The day the two boxes of oranges my mom sent arrived at the office was the day I found my boyfriend’s closest friend, Victoria, tearing my desk apart. “A twenty-thousand-dollar Van Cleef & Arpels,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain for anyone who cared to listen. “Besides her, the charity case from the middle of nowhere, who else in this office would even be desperate enough to steal it?” I stood frozen at the entrance, clutching the box of oranges. Tired of rummaging, Victoria plopped down into my chair, casting a casual, playful glance at Lucas Knight. “Lucas, darling, Nina’s your girlfriend. Can’t you just ask her to give me back my bracelet?” They had grown up together, sharing a bond that was different, deeper than any other. Even I, his actual girlfriend, had to admit that the effortless intimacy between them sparked a sharp sting of jealousy. Whenever they started reminiscing about their childhood, their shared history, I was always the silent outsider, unable to find a single foothold in their conversation. But this time, Lucas didn’t play along. He didn't even look at her. His voice was a calm, level sea. “What bracelet? I’ll just buy you a new one.” The office erupted in a wave of whispers. “What does the boss mean by that? Did Nina really steal it?” “Why are you surprised? Everyone knows she’s broke. And she was the only one who left the office during the all-hands meeting.” “But that’s Van Cleef & Arpels… that’s more than half a year of her salary.” “I heard her mom had a reputation back home for being… light-fingered.” 1 I remained at the doorway, feeling as though I’d been struck by lightning. A tremor ran through my entire body. I had no idea that the same people who smiled and greeted me every day were saying such things behind my back. Just then, someone’s voice cut through the buzz. “Nina’s back?” The atmosphere froze. Every eye in the room turned to me. In that instant, I felt like a criminal under a spotlight, awaiting my sentence. I lowered my head, biting my lip, and saw Lucas turn to look at me. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but in his eyes, I saw disappointment. 2 I didn’t want to explain. I knew no one would believe me. “You know what? Forget it,” Victoria said with a flick of her wrist. “It’s not like I’m hurting for one bracelet.” If she had just said she might have misplaced it, the whole thing would have blown over. But what was this half-accusation, this insinuation? I refused to be a suspect, the focal point of office gossip. As Victoria turned to leave, I grabbed her arm. “The company has security cameras. If you’re accusing me, we can go check the footage together.” A smirk played on her lips, her eyes filled with a mockery I couldn't quite decipher. I expected her to refuse. I never imagined the one to shut it down would be Lucas. He wrapped an arm around me, his voice a soothing balm. “Nina, that’s enough. It’s okay.” He always used that tone to comfort me when I was down. And just like that, the dam of humiliation and hurt I’d been holding back broke. “I’m not okay,” I said, looking down at him, my voice already thick with tears. “My mom sent me something. I left the meeting to put the oranges she brought me in my drawer.” All I did was go back to my desk to put something away. Something my mother had taken two subway lines to bring to me, all the way from her own small garden. But Lucas didn't seem to care why I'd gone back. He said it didn't matter, that he would handle it, no matter what I’d done. But that’s the point, I wanted to scream. I didn’t do anything! My reputation was more important than any amount of money! I insisted on checking the security footage. A flicker of impatience crossed Lucas’s face, followed by a derisive laugh. “Nina, come on. This is as far as I can help you.” His voice dropped, laced with a cold logic that chilled me to the bone. “Weren't you just saying your mom’s sick and the roof at home is leaking? That you needed money for a new house? You’re desperate for cash. You have a motive.” He leaned in closer. “And the security camera in the office just happened to break today. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Nina?” My head buzzed. Suddenly, something Victoria had once said to me echoed in my mind. You and Lucas are from two different worlds. I hadn't understood it then, but in that moment, I finally did. It wasn’t a threat; it was just the truth. Lucas Knight, the golden boy who’d grown up coddled in wealth, looked down on the poor. It was etched into his very bones. Did he not understand how important a reputation was? No, he did. He just never believed me from the very beginning. Someone pulled open my drawer. The oranges my mom had brought me tumbled out, scattering across the floor. I watched, numb, as one or two were crushed under an careless foot. The last thread of my composure snapped. Lucas’s voice continued, oblivious. “Nina, I was already planning on buying you two a house. Why did you have to go and do something like this?” I couldn’t listen anymore. When I looked up, my eyes were burning. “Mr. Knight, my family may be poor,” I said, my voice shaking with rage, “but we are not thieves.” 3 The north wind cut right through me. I sat on the roof, silently eating the two oranges I’d managed to salvage. The rest had been trampled and ruined. When Lucas found me, his voice was tight with barely controlled anger. “What are you doing up here? Trying to threaten someone by jumping?” He gestured at the oranges in my hand. “And don't eat those. They’ve been on the floor, for God’s sake.” I acted as if I hadn’t heard him. “Nina, are you listening to me?” he snapped. “It’s a bag of oranges. Is it really worth all this? I’ll have someone send two boxes to your desk.” Lucas rarely got angry with me. Normally, his tone would have sent me storming off. But right now, all I wanted was to quietly finish these last two pieces of fruit. He walked over and tried to drape his coat over my shoulders, but I shifted away. His voice was laced with disbelief. “Are you recoiling from me?” After a second of tense silence, he took a step back, his lips pressed into a thin line. He placed the coat on my lap instead and stood there, a silent statue against the wind. By the time I finished the last slice, the wind was howling. “About the bracelet,” Lucas began, “I’ll—” “Don’t bother,” I cut him off. “I’ll handle it myself.” His voice rose with impatience and confusion. “With what? Do you have any idea what your status is? How are you going to ‘handle’ it? Do you know how much that bracelet costs? You think you can pay for it with your meager salary?” I almost laughed. “Think whatever you want. It has nothing to do with you anymore.” I carefully gathered the orange peels from the ground, stood up, and started walking away. His voice, small and thin in the wind, called my name. I didn’t look back. 4 After that day, Lucas didn’t show up at the office for a long time. That was the last conversation we ever had. Victoria didn’t pursue the matter either, but the rumors didn’t stop. My department head started giving me strange looks, occasionally reminding me that the company would “investigate the matter thoroughly.” When I walked into the office, I’d see coworkers instinctively lock their designer watches, phones, and other luxury items away in their drawers. I would freeze in place, a heavy stone sinking in my stomach. I had worked for more than a decade to get into a top university, then landed a job at this multinational corporation, becoming a key player in my department. I never imagined I’d be treated like a common thief. I wanted to keep fighting, for all the years I had spent clawing my way up, but I didn't know if there was any point in continuing this lonely, unsupported battle. 5 Soon, the final straw came. My mother suddenly fell ill. I had no choice but to take a leave of absence from the company, spending all my time at the hospital. While I was running around, taking care of her, I ran into Victoria in the main lobby. She knew my mom. The last time they’d met, she and Lucas had come to my mother’s small fruit stand. I remembered how she’d stood there, arms crossed, her eyes scanning the fruit with a critical gaze. “Are these even fresh?” she’d asked, her tone laced with doubt. “They’re covered in dust. You actually sell this to people?” Then, turning to Lucas, “You can eat it if you want, but maybe Lucas shouldn’t.” I saw Lucas take a bite, then his brow furrowed. He looked like he was about to be sick. My mother, flustered, pulled a few tissues from her pocket to offer him, but he just stared at them, motionless. It was Victoria who pulled out a pristine silk handkerchief and delicately wiped his mouth for him. Lucas and I had a huge fight that night. Snapping back to the present, I watched Victoria warily. She smiled. “Nina, it looks like you really are short on cash. Why didn’t you tell anyone your mom was sick? We’re all colleagues. If you had just asked, Lucas and I would have helped.” She held out a thick stack of cash. “What is this?” “Your mom’s treatment costs money, doesn’t it? You don’t have any projects right now. How are you going to pay for it on your salary alone?” She leaned in, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “I know a great hospital that specializes in this kind of illness. I can help you get in. It’s far, though. I suggest you move there to be with her.” I stared at her, confused. “Do you know why Lucas hasn’t been around lately? He’s tired, Nina. Your family’s situation, and then that whole theft incident… Lucas has a lot of pride. How do you think all this makes him look?” Her voice was as smooth as silk, yet each word was a dagger. “But he’s too kind to be the one to say it’s over. So… I’m here. This was his idea, too.” Her words sent my heart plummeting into an even deeper, colder ocean, the pressure building until I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My body trembled. From my mom’s room, I could faintly hear the sound of her weary sighs. An invisible force was urging me to take the money, to agree. “Thank you,” I heard myself say. “I’ll resign as soon as possible to take care of my mother. I’ll pay this money back, too. It’ll just take some time. Can you give me an account number?” She raised an eyebrow, a mocking glint in her eyes. “I can give you the number, but don't worry about paying it back. It doesn’t matter.” 6 I didn’t tell anyone I was resigning. I took my mother to that hospital in another city. Gradually, her condition improved. I found a simple job nearby. It didn’t pay much, but it allowed me to be there for her, and that gave me a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. Every month, I deposited a portion of my earnings into the account Victoria had given me. It took five years, but I finally paid back every last cent. Five years passed in a blur. I never thought I would see Lucas Knight again. It was at a colleague’s wedding. The guest list was a who’s who of the city’s elite. I didn’t want to go, but my friend had insisted. “I’m only getting married once! You vanished without a word five years ago, and now you won’t even come to my wedding? Is that all our friendship means to you?” she’d pleaded. “I know things ended badly with Lucas and Victoria, but what does that have to do with us?” She was the only person I’d kept in touch with. She could be blunt, but she had a good heart. I couldn’t refuse. Walking into the grand hotel ballroom, I was hit by a wave of opulence. This really wasn’t a place for people like me. But since I was here, I had to see it through. When I handed over my gift, my envelope was noticeably the thinnest. The person at the registration table was polite but couldn’t hide their surprise. “Are you sure about this amount? There’s no mistake?” I offered a faint smile. “No mistake.” As I took my seat, I immediately became the center of attention. “Isn’t that Nina?” “Why did she suddenly resign back then? We never heard a thing!” When Victoria saw me, her expression soured. “Speaking of Nina’s resignation, I’ve always been curious myself,” she announced, her voice carrying across the table. “I wonder if it had anything to do with that little bracelet incident? I hope it didn’t upset you too much, Nina. I’d already decided not to press charges. After all, everyone makes mistakes.” It was obvious she wanted to drive me out before Lucas arrived, each word more cutting than the last. I smiled. “Victoria, you seem even more on edge than you were five years ago.” I met her gaze directly. “Five years ago, I told you I didn’t take it. Today, my answer is the same. I, Nina, may be poor, but I am not a thief.” I took a step closer and lowered my voice to a whisper only she could hear. “And you can’t possibly think I don’t know what really happened to that bracelet, do you?”
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