The next morning was nothing short of chaos at the Arora household.
"Ma, where's my scarf?!" Piya shouted from her room, frantically pulling clothes out of her suitcase.
"Check under your pillow!" her mother yelled back from the kitchen.
Sure enough, it was there. She groaned, slapping her forehead. Why do I do this to myself?
Meanwhile, her father leaned against the doorframe, sipping tea like a king. "Relax, my little jet-setter. You'll scare the pilot at this rate."
"Papa, this isn't funny!" Piya whined, hopping on one foot while struggling to put on her shoes. "I'm already late!"
"You're late every day. At least today you have an excuse."
"Papa!" she glared, but her dad only chuckled, earning another scolding from her mom.
By the time Piya finally reached the airport, Mr. Rao looked like he had aged ten years overnight. His forehead glistened with sweat, his hand clutching his phone as if he was about to dial for an ambulance.
"Where were you?!" he hissed when he saw her running toward the group, panting like she had run a marathon.
"I—I'm here now, sir!" she gasped, holding her stomach. "Alive... barely..."
Mr. Rao groaned. "If the CEO had been here, I'd have been dead."
Luckily, Liam Asher wasn't there. He was flying on his private jet, as the whispers among the staff revealed. That was the only reason Mr. Rao didn't faint on the spot.
The flight was long and, for Piya, unbearably boring. She stared out the window, tracing the clouds with her eyes, wishing she could just disappear into them. That's when a sharp voice cut through her thoughts.
"So... you're the infamous intern from Rao's team."
Piya turned, startled. A girl her age, dressed in perfectly tailored clothes and immaculate makeup, smirked at her. "Mary. From Finance," she introduced herself with fake sweetness.
"Uh... hi, I'm—"
"I know who you are," Mary interrupted, her eyes narrowing. "Word is, the CEO will fire you the moment you slip. Honestly, you look too... stupid to survive in this company."
Piya froze. Her stomach dropped. What... did she just say?
Seeing her silence, Mary leaned closer. "Don't look so shocked. Not everyone is cut out for this place. Especially... people like you."
Fear and insecurity gripped Piya, but then something inside her snapped. Her fists clenched. Her voice, though small, came out sharp:
"Then maybe you should focus on your own survival instead of mine."
Mary's eyes widened, stunned by the comeback. For once, she had no reply. She scoffed and turned her face away, but the damage was done—Piya had shut her up.
Still, her heart pounded, and she couldn't shake the fear. What if she's right? What if I really don't belong here?
Two hours later, they landed. Sleek black cars lined up outside the airport to pick them up. Piya's group piled into one of them, and soon they were whisked away to a luxurious hotel that looked straight out of a dream.
At the reception, everyone was given their room keys. Liam still hadn't arrived—his flight was scheduled for the next morning.
Piya let out a shaky breath of relief. One more day without facing him.
In her room, she freshened up, called her parents, and listened to Asha's excited squeals over the phone.
"Girl, I swear, you're living my dream! Do you know how lucky you are?"
"Lucky?!" Piya flopped on the bed. "I'm dying inside!"
"You'll be fine. Just... don't do anything embarrassing."
"Wow, thanks. Totally reassuring."
That night, she stared at the ceiling, her mind spiraling with worries about tomorrow.
The next morning, she dressed neatly as per Mr. Rao's instructions and reached the lobby by 8:30 AM.
Mary was already there, looking her up and down with a scoff before turning away. Piya pressed her lips together and ignored her. She had no energy for petty wars.
After everyone arrived, they all had their breakfast at the hotel's restaurant.
Later,
The team soon arrived at the grand corporate building where the meeting would take place. Piya sat beside Mr. Rao, her palms sweaty, eyes glued to the notepad in front of her.
Then the doors opened.
Liam Asher walked in.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Everyone rose to their feet, wishing him good morning. His presence commanded silence, respect, and fear all at once.
Piya muttered a shaky, barely audible "good morning" that no one heard. Her body froze when his eyes briefly scanned the room—and landed on her.
For a fleeting second, the world stopped. His dark gaze seemed to strip away every layer of her, like he could see directly into her soul.
Her heart stuttered. She quickly looked down, her pen trembling in her hand.
The meeting began, and Piya realized for the first time why people feared him. His voice was calm but carried an edge that demanded attention. His questions cut through vague answers like knives. People stumbled under his gaze, some girls trying—pathetically—to impress him despite their trembling hands.
But nothing fazed him. He was ice. Power. Authority.
And then, mid-discussion, his eyes met hers again.
This time, she almost forgot to breathe.
When the meeting finally ended, Piya staggered out of the room, exhaling like she had just survived a battlefield. Her chest felt heavy, her mind foggy.
"Pull yourself together," she muttered, fanning her face.
But the day wasn't done with her yet.
That evening, as everyone prepared to return to the hotel, one of the cars broke down with a loud hiss—the tire punctured. Another vehicle was arranged, but it couldn't fit everyone.
Mr. Rao rushed to speak with Karan, Liam's secretary. After a tense few minutes, Karan walked up to Piya.
"Miss Arora, you'll be coming with us."
Piya blinked. "With... us?"
"Mr. Asher and I."
Her eyes widened in horror. "N-no, no, that's not necessary. I can wait for another car—"
"This is the arrangement," Karan said firmly.
Mr. Rao shot her a warning look that made her gulp. "Go, Piya. This is a... great honor."
Honor? Are you insane?! This is suicide! she screamed in her head but nodded meekly.
Karan led her to the sleek black car. He opened the back seat door with polite professionalism.
"Thank you," she mumbled nervously before sliding inside.
And froze.
On the other side sat Liam Asher, his presence suffocating the air.
Her body stiffened, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Every nerve screamed at her to run, but it was too late. The door shut behind her, sealing her fate.
The atmosphere turned heavy, charged, almost unbearable.
Her lungs forgot how to work. She could feel his gaze—even if he wasn't looking directly at her.
And in that moment, she was convinced.
She might just die here.