Seeing Nia again
Chapter 11 Seeing Nina Again
TANIA’S APARTMENT, NEW YORK. Tania was beginning to regret her hasty decision. Nina didn’t look at all pleased that she brought Xander to the house without giving her a fair warning. She looked deflated. “You could have at least texted me,” Nina groaned nervously. “I am sorry, Nina. I thought you might want to see him after feeling bad for how you treated him.” Nina sighed heavily, turning her face away. “I don’t think I am ready to see him yet.” “I can ask him to leave.” She said, making her way to the door. “No! No! I will go to him. Thanks.” “Forgive my nosiness, please,” Tania mumbled. Nina hummed in response, excusing herself. Xander was pacing the hallway when she stepped out. He paused abruptly, staring at her like she was some angel that made his heart melt. The minute he opened his mouth to speak, Xander didn’t take a pause. “It’s okay if you don’t want to see me. I will leave. I couldn’t reach you for a few days and thought to check you at the store. You don’t have to be cross with your friend. I made her bring me here.” He rambled. Nina couldn’t resist the chortle that escaped her lips. Xander is just the same as she remembers. He hardly bats an eyelid when he is talking to any other person, but when it comes to her, it’s almost like he gets overwhelmed, and his anxiety takes over immediately. “Easy, Xander. It’s not like I am going to do anything silly. The least I can do is tell you to leave. But I can’t now.” Xander let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Can we go somewhere then?” He asked. “Okay, I will just get my jacket.” “Thank you.” To avoid taking her too far away from home. Xander found a nice spot just a few blocks from Nina’s apartment building. Nina insisted on just a cocktail instead of food, prompting Xander to do the same, and they sat quietly, just staring at themselves. Xander wanted to say something, but he felt content staring at her. The past few days felt more torturing than the last ten years he had seen her. Especially since he is aware of the state she is in. It made him feel more concerned, also after seeing her files on his table. He knew they were fated to meet again. “Quit staring at me like that. If I don’t know better, I would think you are lusting after a pregnant woman.” Nina joked, feeling nervous too. He almost agreed with her assertion, but he only smiled in response. “I didn’t think you would block me from reaching you. It made me wonder if I said anything wrong that day.” She scratched the back of her neck, staring down at her glass. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Xander. I do not need the friendship you might want to offer now.” “What friendship do you think I am offering you?” Xander asked, holding her gaze closely. Nina gulped hard, feeling cornered. She reached for her glass awkwardly. Maybe she was overthinking it. “I. I don’t know. But I am sure you know what I am talking about.” “I don’t. The truth is, I never stopped loving you, Nina. Also, I felt you needed to know the truth behind our breakup. However, that doesn’t mean my reason for coming to you is because of that. You are someone I cared about once before, and seeing you in this kind of state makes me concerned because I know I can help. You have a lot of potential, and it won’t harm me to bring you to my side. Workers like you who know their onions are rare.” He didn’t know where all of the words came from. But he had to say something to avoid looking like a fool. Nina, on the other hand, felt stupid for jumping to conclusions. Of course, she needs a handout at the moment. “I didn’t mean to be so forward. I am sorry. There aren’t many options for me at the moment. Most of the food companies know who I am, and with Asher’s influence, they definitely won’t let me in. I have sent out applications, and no one is responding. He is determined to ruin me. The future looks quite bleak at the moment.” She replied, leaving out the part where she had to fight her way out of the office. Xander looked pissed as he tightened his jaw. “Don’t be sorry, Nina. What I want for you to do is be bold when it comes to your desires. What do you want? I am sorry, but I had to check your credentials online, and God help me; you are a diamond no one should throw out. As a businessman, I am always on the lookout for talent. And I think you should know your worth and stand your ground. You have worked too hard to get to where you are now. I saw you work with grit and so much inconvenience. Yet you made it. And now you are just going to let a worthless man take it away from you? Since when do you wait for people’s validation before doing you?” Nina blinked as tears laced her lashes heavily. She had felt the urge to take revenge when she could bring the pieces together. But it dawned on her an hour after that that she was helpless and wouldn’t be able to do anything unless she stood on her feet. And that alone feels almost impossible. “I am clueless, Xander. I have never been this lost in my entire life. Even when it seemed like no one would accept me for being an orphan, I didn’t let that deter me from pushing. But this feels like too much. Where am I to go from here?” She sobbed. Although skeptical, Xander still stretched out his hand to hold her trembling hand. “Trust me, Nina. We will work it out. I plan to be by your side until you are alone. You won’t be the one to go down. Everyone who made a fool of you will pay through their teeth. We will make sure of that. But I need you to be more open-minded towards me, please.” She sniffed, “What should I do now?” “First, you unblock me.” He said, causing them to chuckle. “I don’t want to keep showing up at your door unannounced. Then I will inquire and inform you as we move on.” “You will do that for me?” “No, Nina. Your value will do that for you. I will keep in touch.” “Thank you so much,” Nina mumbled with a small smile. “Will you eat now? At least it’s obvious now that I have no intention to harm you.” He joked. “I sure will.” She replied with a grin.Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.