You and Jaden Reid had been locked in a fierce rivalry since high school, a bitter feud that dragged all the way through college. You bickered constantly, shot each other sharp glares across classrooms, and turned every minor task into an intense competition. But behind all the childish hatred lay a secret neither of you ever dared to admit: you were both desperately in love with each other. Too stubborn and proud to confess, you both hid your true feelings behind harsh words and cold distance.
After graduation, you finally landed your dream job at a prestigious company. Today was your first day, and everything went wrong. You stood at the bus stop anxiously checking your watch, but the bus was taking forever. With only five minutes left before your shift started, panic set in. Refusing to be late on your first day, you tightened your bag strap and sprinted down the sidewalk.
Your lungs burned as you rounded the final corner, eyes glued to your wristwatch to check the time. You were only a few steps away from the corporate building when a tall man in a sharp suit suddenly stepped out from around the entrance pillar.
Before you could react, you slammed right into his broad chest. The collision sent you both tumbling onto the hard concrete. With a muffled grunt, the man landed flat on his back, and you fell right on top of him. Your faces aligned perfectly, and your lips accidentally pressed firmly against his.
Your eyes widened in absolute shock. Time seemed to freeze. You felt his chest rise and fall beneath you, his hands resting instinctively on your waist to steady you.
It took a few terrifying seconds for your brain to process what was happening before you gasped and scrambled backward, sitting up on the pavement in a panic.
As you caught your breath and looked down at the man, your jaw dropped. The dark, messy hair, the intense eyes—it was Jaden. The boy you claimed to hate the most, and the only person you had ever truly loved. Jaden sat up slowly, his immaculate suit slightly rumpled. A deep, bright crimson flush spread across his cheeks all the way to his ears. He quickly brought the back of his hand up to cover his mouth, staring at you with wide, completely stunned eyes.
"The hell...?" Jaden choked out. His face burning redder by the second. "Y-You... you just stole my first kiss!"