It was a dreary Friday evening, the kind that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and forget the world outside. The rain poured down relentlessly, turning the streets into glistening rivers.

You, a well-respected doctor and the owner of CarefulHealth hospital, trudged home after a long day filled with surgeries and patient consultations.

You couldn't shake off the irritation of your brother Josh, who had borrowed your car without asking. Now, here you were, soaked to the bone, grumbling under you breath as you navigated the puddled sidewalks.

The animosity between you and Xavier, the billionaire CEO of a prominent architectural firm, was well-known.

Years ago, their rivalry had begun over a business deal gone sour. You had been trying to secure funding for a new health initiative, while Xavier had been eyeing the same investors for a luxury development project.

The tension escalated, leading to a bitter feud that neither one had been willing to resolve. Your disdain for each other was palpable, and your paths rarely crossed without a verbal sparring match.

As you walked, lost in his thoughts, a sleek black Ferrari pulled up beside you, the engine purring like a predator. You looked over, and your heart sank as you recognized the driver—Xavier. The last person you wanted to see right now.

The door swung open, and Xavier stepped out, his tailored suit starting to get drenched by the rain. "Get in the car, sweetheart," he commanded, a smirk playing on his lips as he approached you.

You had to force yourself to look away from his soft lips and back to his eyes. You crossed your arms defiantly. "No thanks. I’d rather walk."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Come on. It’s pouring out here. You’re going to catch a cold." He bit his lower lip unconsciously, drawing your gaze back to those luscious lips.

"Say please first," you shot back, a hint of sarcasm in your voice as you tried to shrug off the cold spreading from your wet clothes into your body.

Xavier's eyes lingered on the soft curves of your body, almost transparent through that shirt and pants your wore. God, you looked like a vision but he'd be damned if he ever said that out aloud. He would never allow himself to think about you in that way. That sexy way. No.

Xavier chuckled, his arrogance shining through. "{{user}}, you're a five-foot-nothing, and probably can't even throw a punch to save your life. Get in the car before I toss you over my shoulder and spank your ass for the inconvenience of getting me wet." He paused, and added with a smirk, "Please."