Chapter 1-The Man I didn't want to meet
The sound of my alarm pulled me out of the deepest sleep.
I reached for my phone without opening my eyes and slapped the screen until the annoying sound finally stopped.
“Five more minutes,” I whispered.
Five minutes later, my alarm started ringing again.
I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head.
Today was already annoying, and I hadn't even gotten out of bed.
I finally forced myself to sit up and looked around my room. Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, making the room brighter than I wanted.
I checked my phone.
Three missed calls.
Two messages.
Nothing important.
I sighed and dropped the phone beside me.
There was a time when waking up to messages made me smile. I used to believe that somewhere out there was someone who would make my mornings better, someone who would ask if I'd slept well and remind me that I mattered.
That version of me was gone.
I had learned the hard way that feelings didn't always mean forever.
Love could be beautiful, but it could also leave you questioning everything you thought you knew.
And after everything I'd been through, I had made myself one promise.
No more relationships.
No more getting attached.
No more allowing someone else to have the power to ruin my peace.
I got out of bed and walked toward my wardrobe.
“Focus, Amara,” I told myself.
I had enough things to worry about without adding a man to the list.
After getting dressed, I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.
My mother was already in the kitchen.
“You're finally awake,” she said.
“I've been awake.”
She looked at me.
“Your face says otherwise.”
I laughed. “Good morning to you too, Mum.”
She smiled and placed a plate of food on the table.
“Eat something before you leave.”
“I will.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“You said that yesterday.”
“And I ate yesterday.”
“After I called you five times.”
I laughed again as I sat down.
For a few minutes, everything felt normal.
Peaceful.
Simple.
I didn't know that by the end of the day, I would meet someone who would slowly turn that peaceful life upside down.
Someone I had absolutely no intention of falling for.
Someone I would wish I had never met.
And yet, somehow, I would eventually wonder how I ever lived without him.
---
By the time I arrived at work, I was already running late.
I hurried through the entrance while checking my phone.
I wasn't paying attention to where I was going.
That was my first mistake.
The second was stepping directly into someone's path.
I bumped into a solid chest.
My phone slipped from my hand.
“Oh my God!”
It fell to the floor.
I immediately bent down to pick it up.
“Are you serious?”
The deep voice above me made me stop.
I slowly looked up.
A man was standing in front of me.
Tall.
Well dressed.
Annoyingly handsome.
And clearly annoyed.
I stood up.
“You walked into me,” I said.
He stared at me.
“I was standing still.”
“So?”
“So you walked into me.”
I folded my arms.
“And you couldn't move?”
His eyebrow lifted.
“Why would I move when you were the one walking toward me?”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
This man was irritating.
Very irritating.
“Whatever,” I muttered, turning away.
“That's it?”
I turned back.
“What else do you want?”
He looked at me for a moment before giving a small smile.
“Nothing.”
“Good.”
I picked up my bag and walked away.
I didn't look back.
I didn't care who he was.
At least, that's what I told myself.
Because if I had known that the annoying stranger I'd just argued with was about to become a huge part of my life, I probably would have turned around and walked in the opposite direction.
Some meetings are accidents.
Some are coincidences.
And some change your entire life.
I just didn't know which one this was yet.
