Chapter 1 A Business Affair

Clara Bellamy hated these events. The ballroom gleamed under the soft lighting, filled with the who’s who of the corporate world. The same shiny faces, the same fake smiles, and the same endless rounds of meaningless conversation. She wasn’t here for any of it. Well, except maybe to enjoy the open bar. And then, of course, there was him. Julian Nightingale. Her professional rival. Her personal annoyance. The man who could speak in perfect sentences and still manage to get under her skin. His presence alone had a way of turning her stomach. Tall, dark, and annoyingly charming. Every time he walked into a room, he seemed to draw the attention of everyone around him like moths to a flame. And he knew it. Of course, he knew it. His easy smile and the way his eyes scanned the room, always looking for new ways to manipulate the situation, made Clara want to roll her eyes. “You’re scowling again,” Olivia, her colleague and close friend, nudged her with a grin. Clara didn’t respond immediately, her gaze locked on Julian across the room. “He’s a walking advertisement for ‘smug and self-assured,’” she muttered, trying to keep her voice low enough not to be heard. Olivia laughed. “You really do have a gift for descriptions.” “Yeah, well, you try having him in your business meetings for the last two years.” Clara sighed dramatically. “Every time he opens his mouth, I feel like I need a headache pill.” “Could be worse,” Olivia said, taking a sip from her glass. “At least he’s not actively trying to sabotage you... not like—” “Don’t say her name,” Clara cut in quickly. Olivia raised an eyebrow, but Clara didn’t need to elaborate. Miranda, Julian’s fiancée, was another issue entirely. The same Miranda who had been the queen bee of their high school years. The same Miranda who had made Clara’s life hell for reasons that were too complicated to explain. Clara hated Miranda, but Julian? He was just... annoying. Or at least, he used to be. There was a new tension there lately, an underlying something she couldn’t quite place. “Look,” Olivia said, nudging Clara with a knowing look, “this is your chance to crush him in front of everyone.” “I wasn’t planning on crushing anyone,” Clara replied with a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I was just planning on winning. The rest is... bonus.” Olivia chuckled but didn’t argue. Just then, Clara caught sight of Julian moving through the crowd toward her, that signature smile already plastered on his face. She couldn’t help herself. She rolled her eyes. “Ah, Bellamy,” Julian greeted her with his usual smooth charm, stopping just close enough to make his presence known but not so close that it felt too personal. “You look as lovely as ever. Making all the right people jealous?” Clara didn’t even blink. “Only the ones who actually matter.” She paused, letting the weight of her words hang between them. “You know, some of us don’t need to rely on charm and good looks to get ahead.” Julian laughed, clearly unbothered by the jab. “If you say so. But charm and good looks do tend to get one far in the business world. Especially when you have the right connections.” “Too bad your right connections are all people who think they can control you.” His smile faltered, just slightly. It was a small victory for Clara, and she took it. “Everyone’s a critic,” Julian responded, his tone easy. “But I suppose that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To point out the flaws in everyone else while pretending you’re above it all.” Clara tilted her head, amused. “You really have a way with words, don’t you? Too bad your words never match your actions.” Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued now. “Care to elaborate?” Clara didn’t give him the satisfaction. Instead, she shifted the conversation. “I’m sure Miranda would love to hear about your newest business endeavor. She seems to find you absolutely fascinating.” The mention of his fiancée sent a brief flash of something cold across Julian’s features. But it was gone before Clara could decipher it, hidden behind that ever-present mask. “She’s been quite helpful,” he said, his voice smoothing over the slight crack. “But I’m sure you and she have more in common than you’d like to admit.” Clara’s lips quirked into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself, Julian. You think she and I could ever be anything but enemies? Try again.” Julian’s gaze lingered for a moment longer than necessary. There was something almost... searching in the way he studied her. But Clara refused to look away. “Well, if you’re sure,” he said, his voice teasing again, “I guess I’ll leave you to your business. But let’s be clear—this rivalry of ours? It’s only just getting started.” Clara watched him walk away, an inexplicable feeling settling in her chest. It was almost as if something had shifted, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. Her pulse was racing, and she found herself suddenly out of breath, as if she had been running for miles. She tried to shake it off, but the strange sensation lingered. Olivia shot her a questioning look. “You okay?” Clara nodded quickly, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Just... perfect.” But she wasn’t. And the more she tried to ignore it, the more she felt something drawing her closer to Julian, something she couldn’t understand. Something she wasn’t ready to face.