the hell am I thinking? I've gone crazy! She buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. Even if she graduated with that money, her father would always be an obstacle to her dream. Besides, the necklace wasn't even hers. Accepting it would mean allowing Eric to demean her. She had left behind her riches, not her self-respect. Grumbling, she scanned the table, hoping for an explanation, a letter.

Right where the box had been was a fancy envelope with gold trimmings. She opened it, her pulse racing as she pulled out the letter. It explained that since she hadn't collected the auction item within a week, it had been delivered to her. She couldn't return it, as per their policy. Great. Just great.

Her options seemed slim. The only thing she could do now was return it directly to Eric. But where the hell would she find him? She remembered his last name from the auction: Lockwood. Eric Lockwood. She quickly looked him up online, and her jaw dropped.

She had assumed he was just another rich guy, but Eric Lockwood was in a whole different league. The founder and CSO of C-Scale Corp, Forbes had named him the tenth richest man in the world with a net worth of over 100 billion dollars. In the under-40 category, he was second, and the only one who hadn't inherited his wealth. She double-checked his picture. It was the same man from the auction.

She sank back into the couch, her head spinning. You've got to be kidding me. Like her dad and Ritvik weren't enough, now she had to contend with another powerful guy?

After a moment to process, she checked his address. It was listed as private, just as she had expected. So was any means of contacting him. In fact, other than the basic details she found about him and a few pictures in Forbes, there was virtually nothing about the guy on the internet. He had taken great pains to remain inconspicuous. She looked up the address for C-Scale Corp HQ—it was a twenty-minute drive from her place. It would take her much longer by bus. Urgh, this is annoying!

All she wanted was one day of peace—just some wine, music, and studies. Was that too much to ask?

She glanced at the clock. It was 4:10 pm. She had to get there before he left for the day. If he hadn't already. With no time to waste, she quickly washed up, grabbed her jacket, wallet, and phone, and headed out again. Her estimation was correct. When she reached the towering building, it was almost 5 pm. Cursing under her breath, she power-walked to the reception. The building was home to several Fortune 500 companies, and security was obviously tight.

At the reception, she asked the guy if he could connect her to someone at C-Scale.

He looked her up and down, his expression unreadable. "Are you an employee?"

"I'm starting there tomorrow and came to collect my ID," she lied, flashing a bright smile.

He hesitated but agreed to call, "Please wait a moment."

"Yeah, sure," she said, the sound of her heart ringing in her ears, "But please hurry up cause I'm already late and HR office closes at 5." 

 He tried connecting and fortunately, it didn't go through. "You know what, just write down your name and contact details here and I'll ask the security to let you through. It's on the eighteenth floor."

Nina gave him a relieved smile and quickly scribbled down her information. A buff, bald man in a black uniform nodded at her, and she followed him through the building. He tapped his ID card, and the entry gate opened. She stepped through, feeling the weight of the velvet box in her bag. The lift doors opened, and she made her way toward the reception desk, where three women sat.

One was busy on a call, another typing away at a computer. Nina approached the third. She didn't have time to pull her 'new employee' card, so she went straight to the point.

"Hi, there! I received a package that belongs to Mr. Lockwood. I need to return it to him."

The receptionist looked confused at first. Then she asked, "Is this package valuable?"

"Quite valuable," Nina smiled, opening the velvet box slightly. "I can show you—"

"No, that's fine!" the young lady said quickly, her voice tense. "Could I have your name, please? I'll ask him if he can see you."

"Thank you so much!" Nina smiled warmly, "It's Nina Sagar."

The receptionist nodded, dialing the phone. While she waited, her voice grew quiet as she asked, "Sagar from the Sagar Group?"

Nina's face flushed. She hated being recognized. "No, no. It's not. I'm just a... normal Sagar."

The receptionist didn't seem to believe her, but she smiled politely. The call connected, and she said, "Mr. Lockwood, you have a visitor. Ms. Nina Sagar is here to return a package to you."

The voice on the other end was clear, but Nina didn't catch the words. After a pause, the receptionist said, "Yes, sir. I'll send her in."

With a polite smile, Quincy, the receptionist guided Nina through the mostly empty office. A group of people was clocking out as she walked past. Nina's heart began its usual dance, the nerves flaring. She couldn't help but sigh. She was tired of her body's reaction to him. She had successfully kept most thoughts of him out of her mind all week. But now, they came rushing back, stronger than ever.

Quincy knocked on the door, and Nina heard the low, deep voice on the other side, "Come in. 

"Nina's pulse quickened. She opened the door.

Eric sat behind a polished desk. The sleeves of his white shirt were folded to reveal a rather thick forearm. His tie was pulled loose and his dirty blonde hair looked like it had been run through with his fingers quite a few times. He wore a rectangular pair of glasses with a golden rim and her legs nearly gave out. If he looked like a god before, she didn't even know what she could use to describe him now. Watching him in his zone looking all smart and professional made her tongue-tied.

And she regretted choosing to deliver the 45 million dollar necklace personally. 

What was I thinking? I should have mailed him the damn thing.