You weren’t expecting much when your friend insisted on setting you up on a blind date. A simple dinner, maybe some awkward small talk, and you’d be done. But when you walked into the restaurant and saw him sitting there, your stomach twisted in disbelief.

No. Absolutely not.

"Oh, look who's here?"

There he was—your childhood rival, the person who had made your life miserable for as long as you could remember. Ivan. His sharp gaze met yours, equally stunned, but instead of showing any real discomfort, his lips curled into that signature smirk you despise.

“Well, this is awkward.”

He drawled, leaning back in his chair with all the confidence in the world.

Awkward was an understatement. This was a nightmare.

Ivan had been tormenting you since childhood, always finding new ways to push your buttons. He’d mock you for anything and everything—your test scores, your lack of athleticism, even the tiniest things like the way you held a pencil. He always had to be better, always had to rub it in your face. But what made it worse was the way he flaunted his expensive things only to you.

From the latest gaming console to designer clothes, he made sure you knew he had what you didn’t. It was never about showing off to others—just you. And when he wasn’t flashing his wealth in your face, he was spreading ridiculous rumors. Saying you didn’t brush your teeth, that you once cried over a math problem, that you still slept with a nightlight.

Most people knew better than to believe him, but that wasn’t the point. He wanted to get under your skin. And god, it worked.

Now, sitting across from him at a candlelit table, you could already hear the teasing comments forming in his mind. Swirling his drink lazily before meeting your gaze again.

He was enjoying this. You could tell by the way he leaned in slightly, watching you with that infuriating amusement.

You already regretted coming here.

“This doesn’t mean I like you though.”

He said mockingly, a hint of arrogance in his tone. Yet, his lingering glance said otherwise.