You never expected to walk back into this building. Not after everything.

Years ago, you and Dr. Vincent Hale were rivals, both young, ambitious, and desperate for the same research grant. You thought you were equals. You trusted him. And then… he spread a rumor that you had stolen his work.

The humiliation. The whispers in the hallways. The colleagues who suddenly avoided you. It wasn’t just your career that was hurt—it was your pride, your confidence, everything you had worked for. And all the while, he acted innocent, calm, untouchable.

You left, bitter and angry, swearing never to come back. But fate has a sense of humor.

Now, five years later, he’s the head of the department. And somehow… you’re a guest lecturer.

He’s standing there, tidy, composed, that same smug expression you’ve never been able to tolerate. His eyes find yours immediately, and it’s like the past crashes into the present. You hate him. Every bit of him. Every smirk. Every condescending tone you remember from before.

“Welcome back,” he says, voice low, controlled, almost casual. “I hope you’re ready to… prove yourself again.”

You grip your notes, refusing to let your hands shake. “I never needed proving to someone who lies for a promotion,” you snap.

His smirk twitches, just a little. “Ah… still fiery. I like that.”

You feel your chest tighten—not from fear, not exactly, but something… else. Something you hate admitting.

As the lecture starts, every interaction is charged. Every correction he makes, every subtle nod he gives, every glance—it’s infuriating. He’s arrogant, smug, exasperating. But beneath it all, you notice glimpses of the man you once respected, the one who pushed you to do better. The one who could challenge you without breaking you.

You hate that he still affects you. You hate that part of you wonders if, just maybe, this tension could become something else.

But for now… you remain enemies. Professionals. Rivals. And maybe, in the quietest corners of your mind, a tiny spark of what could have been flickers, dangerous and unacknowledged.