3.

Mike woke up the next morning with his chest already tight.

The light coming through the window felt too bright, too honest. He lay there staring at the ceiling, replaying Nara’s face from the day before. Her tears. The way she had clung to him like he was the last solid thing left in her world.

He sat up slowly and ran a hand down his face.

“I have to do this,” he said to the empty room.

Getting dressed took longer than it should have.

He pulled out his clothes one by one, laying them on the bed, then picking them up again. He tried a shirt, frowned, took it off. Tried another. He kept thinking it looked cheap. Too thin. Too obvious.

He settled on the most formal outfit he owned. A dark jacket he only wore for interviews. A plain shirt. No tie. He stared at himself in the mirror, turning left, then right.

“Do I look like a joke?” he asked his reflection.

The man in the mirror didn’t answer.

He fixed his hair twice. Cleaned his shoes even though they were already clean. His hands shook while he buttoned his jacket, and he had to pause just to breathe.

This wasn’t an office. This wasn’t a meeting.

This was her parents.

By the time he stepped outside, his mouth felt dry.

The ride there felt longer than usual. Every bump in the road made his nerves jump. He kept checking his phone, half expecting a message from Nara.

When the car stopped, he didn’t get out right away.

The house stood in front of him, tall and wide. He swallowed hard.

“You can still leave,” he muttered.

But he opened the door of the car anyway.

Each step felt heavier than the last. His heart beat loud in his ears as he pressed the bell and waited.

Nothing.

He pressed it again.

The door opened, and a maid stepped out. She looked him over slowly, from his shoes to his face.

“Yes?” she asked.

“I’m here to see the family,” he said, his voice lower than he meant it to be.

“And who are you?” She sized him up. Wow even the maid was disrespectful..he thought.

“I’m someone close to Nara.” He responded.

She studied him for another moment, then stepped aside. “Follow me.”

Inside, everything felt too neat. Too quiet.

The living room came into view, and his stomach dropped.

They were all there.

Camille sat straight, already watching him like she’d been waiting. Nara’s father sat beside her, his face stiff and closed. Danielle leaned back, calm, dressed like she had won a lottery.

Camille spoke first. “Who are you?”

His throat tightened. “My name is Mike. I’m here to see Nara.”

“She’s not home,” Camille said flatly.

“Oh,” he replied. “Well either ways, I came to speak with you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “About what?”

He took a breath. “Nara.. I’m her fiancé.”

For a second, no one spoke.

Then Camille laughed.

It wasn’t loud. It was worse than that.

“Her what?” she asked.

“Her fiancé,” he repeated, a bit louder than the first.

“We’ve been together for years. I came to make things right.”

Camille leaned back, folding her arms. “Make things right how?”

“I want to marry her,” he said. “I love her.”

Nara’s father slammed his hand on the table. “Shut up.”

“What does a pauper know about love?” He said. “Love doesn’t build houses.”

Camille tilted her head. “Now honey, the young man looks serious. Let’s give him a chance. Since you’re so serious, let’s talk.”

She looked him over slowly this time. His jacket. His shoes. His hands.

“How many houses do you own?” she asked.

His face burned. “I don’t own a house yet.”

She smiled. “Cars?”

“One,” he said.

Danielle laughed, shaking her head.

Camille kept going. “What’s your net worth?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

“What company do you run?” she asked. “Are you a CEO?”

“I work in a logistics company,” he said. “I’m still building myself.”

Camille laughed openly now. “And you want to marry Nara?”

She turned to her husband. “This is the life he wants to give her. Struggle. Waiting. Nothing.”

Mike clenched his fists. “You don’t have to insult me.”

“You insulted yourself first by coming here and thinking you stood a chance!” Her father barked.

“I love her. I’ll work harder. I’ll give her everything I can..

“You’ll give her shame,” Her father interjected.

Danielle leaned forward, smiling. “Do you know her soon to be husband?”

“I know he is rich.”  Mike replied. “But I’ll work hard. I’m not lazy.”

Danielle laughed, mockingly. “Oh dear, he thinks he isn’t lazy. I blame Nara. Only heavens know what she saw in you. Your shoes, your clothes, everything screams cheap. And you think you aren’t lazy.

Now let me tell you something, Nara’s husband isn’t just rich. He is filthy rich. He owns properties across three cities.

He runs companies you’ll never step foot in. His cars cost more than your yearly pay.”

She looked at him closely. “That’s the kind of man who wants Nara.”

Camille nodded. “Not a cheap pauper like you. And you’re still here. Still standing with so much boldness to spill nonsense from your mouth. Get out.”

His ears rang.

“Our wealthy son in law is coming to visit us,” Camille added proudly. “Any moment now.”

She pointed toward the door. “Leave. Or I’ll have security remove you.”

Mike glared at every single one of them before turning and walking away.

No one followed him out.

Outside the gate, the air felt heavier. He walked a few steps away, then stopped, the sting of the insults still burning within him.

Cars appeared down the road. One. Two. Then more. All dark. All expensive. They moved slow, sure, like nothing could block their way.

His chest dropped.

“That’s him,” he whispered to himself.

Mike watched as the cars turned into the compound. Men stepped out. The door opened wide.

He felt very small.

He turned and walked away.

By the time he reached his car, the shame inside him had cooled into something else.

Something harder.

“So that’s how it is,” he said quietly.

He thought of Nara and he thought of the wealth of this man. His mind raced back to the humiliation and insult he just received inside their home and it filled his heart with something bitter.

There was no winning this.

But maybe he could benefit from it.

“If she marries him,” he said, “she’ll be wealthy. And after while, she could start swindling some money from him and diverting it towards my account.

I’d use it to build myself, quit my fucked job, get a more expensive car, a house of my own. Even landed properties. I’d be so rich.”

He straightened his jacket again, his face calm now.

“I’ll convince her,” he said. “And when she marries him, that will be my ticket to future wealth.”

He walked on, already planning something devious.