Chapter 1
⋇⋆✦⋆⋇
The sound of my heavy suitcase rolling behind me matched the frantic pace of my heartbeat. One hand gripped the handle of the suitcase, while the other clutched my high heels. Barefoot, I sprinted as fast as I could across the terminal floor, ignoring the cold tiles beneath my feet. Thirty minutes late. I couldn’t afford to be late today, of all days, and yet here I was, regretting last night’s decision to stay for “just one more drink” at Tiya’s party.
Okay, okay, it wasn’t really that stupid of a party. Tiya, my closest friend, had just been promoted after years of dedication, and we all wanted to celebrate her hard-earned success. She was glowing with pride, and her excitement was contagious. What started as a casual get-together quickly turned into an impromptu celebration. We called our other friends and their boyfriends, keeping it intimate with only a small group of us.
Initially, I had envisioned a girls' night in, but Tiya wanted to celebrate with her boyfriend, Aryan, so she invited another couple as well. So, there I was, the only one without a boyfriend. It didn’t bother me at first—there was laughter, games, music, and dancing. We all got drunk pretty quickly, and that’s when things started to take a turn.
An hour in, the night shifted. The house turned into a maze of moans and giggles, with couples sneaking off to corners. Meanwhile, I was left alone on the balcony, nursing my vodka. Pathetic, I know. I wasn’t usually one to feel lonely, but something about that night made me painfully aware of how alone I really was.
It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy being single; in fact, I had always loved my independence. Working as an assistant manager on the world’s largest and most luxurious cruise ship, *Empire*, kept me busy. Between organizing schedules, managing the staff, and ensuring the ship ran smoothly, I hardly had time to think about relationships, much less the physical needs I’d long neglected. When was the last time I even had sex? I honestly couldn’t remember. That thought alone drove me to finish two bottles of vodka before blacking out on the balcony, clinging to the empty bottles like they could shield me from reality.
Thank God one of my friends had the sense to wake me up this morning, or I would’ve missed my ship entirely. Somehow, I’d managed to drag myself out of bed, stumble through my morning routine, and now here I was, racing to the check-in point, heels in hand and regret weighing heavy on my shoulders.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the cruise. I paused for a moment, catching my breath and taking in the sight of it. No matter how many times I saw it, *Empire* never failed to amaze me. Its towering structure loomed in the distance, sleek and shining like a floating city. I didn’t have time to admire it for long, though. With a quick glance at my watch—damn, fifteen minutes late now—I hustled through security, passed the scans, and finally boarded.
I made a beeline for my room, which was located on one of the lower decks where the staff quarters were. Unlike the simpler rooms reserved for other crew members, mine had a bit more space, a perk of being an assistant manager. It wasn’t as luxurious as the senior managers’ suites, but it was comfortable enough for me.
I barely had time to throw my luggage onto the bed before rushing into the bathroom. My reflection greeted me with a mess of long, tangled hair and a disheveled outfit. I had thrown on the first thing I grabbed this morning—a simple pencil skirt and a shirt—and hoped it would suffice. Quickly, I ran a brush through my hair, twisted it into a messy bun, and reapplied my lipstick. Not bad, considering the hangover.
But still—late. The group meeting had already started, and I could only imagine the looks I’d get when I walked in. My heart pounded in my chest as I grabbed my phone, slid it into my pocket alongside my key card, and locked the door behind me. Three minutes later, I found myself standing outside the meeting room.
I hesitated, hand on the door handle. My mind raced. Should I go in? Should I wait? Maybe I could sneak in unnoticed. Who was I kidding? Everyone would see me walk in late. Oh God, this was going to be embarrassing. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to calm the fluttering in my chest. *Breathe, Vishakha, just breathe.*
*You’re only fifteen minutes late,* I told myself. But then again, it was more like nineteen minutes now. *Stop overthinking,* I scolded myself. *Just go in, deal with it, and get to work.*
Taking a deep breath, I opened the door.
Big mistake.
The room fell silent as every pair of eyes turned toward me. My boss, Mr. Gupta, sat at the head of the table with his usual stern expression, arms crossed over his chest. “Ms. Vishakha, you’re late,” he said, his voice dripping with disapproval.
I could feel the stares burning into me, the whispers spreading like wildfire among the girls. And there, in the corner of the room, was Rahul, my supposed partner but more like my constant rival. His smirk made it clear he was enjoying every second of my discomfort. He thrived on moments like this, always finding ways to compete with me even when it wasn’t necessary.
My mind scrambled for an excuse, but all that came out was a stammering mess. “I…sir…I was…there…then…” I could practically feel my brain shutting down as I tried to speak. *Great,* I thought. *Could this get any worse?*
And then I took a step back, a nervous habit of mine, only to bump into something solid. No, not something—someone. I turned my head, and my breath caught in my throat as I looked up, way up, into a pair of piercing grey eyes.
He was huge. Towering over me, with broad shoulders and a chiseled chest that made me feel tiny despite my 5’8" frame. I blinked, my mind trying to catch up with what was happening.
“Parth,” I whispered, his name slipping out before I could stop it. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze locked on mine, and for a moment, the room seemed to fade away.
This was definitely not how I imagined my morning going.
*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.
I'm still learning to write so suggestions are welcomed.
