The next day arrived with a sense of purpose for them both. Ariana left campus at dawn, dressed professionally for a crucial internship interview;a mandatory 1600-hour requirement for her degree and a vital source of income. đ”
Kian, after sending Ariana a good luck message, prepared for his own pivotal meeting. Mapping Seya's address, he was taken aback by the 300 km distance. A five-hour bus journey lay ahead, but the value of the client justified the hardship. He departed college at 7:30 a.m.
He arrived at his destination at a quarter to one in the afternoon. The structure before him could not simply be called a house; it was a sprawling, two-story mansion set within vast, manicured grounds. After he rang the bell, a guard greeted him and, upon hearing his business, opened the imposing gate. đ°
The guard escorted him to the main entrance, where a stern butler took over, leading Kian through opulent hallways into a living room of breathtaking scale. Left alone to wait, Kian took in the sheer luxury. The marble floors were so highly polished he could see his own reflection staring back, a young architect adrift in a sea of wealth. A grand, curving staircase dominated the far end of the room, promising even more grandeur above.
Accepting a chilled drink from a servant, Kian sat on a plush sofa, the silence of the mansion feeling both impressive and immense. He waited, the polished floors reflecting his anticipation, for Seya to make her entrance. đ§