The following days were a blur for Isla. After the conversation with Jin Woo, everything felt different—yet frustratingly, nothing had changed. They still exchanged curt remarks at work, still maintained the rivalry that had defined their relationship from the beginning. But now, there was an unspoken undercurrent beneath every word, every glance. It was as if their world had shifted, and neither of them quite knew how to navigate it.
For Jin Woo, the confusion was even more palpable. He had always prided himself on being in control—of his emotions, his career, his relationships. But ever since that night, his thoughts kept drifting back to Isla. She wasn't just a colleague, wasn't just the woman he competed with at every turn. There was something deeper, something more tangled than he had ever anticipated.
The next project at the firm was set to be their most ambitious yet—a massive architectural endeavor for an international client. Jin Woo and Isla were both assigned as co-leads, a decision from the higher-ups that neither of them had anticipated but couldn't exactly refuse. As much as they tried to remain professional, the tension between them was undeniable, and working so closely together would push both of them to their limits.
The morning of their first official meeting with the client, Isla arrived at the office with an unusual nervousness settling over her. Normally, she thrived in high-pressure situations, but this felt different. Jin Woo was already seated at the long conference table, his expression unreadable as he tapped away on his tablet. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and Isla felt a spark of something electric flash between them.
"Ready for this?" Jin Woo asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Isla responded, her tone matching his. She slid into the seat across from him, carefully avoiding the urge to ask him if he felt the same tension, the same uncertainty.
The client, a sharp-eyed executive from one of the world's top tech companies, arrived moments later, and the meeting began in earnest. Isla and Jin Woo fell into their familiar rhythm—perfectly poised, flawlessly professional. They presented their ideas with precision, answering questions with the ease that came from years of experience. But beneath it all, Isla couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was about to unravel.
As the meeting drew to a close, the client offered a small smile, clearly impressed by their proposal. "You two make quite the team," he said, his gaze flicking between them. "It's rare to see such synergy."
Jin Woo and Isla exchanged a quick glance, both of them caught off guard by the compliment. Neither of them responded, but the words lingered as the client stood to leave.
Once they were alone in the conference room, the silence between them stretched uncomfortably. Isla busied herself with gathering her notes, her mind spinning in a thousand different directions.
"Synergy," Jin Woo mused aloud, breaking the silence. "That's a new one."
Isla let out a short laugh, more out of discomfort than amusement. "I guess we've been fooling everyone."
Jin Woo's expression softened, and for a moment, the familiar walls between them seemed to crack. "Maybe not as much as you think."
The words hung in the air, and Isla froze, her heart pounding. She looked up, searching his face for any sign that he was joking, but all she saw was sincerity.
"I don't know what this is, Isla," Jin Woo said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I think we both know it's not just rivalry anymore."
Isla's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to argue, to push him away the way she always did, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words. Something between them had shifted, and no matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise, it was impossible to ignore.
"I—" Isla began, but before she could finish, the door to the conference room swung open, and a familiar figure strode in.
It was Min Su, Jin Woo's long-time friend and colleague, with an easy smile plastered on his face. "Am I interrupting something?"
The tension in the room snapped like a rubber band, and both Isla and Jin Woo quickly pulled back, retreating behind their professional facades. "Just finishing up," Jin Woo said smoothly, slipping into his usual confident tone.
Min Su glanced between them, clearly picking up on the tension. His smile widened, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Right, well, I just wanted to catch up with Jin Woo before the next meeting. You good, Isla?"
Isla forced a smile, gathering her things as quickly as possible. "Yeah, all good. See you both later."
As she left the room, her heart still racing, Isla couldn't shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control. Jin Woo's words echoed in her mind, and she knew that whatever was happening between them was far from over.
Back at her desk, Isla tried to focus on the work in front of her, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Jin Woo. She knew she was walking a dangerous line. Their rivalry had always been their foundation, the thing that kept them on their toes and pushed them to be better. But now… now there was something else, something that neither of them seemed to fully understand.
And as much as Isla hated to admit it, she wasn't sure if she wanted to keep fighting it anymore.