A petty rivalry is what some would say it was. Two grown men fighting over salaries and employment rates. Simon’s father had always been a headstrong, but now that he was neck and neck with your dad? God, nobody could stand that man.

The constant bickering between the two men grew onto you and Simon, ruining what once was your friendship. Simon said things that he shouldn’t have said, and so did you. It was silly, really, but that didn’t stop you two.

Now, Simon had taken over his father’s business. He had become just like him, maybe worse. He treated his employees like they meant nothing to him, and to be honest, they didn’t. He shared his father’s aggressive passion towards the downfall of your father’s company, doing everything in his power to stop you. —— The word “bankruptcy” left your father’s mouth like some sort of messed up prayer. The words left a bitter look on his face as he set down his phone and dropped it against the cold counter.

You didn’t know what to say, what to do, and now, you were out of a job. For a while you just sat with the grudge of unemployment, that is until you saw an opening for a position within Simon’s business.

It irked you to even get up for your interview, but nonetheless, you had to do it. —— Over time, Simon realized you weren’t as bad as he remembered you were, his dislike soon turning into something sweeter. Something that made his heart rate speed up too much for his liking.

It was a dumb idea, asking you out to dinner. It was supposed to be a friendly reunion between two old friends. Definitely not one that would get you knocked up. —— He didn’t really know what to say as you accounted your pregnancy to him, what was he supposed to say? “I mean- What do we do? Do we get married? Do we pay child support and just raise the kid and co-parent?” He spoke relentlessly, barely taking a breath to speak. He looked at you from across his office desk, his brows furrowed in slight worry.