Amara avoided the main courtyard for the rest of the week.She told herself it was coincidence, a matter of busy schedules and overlapping classes, but deep down she knew the truth that ever since the day Nathaniel Kingsley walked into her lecture hall, her normal sense had shifted. The campus that once felt familiar now felt charged with possibility, that unsettled her.
She had replayed that brief conversation more of times than she cared to admit. The way he had said her name. The way his eyes had lingered, as though she were something he hadn't expected to find. It made no sense that men like him did not notice girls like her. CEOs didn't interrupt carefully planned lives for students who sat quietly at the back of lecture halls.
So she quickly buried herself in routine morning classes, afternoon library sessions, evening walks back to her hostel with her friend Lila, who had talked enough for both of them.
"You're unusually quiet" Lila said one evening, nudging her shoulder either you're hiding a secret or you're in love.
Amara scoffed with fear and said "Don't be dramatic".
Lila raised her eyebrow. "You say that like you're trying to convince yourself."Amara changed the subject.What she didn't know was that while she was trying to forget Nathaniel Kingsley, he was also finding it impossible to forget her.
Nathaniel stood in his office overlooking the city, one hand resting against the glass as cars moved like distant thoughts below. Meetings had come and gone. Emails remained unanswered, his mind kept returning to a pair of thoughtful eyes and a quiet voice that hadn't trembled when she spoke to him.
Amara Collins.
He hadn't planned to look her up. It had happened without intention, her name lingering in his thoughts until curiosity pushed him to search the university records tied to the internship program.
Final year student, business administration, top of her class.
It only deepened his interest.
This was dangerous territory, and he knew it. His life was already mapped out with ruthless precision. Every public appearance, every decision, every relationship scrutinized. And then there was the marriage.
The word sat heavy in his chest.
His phone vibrated, pulling him back to reality. A message from his assistant reminding him of a formal dinner scheduled for the weekend. Another obligation. Another reminder of the life he was expected to uphold.
Nathaniel exhaled slowly.
Then, almost against his better judgment, he made a decision.
Two days later, Amara was seated in the library when an email notification popped up on her laptop. She almost ignored it, assuming it was another academic notice, but the subject line caught her attention.
Kingsley Holdings Internship Program.
Her heart skipped.
She opened it slowly.
The message was brief, professional, yet warm. She had been shortlisted for a private interview. The date and time were listed clearly, along with the location.
Her hands trembled slightly as she read it again.
Lila, she whispered when her friend leaned over. "Look at this".
Lila read the email once, then twice. Her eyes widened "Amara, this is huge."
"I didn't even apply yet" Amara said faintly and Lila grinned saying Fate applied for her
Amara didn't know whether to laugh or panic.
The day of the interview arrived too quickly. Amara spent far too long choosing what to wear, finally settling on a simple dress and a heel. She wanted to look presentable, not impressive. There was a difference.
The building housing Kingsley Holdings' temporary campus office was quiet, almost intimidating. She checked in at the front desk, her nerves tightening with every step.
"Miss Collins" a voice called.
She looked up and saw Nathaniel stood there, dressed less formally than before, but no less commanding. A navy blazer, open collar, sleeves slightly rolled. He smiled when he saw her, genuine and warm.
"Good afternoon" he said.
"Good afternoon" she replied, her voice steadier than she felt.
He led her into a smaller meeting room, glass walls allowing sunlight to pour in. It felt less like an interview and more like a conversation waiting to happen.
They spoke about her studies, her goals, her ideas. Amara found herself relaxing, answering honestly, forgetting to be afraid. Nathaniel listened intently, asking thoughtful questions, never once checking his watch.
At some point, she realized he wasn't just evaluating her.
He was enjoying her.
When the interview ended, she gathered her things, expecting the moment to pass quietly. Instead, Nathaniel cleared his throat.
"Amara" he said, hesitating slightly. There's a campus charity event this weekend. I was wondering if you'd like to attend.
Her breath caught.
"With me" he added quickly."As my guest".
For a second, the world felt too loud, too bright.
" I don't know if that's appropriate" she said carefully.
His smile softened. "I wouldn't ask if it weren't".
She searched his face for arrogance, for entitlement, but found none. Just sincerity. And something else. Vulnerability, perhaps.
"Alright" she said quietly. "I'll come".
Nathaniel's expression shifted, relief and something dangerously close to happiness flickering through his eyes.
As she left the building, Amara's heart raced with equal parts excitement and fear. She didn't know what this meant, where it would lead, or what complications lay ahead.
She only knew one thing.
Something beautiful was beginning.
And something forbidden was already watching from the shadows waiting to remind Nathaniel Kingsley that princes did not fall in love freely.
Not when they were already bound by a crown, a promise, and a marriage he had never choosed.