CAUGHT IN HIS WEB

CHAPTER 2

It was a long walk home. The grocery store where Nia worked after school was a good distance away, but she never took a cab. She was strict with her spending, saving any money that came her way, no matter how little.

Every dollar she earned went toward savings or helping her family. The harshness of Starbury City demanded nothing less from her, where the stark divide between the rich and poor dictated daily life.

When she arrived home, Nia handed her mother the groceries for dinner and retreated to the small bathroom to shower. The tension of the day washed away as the water cascaded over her.

Living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment with her family in one of the "poor people streets" of Starbury City wasn't easy. She shared a room with her 14-year-old brother, Nathan, and their apartment was a constant reminder of how far they were from the city's glamour.

Starbury City was a paradox. Small but dazzling, it was hailed as one of America’s most beautiful cities—a playground for the wealthy, and a prison for everyone else. The bright lights of luxury often cast deep shadows over the lives of people like Nia’s family, who could barely make ends meet.

Refreshed, Nia grabbed the trash can to take out the waste. The dumpster was at the far end of the street, its usual bustle replaced by an eerie stillness.

She glanced around uneasily as she approached. Something caught her eye as she disposed of the waste.

Nestled among the garbage was a handbag, its luxurious design unmistakable even in the dim light. Intrigued, Nia pulled out her phone and turned on the flashlight.

It wasn’t just any handbag. Its dark green leather shimmered faintly, adorned with gold studs and intricate designs. The name Duvernoy was boldly embossed in gold italics on the front.

Her heart skipped a beat. Duvernoy?

The name sounded familiar.

"Wait," she muttered, recalling the name the buzz-cut guy told her to google and looked at the handbag.

Was his arrogant friend possibly a brand owner?

She scoffed at her thought and shook her head in disbelief. The guy was cocky, sure, but a brand owner? Nia shook her head. “No way. He wouldn't be that rich.”

She looked around to make sure no one was watching. Satisfied, she carefully wiped the handbag clean and carried it home, her thoughts racing.

---

Later that evening, Nia sat across from her brother, Nate, at the dinner table. The handbag rested on her lap, its presence burning a hole in her resolve. She couldn’t keep this to herself.

After dinner, Nia cleared her throat. "I found something in the dumpster today," she began, pulling the handbag into view for everyone to see.

All eyes widened in shock.

“Whoa! You found that in the dumpster?” Nate exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Who would throw away something so expensive?" her father, Mason, asked, shaking his head. "Starbury City never ceases to amaze me."

Elizabeth, Nia's mother, leaned forward, her curiosity obvious. "Did you open it?"

Nia shook her head. “Not yet.”

It took a few minutes of fiddling, but the bag finally opened. Gasps filled the room. Inside was a neatly wrapped bundle of cash, glittering jewelry, a black makeup box, and a sleek private card.

Nate eagerly grabbed the money.

“Eleven thousand dollars!” he declared after a quick count.

“Eleven thousand?” Mason echoed, his jaw dropping.

“On God!”

“What are we going to do with all these?” Nia asked, feeling uneasy.

Nate grinned mischievously.

“Simple: we keep the cash, sell the bag and jewelry, and split the profits. Win-win!”

Mason laughed, ruffling Nate’s hair.

“That’s my boy.”

But Elizabeth’s stern glare silenced them.

“No we're not,” she said firmly.

Mason frowned.

“Why? You know we need money. Our rent’s due in two days!”

Elizabeth’s voice softened, but her determination didn’t waver.

“I know things are hard, but we must do what’s right. This isn’t ours to keep. We’ll return everything.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Finally, Mason nodded reluctantly.

“You’re right.”

Elizabeth turned to Nia.

“What does the card say?”

Nia picked up the sleek card.

"It says Lena Duvernoy, with a phone number."

---

That night, Nia lay on her bed, staring at the handbag perched on her desk. It wasn’t just any bag. It belonged to someone who lived in a world completely out of her reach.

Her thumb hovered over her phone’s keypad. Calling Lena Duvernoy was the right thing to do just like her mother had said, but doubt gnawed at her. What if they accused her of stealing it?

Her mind drifted to the incident with the arrogant guy she hated to admit was hot, and frowned. She hated arrogant men, no matter how good-looking—or, in his case, stunning—they were.

To clear her curiosity, she opened her Google app and typed “Duvernoy.”

The search results shocked her. Her breath caught as she scrolled through articles and images.

There he was—the arrogant guy—smiling smugly in one of the pictures, like he knew she was looking him up.

Nia read in stunned silence. He wasn’t just rich. He was the heir to Duvernoy Fashion Home, the number one jewelry and fashion company in America, and the only son of one of the wealthiest billionaires in the country.

And she was about to call his mother.