Episode 10
1091 Words
The morning sun stretched across Sophie’s small balcony, lighting up the potted flowers she had tended so carefully. She and Rohan were eating their modest breakfast—bread and tea, nothing fancy, but shared with laughter.
“Someday,” Sophie said, smiling wistfully, “I’ll have a little shop. A bakery, maybe. The smell of fresh bread in the mornings, children running in and out, neighbors coming for warm rolls.”
Rohan’s heart warmed as he listened. “And I’ll be there,” he replied. “Carrying sacks of flour, sweeping the floor, doing whatever you need.”
She chuckled, nudging him lightly. “No, you’ll do more than that. You’ll handle the accounts. You’re good with numbers, even if you don’t admit it.”
Rohan’s lips curved. If only she knew how much of his life had been managing billions, not pennies. Still, he nodded. “Then I’ll be your accountant.”
They laughed together, their dreams fragile yet glowing like lanterns in the morning light.
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Meanwhile: Priya’s Bitterness
Across town, Priya sat in her lavish bedroom, staring into the mirror. Sophie’s words from the last confrontation haunted her. “You’re miserable, Priya. You have everything money can buy, yet you can’t find peace.”
Priya slammed her hairbrush onto the dresser. “She thinks she’s better than me? With that beggar?”
Her pride burned. It wasn’t enough to mock Sophie anymore. She needed to prove she was above her. She needed power, status, recognition.
Scrolling through job postings on her sleek phone, one name caught her eye:
Wuthelam Holdings – Secretary Position Available
Her pulse quickened. Wuthelam Holdings was one of the largest companies in the country—the empire of none other than Goh Cheng Liang. Everyone knew the name.
“If I work there,” she whispered, a sly smile forming, “I’ll climb higher than Sophie could ever dream. Then she’ll see who really wins.”
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At Wuthelam Holdings
The glass towers of Wuthelam Holdings gleamed in the sunlight, their reflections stretching over the city. Inside, the lobby buzzed with polished shoes, quick strides, and sharp suits.
Priya walked in confidently, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She wore her best outfit, hair neatly styled, makeup flawless.
At the reception, she handed her résumé to the HR officer. “I’m here for the secretary position,” she said sweetly.
The officer gave her a quick once-over. Priya’s confidence was hard to ignore, and her appearance screamed ambition. Within days, she was called back for an interview.
The hiring manager flipped through her résumé. “Your background isn’t extraordinary, but you seem… determined.”
Priya smiled, leaning forward slightly. “I work hard. I’m loyal. Give me a chance, and I’ll prove myself.”
Her boldness impressed them. A week later, Priya received the call: she was hired as a secretary in one of the executive offices.
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Rohan and Sophie’s Quiet Life
While Priya celebrated her “victory,” Rohan and Sophie were far removed from the glittering towers of Wuthelam Holdings.
They spent their days in simple rhythms. Sophie went to work at the garment factory while Rohan did small handyman jobs for neighbors—fixing doors, painting walls, carrying loads.
In the evenings, they cooked together, laughed over silly jokes, and shared quiet moments on the balcony.
One night, Sophie leaned back against the railing, watching the city lights. “Rohan,” she said softly, “do you ever wish you had more?”
He turned to her, his face calm. “I have enough, Sophie. Enough food, enough shelter, enough of your kindness. I don’t need more.”
Her heart softened at his words. Still, she whispered, “One day, I’ll give you more than this. I promise.”
He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. “You’ve already given me more than anyone else ever has.”
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Priya’s Rise
At Wuthelam Holdings, Priya quickly adapted. She wore her sharpest clothes, learned how to walk with confidence, and made herself visible to the managers.
Some of the other staff whispered about her arrogance, but others admired her boldness. Priya didn’t care either way. She had her eyes set higher—on gaining influence in the company.
Every time she entered the grand offices, she felt a thrill. This is where real power lives, she thought. This is where I belong.
She had no idea that the very man she mocked—the “beggar” living in Sophie’s small apartment—was the son of the empire’s founder.
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Crossing Fates
One afternoon, as Priya filed documents in her manager’s office, she overheard a conversation.
“The chairman’s son,” one manager said, “is still away. Mr. Goh has been patient, but he’s waiting for him to return.”
Priya’s ears perked up. Chairman’s son? That must be Rohan Goh—the one every newspaper gossiped about, the heir who vanished from the spotlight months ago.
She smirked to herself. If only I could meet him. That would be my ticket to the top.
She had no clue that the man she had thrown out of her house—the man she had called “beggar”—was the very heir she now dreamed of meeting.
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Back in the Small Apartment
That same evening, Rohan and Sophie ate dinner by candlelight, a power outage sweeping through the neighborhood. Sophie laughed as she fanned the smoke from a burnt pot.
“See what happens when I get distracted?” she teased.
Rohan chuckled, shaking his head. “It still tastes better than anything I’ve ever eaten.”
Sophie rolled her eyes, but her heart fluttered. She didn’t know how she had grown so attached to him, but she couldn’t imagine her days without his presence anymore.
As the candlelight flickered, Rohan looked at her and thought of all the wealth, all the luxury, all the palaces he had left behind. And for the first time in his life, he felt certain of something: he would rather be here, in this tiny apartment with Sophie, than anywhere else.
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Closing Scene
Far across the city, Priya typed away in her new office, dreaming of wealth, power, and status. She felt triumphant, believing she was climbing toward greatness.
But destiny had its own plan.
Two lives—Rohan’s and Priya’s—were moving closer to a collision neither of them could foresee. And when the truth finally emerged, the world they knew would never be the same.
- Writer
