NINA

Nina stood at the edge of the room, her thoughts still tangled in the charged moment she'd shared with Eric. The memory of his closeness—the way his breath had brushed against her ear—clung to her like a shadow, refusing to let go. She could feel the pull of him even now, as he spoke to the university leaders, his presence undeniable, commanding. His every gesture, every glance, seemed to make the air around him crackle with intensity. She couldn't tear her gaze away.

Why is it so hard to get him out of my mind?

There he was, a far cry from the man who had leaned in too close earlier, his presence overwhelming her in the quiet of that small room. The Eric who had claimed her attention without words, leaving her breathless and unsure of herself. 

Now, in this crowded room, he was all business, all charm—a side of him she had briefly witnessed when she visited his office to return the necklace. A side of him that had so overwhelmed her that she had constantly been trying to erase from her mind the past weeks, convincing herself that she only thought of him thrice while in fact he was ever present in her dreams.

Her thoughts wandered back to that moment: the way he had leaned in, that teasing whisper, "It'll be our little secret." The words still made her pulse quicken and her core throb, though she had no idea why. There was something about them—something that made her feel like she was already tangled up in him, despite how much she wanted to resist.

She hadn't even remembered most of the speech he'd given. His words had seemed like a blur, drowned out by the overwhelming heat of his gaze as it kept finding her. Even now, she couldn't recall a single thing he'd said. All she could remember was the way he made her feel—exposed, vulnerable, yet drawn in, like she was a moth to his flame.

And then, as if she hadn't been self-aware enough, she couldn't ignore the mark she'd left on him earlier. The lipstick stain on his white shirt, hidden beneath his suit but still there, an unspoken reminder of the proximity they had shared. She swallowed, her face heating at the memory.

But now, here he was, the center of attention, surrounded by university leaders who regarded him like he was royalty no doubt hoping he would invest. It was as if he belonged to this world, while Nina felt herself shrinking in comparison. She didn't belong here, not under his charged gaze. She couldn't understand why he had sought her out in the first place. What did he want from someone like her?

As she continued watching him, lost in her swirling thoughts, she saw him lean toward Mrs. Richards, the head of Humanities. He whispered something, and then, as if on cue, pointed directly at Nina. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably, and she felt her cheeks flush. What was he saying about her? Why was he pointing at her?

Mrs. Richards looked momentarily surprised, then gave a knowing smile before she turned and started making her way toward Nina. Her heart began to race, a mix of nervousness and curiosity. Was she in trouble for something? Did Eric say something that would put her in an awkward position?

"Hi, Mrs. Richards," Nina greeted her, trying to keep her tone light despite the unease that was building in her chest. Mrs. Richards had always been kind to her—she was the one who had awarded Nina the scholarship, and they'd spoken a couple of times in passing.

"Hello, dear," Mrs. Richards said warmly, offering a small but reassuring smile. She glanced back at Eric, who was still deep in conversation with the other leaders, then turned her attention back to Nina. "You know, he seems very different from usual, doesn't he?"

Nina blinked, not sure how to answer, but she already knew who Mrs. Richards was referring to. Eric.

"Who?" she asked, trying to play coy, but she could feel the tension knotting up in her chest.

"Eric," Mrs. Richards replied, her voice light with amusement. "When he's around George"—her husband, the Dean of Finance—"he acts like a boy next door. But when you see him in these settings, in his element, you realize just how much he's accomplished. He's had quite the journey, you know."

Nina's brow furrowed. "I can't say I know much about his journey," she replied, though curiosity crept into her voice.

Mrs. Richards chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling. "Well, my husband, George, was actually Eric's professor back in the day. He and his friends—Noah, Tyler, and David—used to drive George insane with their antics." A warm, affectionate smile spread across Mrs. Richards' face as she reminisced.

"They were all brilliant. Eric, especially, was so impressive. George recommended him for postgraduate studies, but Eric... being the determined person he is, he turned it down. Instead, he focused on building C-Scale Corporation with his friends. And the rest, as they say, is history."

Nina's eyes widened slightly. She'd recently read of C-Scale's success, while drunk with Benny as she sneaked Eric Lockwood onto the search engine. But of course, she hadn't realized how early Eric had been set on this path. "They've come a long way, then," she murmured, her voice soft with admiration.

"Oh, indeed," Mrs. Richards agreed, her tone filled with pride. "And the best part is, they've never forgotten their roots. They still come over for dinner sometimes, even now that they're so successful." Mrs. Richards smiled fondly, almost maternally. "Eric, especially, has remained close with George. He's become like a son to us. It's probably because he lacks parental figures in his life, but he adopted us in more ways than one."

Nina blinked, startled. She hadn't expected Eric to have such a background. No parents? The realization only deepened the intrigue she felt for him. He really was a private person. For someone so accomplished, there was hardly anything about him on the internet. Her curiosity was piqued even more now.

Just then, Eric walked toward them, breaking the conversation. "Mrs. Richards," he said, his voice smooth but teasing. "Are you scolding me behind my back again?"

Mrs. Richards chuckled, her smile easy and warm. "Oh, Eric, don't be ridiculous. I was just telling Nina about how much you've grown." Her eyes twinkled as she looked between the two of them. Nina smiled at the lighthearted exchange. This was another side of Eric now, and it was... charming.

"Don't worry, Eric," Nina said wryly. "I didn't become privy to any knowledge about your private life that I shouldn't be."

Eric raised an eyebrow at her, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I would be more than happy if you were privy to that. In fact, I encourage you to learn more about me. Would that make it easier for me to have you?"

Nina was taken aback.

"Well, it appears I am not needed here," Mrs. Richards said playfully, giving Eric a gentle pat on the shoulder before turning to leave. "Take care, you two," she added with a wink.

Eric turned back to Nina, his expression suddenly more serious. "Is it tiring being a volunteer?" he asked, his tone light, but she could hear the underlying concern. He glanced at her heels, "Standing for so long in those must not feel great on your back."

"It's manageable," she replied, touched by his concern but still trying to brush it away so he wouldn't end up moving her. Currently she kept reminding herself that she was only physically attracted to him. She didn't want to add complicated emotions into that. "Babysitting you was the hard part though," Nina replied, her lips curving into a small smile.

He grinned, the expression almost lazy as he stepped closer, making the space between them feel smaller. The air seemed to hum with electricity. "There are other hard parts about me that I would like to show you sometime," he quipped, his voice low and teasing.

Nina felt a jolt of heat rush to her cheeks, and she swallowed hard, fighting to regain her composure. She had to remind herself that this was dangerous. I don't need complications.

"Jokes aside," Eric continued, his voice suddenly more earnest, "I'm glad to see you today. You've been on my mind constantly the past two weeks. You said the other day that I was being a hypocrite and I agree. You woke me up to something that I didn't know about myself. I acknowledge that I was petty, mean and absolutely horrendous to you. I apologize. I can only promise to do better going forward. But, Nina. I cannot for the life of me deny how I feel about you."

Nina's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she couldn't find her words. The attraction was undeniable, and his sincerity made it all the more difficult to push him away. After her last outburst at his office, she thought she would never see him again. She didn't think that instead of being offended, he would chase after her with his heart on his sleeve.

"So," Eric said, his gaze never leaving hers, "I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me tonight. Dinner, maybe?"

Her heart stuttered. She knew the implications of saying yes. She was still engaged to Ritvik and even as she spoke to Eric, the two families were preparing for a grand wedding. Her father had absolute control over her at present and if she so much as stepped out of the line, she could say goodbye to her dreams and the career she has worked so hard for.

So this has to end here. No matter how charming, sexy, sweet and honest Eric is. No matter how fucking much I am attracted to him. It cannot go farther than this. Because her self-control was tipping an edge and she really didn't think she could hold on if she gave in even a bit.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Nina said, barely above a whisper, her voice betraying the hesitation that threatened to overwhelm her.

Eric's smile faltered for a second, but he quickly masked it. "Fair enough," he said smoothly, his tone still warm, though his eyes darkened ever so slightly. "But just know, Nina... I don't give up easily. You must have understood that about me today. I didn't give up on my dreams, and I won't give up on you."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Nina standing there, her heart still racing in her chest. She had made her choice. But the fire between them? It wasn't something she could extinguish that easily.