Episode 3

EPISODE 3: A NEW JOB.

I went to my bedroom, and Christopher was already waiting for my arrival with his bossy-like behavior.

"Good evening, young lady. He growled after I met him, looking lovingly at my picture.

"Hey, what are you here? It's late." I looked at the time. It was almost midnight, and Christopher happened to be in my bedroom...

"I went to the party, and they informed me you had left; why didn't you wait for me!?". 

He rode from resting his back on the bed...

I also took a step closer and said.

"Nothing? I didn't want to disturb you." 

"Disturb me? Nina, you're not; remember, I promised to keep you safe at all times.". He expressed his desires to me and gently got a hold of my hands.

"I love you. Don't forget that." He bowed my head and left a kiss on my forehead. Goodnight," Nina; I'll see you tomorrow," he added, and then left me staring blindly as he went out the door.

Thank God I didn't tell him of my encounter with Drake and how he let his driver beat up a man who was trying to make ends meet.

The following morning, I came down to prepare ginger tea, and on my way to the kitchen, I passed by my parents's bedroom and accidentally overheard their conversation.

They were complaining about the business and how much they wanted to make everything better again.

Mom was the first to say, "Darling, is getting Nina married a good choice?". She asked Dad, and she sounded worried.

"I don't think so, but what choice do we have?" I heard Dad coming toward the door. I tried to flee, but then the footsteps stopped.

"Nina may not be our child, but Drake and his dad want us to finalize everything or we risk losing our business." 

Dad replied to Mom. I should have known there was a reason behind my sudden alliance with Drake's family; although they're rich and considered demigods, especially Drake himself, I didn't even realize that our business was suffering under a financial crisis.

I went to Christopher's bedroom and told him everything. Anyone in his shoes would've been mad at his parents for keeping the truth from him; however, the expression on his face had it all along: he knew and didn't want to tell me.

"Nina! You have to come down." He wanted to touch me, but I pulled away and stopped him.

"Hey, don't you dare." I went back to the door, but turned around to him and yelled, "Why didn't you tell me about this? I am getting married to Drake, and you keep this from me?'. 

I yelled at him again. I turned around to leave, but then again, he rushed over and blocked me from opening the door.

"Nina! Let me explain". He came back, and he sat me on his bed.

"What do you want to say?" I tried to look away, but he brought me back to his gaze immediately.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to tell you because I was going to find a solution to help our business and stop this wedding." He explained it to me. 

I wasn't understanding, so I asked.

"What do you mean? How do you intend to stop the wedding and help our business?". I questioned Christopher about how serious his parents were about getting me married off as leverage in the business.

"Trust me, Nina, I won't let anything happen to you," he answered, pulling away for me to leave.

I took his words as hope for me; maybe Christopher was not going to let anything bad happen, and most importantly, my marriage to Drake.

I got dressed to leave for my internship. Dad got me to intern at a big radio station, and since I was his child, I got paid as well, like a normal employee.

"Nina, you look beautiful.". 

Mom complimented me when I walked in front of her and Dad, talking in the sitting room.

"Indeed!". Dad seconded and had a huge smile on his face.

I thanked my parents and then turned around to leave. At the same time, Christopher was just coming back from his jog, and we both bumped into each other at the door.

"Good morning," he said, seeing my outfit. "Going somewhere?" He added.

I did tell him about my internship job at Calvin's radio station, the best and most progressive station in the entire city.

"Chris... Nina got a job; she's interning at a radio station, next to the coffee shop at the mall gate.".

Mom vividly gave her son a description of my workplace.

Christopher nodded his head; he did not say anything and just jogged right past me and left.

I waved to my parents for one more time before going outside and getting into the car that had instructed the driver to take me to work. I shouldn't go with a personal driver. However, it's going to be for the first day of my job...

I met with a few other cars driving into the premises; the guard outside gave us number tags, didn't know what they were for, and honestly didn't care.

I got to the office, and a girl rushed over to me. 

"You must be the new intern; please, we need coffee.". She collected my bag and pushed me toward the huge, big room with a coffee stand and a sign that had the word "café" boldly written on it.

I didn't know the number of coffees I was supposed to bring; I had to make like seven cups of coffee in the conference room.

The same girl came to me.

She took the coffee from my hands and served it on the table.

The door opened, and some men and women walked into the room.

I had to pull myself to a corner; I shouldn't be found by anyone, at least not on my first day.

"Talia, thanks for the coffee?". ..

The man holding a file in his hand said he thanked the wrong person when I was the person who had brought the coffee.

They were all seated down, and after some time the meeting started, they went on for two good hours, and it had been the longest day of my life.

After the meeting, everyone was dispatched to their desks; I had mine as well. I got to my desks, and the same girl came, and she brought a glass of water for me.

"Thanks". She offered the water to me. Initially, I wouldn't want to take anything from a stranger; however, I couldn't resist being alluded to by her beautiful smile.

"You're welcome," I smiled back. I collected the glass from her hand and dropped it on my desk, beside my computer.

"My name is Talia, you?" 

Her hands were free to shake me.

"Nina Robinson, nice to meet you.".

My hands were wet from keeping the cup on my table; I had to clean them before taking out my hand, and we shook.

"Awesome, from today on, take me as your friend, okay?". She gestured by giving me a thumbs up.

I grinned, brought my chair closer, and sat down.