Isabella's eyes narrowed as Alex dragged her onto the small plane. "I don't know why I'm doing this, Alex. I'm still recovering from my last project."
Alex flashed his charming smile. "Come on, Bella! This is a great opportunity for us. We can't miss it."
Isabella sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and exhaustion. She was still trying to catch up on sleep and rebuild her energy after her last project, but Alex had been relentless in his pursuit of this new deal.
As the plane took off, Isabella closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing thoughts. But when the engine sputtered and the plane began to plummet towards the ocean, her eyes snapped open in terror.
The crash was a blur, but Isabella remembered the feeling of weightlessness, the sound of screams, and the impact that threw her from her seat.
When she came to, Alex was shaking her, his face etched with worry. "Bella, wake up! We have to get out of here!"
Isabella groggily sat up, assessing their surroundings. The plane was wreckage, and they were stranded on a deserted island.
She glared at Alex, her anger rising. "This is all your fault, Alex. I told you I wasn't ready for this."
Alex looked taken aback, but Isabella didn't care. She was tired of being pushed and pulled by him, tired of being treated like a pawn in his game of success.
As they explored the island, Isabella's resentment grew. She was stuck here because of Alex's recklessness, and now they had to survive together.
But as night began to fall, Isabella realized that they had to put aside their differences if they wanted to make it out alive.
As they explored the cabin, their differences resurfaced. Alex wanted to investigate further, while Isabella was eager to leave and find help.
"I don't like this, Alex. Let's get out of here," Isabella said, her voice firm.
But Alex was undeterred. "Just a few more minutes, Bella. I need to see what's in here."
Isabella threw up her hands. "Fine. Stay here by yourself. I'm leaving."
And with that, she stormed out of the cabin, leaving Alex to his curiosity.
But as night began to fall, Isabella's bravado faltered. The darkness seemed to press in around her, and the sounds of the jungle grew louder.
She tried to distract herself by gathering firewood, but her hands trembled as she struck the matches.
Just as she was starting to feel like she couldn't take it anymore, she saw a figure emerging from the darkness.
"Alex?" she called out, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alex nodded, his face illuminated by the flickering flames. "I saw your fire and thought I'd come over."
Isabella hesitated, unsure if she wanted to be near him after their argument. But as the night wore on, she found herself grateful for his presence.
They sat in silence, watching the stars twinkle overhead. And for the first time since the crash, Isabella felt a sense of peace.
As the night wore on, Isabella found herself feeling more and more at ease with Alex's presence. They started talking, sharing stories and laughter, and for the first time, Isabella saw a different side of Alex.
As the fire burned low, Alex stood up, his eyes locked on hers. "Thanks for letting me join you, Bella. I know I wasn't exactly welcome earlier."
Isabella smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "You're welcome, Alex. I'm just glad we can put our differences aside for now."
Alex nodded, his face inches from hers. "Yeah. Me too."
And then, without thinking, Isabella reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of Alex's face. It was a gentle, intimate gesture, and Alex's eyes locked onto hers, his expression softening.
For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. And then Alex leaned in, his lips brushing against Isabella's in a soft, gentle kiss.
Isabella's heart skipped a beat as she felt a rush of emotions. She hadn't expected this, hadn't expected to feel this way about Alex.
Isabella's eyes widened in shock as she processed what had just happened. Alex, the man who had been so harsh and critical, had just kissed her with a gentleness she never thought possible.
For a moment, she saw a glimmer of vulnerability in his eyes, a sense of genuine emotion that took her breath away.
But then she remembered the way he had treated her, the way he had pushed her and belittled her. She couldn't let her guard down now.
Isabella's expression hardened, and she pushed Alex away. "Don't think this changes anything," she said, her voice cold.
Alex looked taken aback, his eyes flashing with surprise. "I wasn't thinking it did," he said, his voice rough.
Isabella turned away, trying to process her emotions. She couldn't let herself fall for Alex's charms, not now, not ever.
But as she walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. Something that neither of them could ignore.
The next day, they continued their search for rescue, but the tension between them was palpable. They barely spoke, their words strained and polite.
But Isabella couldn't help sneaking glances at Alex, wondering what had driven him to kiss her like that. And Alex, too, couldn't help but steal looks at Isabella, his eyes searching for answers.
As the days passed, Isabella tried to put the kiss out of her mind, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them.
But then, one night, as they were sitting by the fire, Alex turned to her and said, "about the other night, Isabella. I was out of line."
Isabella's heart skipped a beat as she met his gaze. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I mean the kiss," Alex said, his eyes dropping. "I shouldn't have done it. I was caught up in the moment."
Isabella felt a sting of rejection, but she tried to brush it off. "It was nothing, Alex. Just a moment of weakness."
But Alex's next words cut deep. "Yes, exactly. A moment of weakness. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me."
Isabella's eyes narrowed, her anger rising. "So now you're saying I'm a weakness?"
Alex stood up, his expression cold. "I'm saying I made a mistake, Isabella. And I won't let it happen again."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Isabella feeling hurt and confused.