The heavy oak doors of the CEO's office slammed shut behind Naina, the sound echoing like a death sentence in the silent hallway. Her vision was blurred by hot, stinging tears that refused to stop. She felt the rough grip of the security guards on her arms—a final humiliation in a day full of them.
"I can walk by myself," she choked out, wrenching her arms free.
She hurried toward the elevators, her soaked shoes making a pathetic squelching sound on the expensive marble. As she reached the lobby, the cold AC of the building turned her damp clothes into ice against her skin. She felt small, invisible, and utterly defeated. Her mother's pale face flashed in her mind, and the weight of the unpaid hospital bills felt like a physical crushing force on her chest.
"Wait, child."
A soft but commanding voice cut through the sound of the falling rain outside. Naina stopped and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Standing near the grand reception desk was an elderly woman. Unlike the sharp, modern employees of Rathore Industries, this woman radiated a timeless elegance. She wore a hand-spun silk saree in a deep shade of emerald, and a string of South Sea pearls glowed against her skin.
Naina sniffled, trying to regain her dignity. "I... I'm sorry, ma'am. I was just leaving."
The woman walked closer. Her eyes weren't cold like Vikram's; they were dark, intelligent, and filled with a strange kind of warmth. "I saw what happened up there. My grandson has the manners of a mountain lion, but he lacks the heart to see a diamond in the rough."
Naina gasped. "Your... grandson?"
"I am Savitri Devi," the woman smiled gently. "Vikram's grandmother. And you are Naina Sharma, the girl who dared to scream at the Ice King."
Naina looked down at her muddy shoes, embarrassed. "I shouldn't have done that. I was just desperate. My mother... she's very sick, and I needed that job."
Savitri Devi reached out and took Naina's cold, trembling hands in hers. "Desperation often shows a person's true strength. Come, sit with me for a moment. The rain is too heavy for you to leave just yet."