You and Me

Nina had almost convinced herself that the interview was just another ordinary step in her life, but standing in front of the tall glass building, she felt the kind of nervousness that had nothing to do with being unprepared.

Among all the thirty-seven candidates who applied online, only three of them were selected for a final stage interview, which was held at the company’s corporate headquarters.

The company was called “Ardent Groupe,” one of the most prestigious luxury conglomerates in Paris, with branches across high fashion, private investments, luxury hospitality, and elite event management. It was exactly the kind of place where power wore silk ties, designer heels, and expensive perfume—and Nina had none of that.

She adjusted the simple black dress she had chosen carefully from her modest wardrobe and inhaled slowly. She was not flashy, not the type to attract immediate attention, and certainly not the kind of woman who spent her life thinking about how to seduce or keep a man.

Her last job had been at her street neighborhood grocery store, where she started at the very bottom and eventually got promoted to one of the assistant managers. The work had been heavy, the hours long, and the salary barely average, but she had managed. She always managed.

Today, however, she was not here to manage. She was here for a real change, to begin again. She needed this job to help her stepmother pay for her younger brother’s school fees, and she had also been thinking about going back to school for a better bachelor’s or a meaningful master’s program, as it was hard to secure a good job with only her bachelor’s degree in Art.

She finally walked in, and inside Ardent Groupe, everything smelled explicitly of money. Polished marble floors reflected the bright ceiling lights, and the reception desk looked so impossibly expensive that Nina felt underdressed just standing near it. She had barely finished greeting the receptionist when a woman in a tailored brown suit appeared and led her toward the HR office.

The interview was short, sharp, and unexpectedly intense. They asked about a lot of operational things, including executive organization, and Nina answered with absolute honesty. Her almost five years of supervision experience in the grocery store were a massive plus.

Nina was the last to be interviewed, and the HR director asked all three candidates to wait outside the office for a final verdict. It took about twenty excruciating minutes before she stepped out of her office to announce it. For a moment, Nina could not breathe. She kept telling herself she couldn't be selected, yet fear still held a firm grip on her. Also, the moment she saw how flawless the aesthetics of the other candidates were, she instantly felt inferior to them.

The HR director stepped out holding a sleek file, and the three women stood up facing her as she began to speak. “This was a tough decision, but unfortunately, we only need one person as only one role is available in the executive suite. Our selected person is Nina Laurent!”

“Really?” Nina screamed in absolute disbelief but immediately pressed her hands to her mouth as she could not stop wondering. A job! A real one! A secretary position at Ardent Groupe, working directly under the CEO’s office—she was screaming with joy in her mind.

“See you on Monday morning at eight o’clock on the dot,” HR said simply as she turned and walked back into her office.

The other girls were absolutely furious. Meanwhile, Nina was already on a phone call with her best friend, who worked on the very same street but for a different company just across. “We must celebrate this, NOW! Meet me down the street, I’m already done for the day,” Camille squealed, so incredibly happy for her.

“Nina?” Camille screamed the moment she saw her friend stepping out of the glass building. “I’m taking you to the most expensive club on this entire street.”

“Camille… I’m so grateful, thank you very much,” Nina said, tears of relief almost filling her eyes.

“Don’t thank me yet. You will when I am done hooking you up with a fine, rich dude that will take care of you,—especially down there,” she said with a laugh, her finger pointed playfully at Nina’s thighs.

“Camille, stop,” Nina muttered, pulling her words back, completely embarrassed. “I have told you several times that I do not need a man right now. All I want is a good paycheck for my studies while building a beautiful, career for myself. I don’t want a man’s trouble, and I certainly don't want someone else's money as my first source of income…”

“Yeah, yeah, we shall see about that. You need a real man to make you feel like a woman, and that is all I know for now,” Camille insisted, without caring at all about Nina’s usual long speeches on autonomy.

Camille worked for Maison Verenne, a luxury brand and event company that shared the same elite business district as Ardent Groupe. The two firms were not direct competitors, but they moved in the exact same rich circles, serving the same wealthy clients from different angles, and sometimes collaborated on common services. That made their subtle rivalry very dangerous.

They walked into the exclusive club, with Camille literally pulling Nina inside by the arm. While Nina was having another heavy dose of pure luxury for the day, for once more, a quiet voice in her mind knew that she did not belong here.

Camille immediately led her straight to the bar. “Joe, Joe, the usual for me… and give a menu card to my friend here for her to pick her drink. Tonight is completely on me,” Camille said loudly to the bartender, already dancing as the music boomed in.

Then she turned back to her friend, shouting, “I knew it! I knew you would be selected. You have always been very brave and intelligent.”

“Thank you, Camille, for always having my back,” she gladly replied, picking up the heavy drink menu Joe had dropped. The moment her eyes scanned the prices, she froze. “Camille! What the hell! Are you for real?!” Nina scolded at the top of her voice.

“What?” Camille asked, unable to stop laughing because she knew exactly why Nina was yelling.

“A cocktail for sixty euros? I’m sorry, but I absolutely can’t take any.”

“Hahahaha! Don’t be silly, girl. And those are actually the cheapest options on the menu. We are on the Champs-Élysées, baby. What did you expect? Anyway, don’t mind the price. It is on me.”

“Definitely not, girl. We can’t—I mean you shouldn’t be able to afford this even if you have a good pay. You still live in your parents’ home, have a conscience! Oh, I now see where all your money goes. You barely have any savings even with your good job, how can you—”

“SHUT UP! Hey, don’t judge me. You either drink with me tonight or we leave, PERIOD!” she yelled back, though her face was full of playful affection. Nina saw the stubborn look on her face and instantly relented, ordering an alcoholic cocktail just like hers.

“Let’s dance?” Camille asked.

But Nina’s gaze stayed completely fixed on the club’s grand entrance. Her jaw subtly dropped at the sight of a man who stood about 1.85 meters tall, wearing a flawless, fitted navy-blue suit that perfectly highlighted his chiseled body. He looked like money, ruthlessness, and power in human form. His hair was immaculately styled, and his skin was striking. Nina had never seen a man so perfectly put together in real life. Even though the club was full of attractive people, he effortlessly stood out. He looked exactly like one of those perfect male leads she had only ever seen in movies.

“Let’s dance!” Camille insisted. Nina tried to refuse, but Camille was already pulling her firmly toward the crowded dance floor with the excited energy of someone who believed life should be lived loudly and without hesitation.

Camille had always been the glamorous one between them. She spent freely on expensive clothes, makeup, and perfume—anything that made her look expensive enough to attract rich men. She was not exactly reckless; she simply believed love came much easier when you looked like a fantasy.

As they moved through the tightly packed crowd, Nina mistakenly bumped hard into a man, causing his expensive glass to slip from his hand and smash onto the floor.

The man became furious instantly, completely ignoring her frantic apologies. “I’m really so, so sorry... I didn’t mean to…. Oh my goodness, please, you can have my drink instead.” She quickly lifted her untouched cocktail and pointed it toward the man.

He instantly slapped the glass out of her hand, sending it shattering across the floor. “What? Are you sick? What the hell do you take me for?” the man snapped brutally.

Nina was already trembling in fear, her soft nature completely overwhelmed by his sudden aggression. “I’m so, so sorry,” she kept begging, her voice cracking. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I would have gladly paid for another drink right now if I had the cash on me.” She desperately did not want to cause a scene or become a financial burden to her best friend.

“Nina, it’s fine. I’ll take care of it. I’ll buy him a bottle,” Camille intervened, stepping forward.

But the aggressive man only got closer, stepping directly into Nina's personal space, his voice rough and ugly. “Bitches like you need to be taught a real lesson.” His hand rose fast into the air, fully intending to strike her face. Nina shut her eyes tight, bracing herself in fear as she waited for the painful impact.

“Don’t you dare!”

The intervening voice was incredibly low, deeply authoritative, and dangerously calm. A wave of premium perfume and heat reached her before she even opened her eyes.

When she did, the man she had been staring at just a moment ago was already there, standing right in front of her. He was gripping the other man’s wrist with effortless, terrifying strength.

For one brief, suffocating second, his dark eyes met Nina’s. It was a steady, unreadable glance that sent a sudden shiver straight down her spine. Then, he looked away, his expression completely bored.

“Take him out. Now!” he commanded.

“Okay, sir,” the security men rushed in immediately. They grabbed the man, who was battling helplessly alone, and dragged him far away from the bar,— out of the club.

The powerful man began walking over to his private table with his friend, but as he passed, he muttered under his breath, “What is that girl doing here? She looks completely out of place.”

Nina’s breath caught in her throat. She stood frozen, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as she watched his retreating back. She could not stop looking at him.

Camille gasped beside her, her eyes wide with utter shock as she gripped Nina's arm tightly. “Oh my goodness, Nina... is like you don't know who that is?” Nina shook her head slowly, completely speechless.

“For real? That’s your new boss, Lucien Ardent. He also owns this entire place.”

Nina stood in her small bedroom, staring at the scattered clothes on her bed with a face full of intense worry. She had already changed twice, and still, nothing felt right. One dress was too plain. Another was too tight. A third made her look entirely too casual. She desperately wanted to look professional, but she also did not want to look like she was trying too hard.

She sighed heavily and sat on the edge of the mattress, utterly frustrated.

This was her first day at Ardent Groupe—her first day on a real corporate site. She should have been thrilled, but instead, she felt deeply nervous and unsure of herself.

Also, she kept replaying the events at the bar,— the aggressive stranger, the terrifying moment his hand rose to strike her, and the low, authoritative voice of the man who had stopped him. Most of all, she kept hearing Camille’s loud, shocked voice echoing in her ears afterward: “That is your new boss.”

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