Nick was a quiet, reserved man, burdened by the weight of loss and illness. Orphaned at a young age, he had learned to navigate life alone. His friends teased him endlessly about his single status, all of them happily married while Nick remained indifferent. Despite his worsening health, he never missed a day at his managerial job.

One morning, as he was engrossed in paperwork, a soft voice interrupted him. “Excuse me, I’m here for an interview. Can you tell me where to go?”

Nick glanced up, and his heart skipped a beat. It was Lia, his former classmate—the girl he had secretly admired in school. Shocked, he pointed her toward the interview room. “Go that way,” he said curtly.

Lia frowned. “Why are you being so rude? I’ll see you after the interview,” she said, walking away.

Nick’s mind spiraled. What if she got the job and became his superior? Would she fire him?

After her interview, Lia approached him with a smile. “Nick, come with me,” she said.

Nick hesitated, taking off his manager’s name tag. “What are you doing?” Lia asked.

“You’re going to fire me, right? Why pretend?” Nick said bitterly.

Lia chuckled. “You’re crazy! I’m not here to take your job. Put that back on!”

They went for a short walk, reminiscing about their school days. “Nick, you were the brightest and most disciplined student. Why are you settling for this job?” Lia asked, her voice laced with concern.

Nick lowered his gaze. “This job is what my qualifications could get me, and I’m content. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

Before he could leave, Lia grabbed his hand. “Why won’t you look me in the eyes?”

Nick pulled his hand away, mumbling, “Because…”

At that moment, Nick’s coworker interrupted, saying the boss was calling him. He walked away, leaving Lia curious and determined to uncover the truth.

Later that evening, Lia called him. “Nick, don’t hang up! Why are you avoiding me?”

Frustrated, Nick yelled, “What do you want from me?”

“I want to marry you,” Lia said calmly, “and I need your help to destroy your boss.”

Nick froze. “Why?” he finally asked.

Lia explained her tragic story. Two years ago, she had been an online business partner with Nick’s boss. Trusting his promises, she sold her house to invest in their venture, but he defrauded her and disappeared, leaving her homeless. To make matters worse, he attempted to harm her brother, who succumbed to his injuries.

“I want revenge,” Lia said, her voice trembling. “Marry me, and together, we can bring him to justice. Afterward, I’ll set you free.”

Reluctantly, Nick agreed, but with one condition: no divorce. Despite their differences, they worked as a team, hatching plans to expose the boss’s corruption. Time after time, their attempts failed—until Nick devised a clever trick.

One day, Nick managed to transfer 1 million rupees from the boss’s account to his own without raising suspicion. When the boss discovered the loss, he called Nick in a rage, only to collapse after drinking drugged water Lia had prepared.

Nick seized the opportunity, donning a mask to confront the unconscious man. When the boss awoke, Nick ordered him to transfer 7 million rupees to his account or face the consequences. Trembling, the boss complied.

Over the next few weeks, Nick repeated his ploy, draining the boss’s finances. Eventually, the boss was bankrupt and desperate. He handed over the keys to the office, admitting defeat. “You’re the only one I can trust, Nick. Take the company. I can’t even pay my employees.”

Nick smirked. “At least now you understand what it feels like to lose everything.”

As security escorted the disgraced boss out, Lia walked into the office, stunned to see Nick sitting in the boss’s chair.

“Nick, why are you here?” she asked.

Calmly, Nick revealed everything. Lia was speechless, tears welling in her eyes. “So… now you can divorce me,” she said hesitantly.

But Nick shook his head. “I don’t want a divorce. Let’s build something new—together.”

And so, their partnership turned into a lifelong bond, transforming their shared pain into a story of love and triumph.

The End