It's already morning time and the morning air on campus carried a warm softness that felt almost unreal. It was the kind of day that made the world seem gentle, like nothing bad could possibly happen. The jacaranda trees lining the main walkway swayed lazily, their purple petals scattered lovely across the pavement like spilled dreams. Students moved about in clusters, laughter rising and falling, bags slung over their shoulders, life unfolding in small, ordinary moments.
Amara Collins then adjusted the strap of her bag as she hurried across the courtyard, her heart racing not from excitement but from the fear of being late again. She had stayed up too late the night before, reading notes and revising slides for her presentation, and sleep had claimed her before she even realized it.
"Today will be fine" she muttered to herself, more prayer than confidence.
Amara was in her final year, a quiet but diligent student known more for her discipline than her presence. She didn't stand out unnecessarily in loud ways. No dramatic makeup, no flashy clothes. Just soft brown in complexion, expressive eyes that always looked like they were thinking too much, and a calmness that made people underestimate her depth.
She slipped into the lecture hall just as the murmurs inside grew louder. Something was different. The air felt charged, like anticipation buzzing beneath the usual noise. She frowned slightly, scanning the room as she moved toward her seat.
Every head turned toward the front,Amara followed their gaze and that was the moment everything shifted.
He stood near the podium, tall and commanding dressed in a tailored charcoal suit that seemed entirely out of place on a campus filled with hoodies and backpacks. His presence was effortless, magnetic, the kind that silenced a room without even trying. His face was smart yet warm,his eyes were dark and observant, holding a calm authority that felt born, not learned,Amara's breath caught.
She didn't know his name, She didn't know why he was there, but something inside her stirred, something unfamiliar and unsettling.
Love at first sight was a concept she had always dismissed all her life . Too dramatic, too unrealistic. And yet, as her eyes briefly met his, her heart was unguarded and betrayed her logic and the man looked away first.The lecturer cleared his throat, breaking the spell. "Good morning" everyone. Before we begin, I'd like to introduce our special guest."
The man stepped forward as his hands were relaxed at his sides, posture confident. "Good morning" he said, his voice was smooth and deep, making the room easily carried away by warmness.Amara felt it in her chest."My name is Nathaniel Kingsley" he continued. "I'm the CEO of Kingsley Holdings". I'll be working closely with this institution on a new partnership program.
A ripple of excitement passed through the students, Kingsley Holdings was a name everyone knew, Power, Wealth and Influence.Amara quickly swallowed her spit due to excitement saying "A CEO" On her campus?
Nathaniel's eyes deliberately swept the room slowly, until they landed on her again. This time, he didn't look away. There was a flicker of something in his gaze, something unreadable, but it made her pulse quickly and then he smiled.Not the practiced smile of a businessman, but something softer, almost surprised.
Amara looked down immediately, feeling embarrassed by the heat rising to her cheeks.She didn't know it then, but that moment would stay with him long after he left the room.
The lecture passed in a blur, Amara heard words but absorbed none of them. Her thoughts kept drifting to the stranger at the front, the way he listened intently, the way he occasionally nodded, the way his attention never seemed to wander.
When the session ended, students crowded around Nathaniel, eager for attention, questions spilling over each other. Amara gathered her things quickly, hoping to escape unnoticed.
She almost made it to the door.
"Miss" a voice called out behind her.
She froze and Slowly, she turned.
Nathaniel stood a few steps away, no crowd around him now. Just the two of them, the noise of the room fading into the background.
Yes? she asked softly.
He studied her for a second, as though choosing his words carefully. "You were taking notes the entire time " he said even when others stopped "She blinked as she said yes sir"
A small smile touched his lips "I appreciate people who listen."
Her fingers tightened around her notebook. Thank you sir.
"Nathaniel" he corrected gently. And you are? Amara Amara Collins.
He repeated her name quietly, as if testing how it felt. "Amara." wow, that's a nice name.
There was something intimate in the way he said it, something that made her heart stumble.
I hope you'll consider applying for the internship program" he said. "I think you'd do well."
Before she could respond, he stepped aside, allowing her to pass. Amara walked out, her legs unsteady, her mind spinning as She didn't even look back.
Nathaniel watched her go.
He had come to the campus with clear intentions, Business, Partnerships and efficiency. Love had never been part of his plans. His life was already complicated enough, bound by responsibilities no one else could see. Because Nathaniel Kingsley was not just a CEO.He was a prince wedded by duty to a woman chosen long before love ever crossed his path.
And yet, in one quiet lecture hall, with one soft spoken girl, everything he thought he knew about control, commitment, and destiny began to unravel and unknown to them their story had already started.