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Chapter One: Unraveling Encounters

Another day, another endless list of assignments. I barely noticed the people around me as I stepped into the elevator, my mind consumed by everything I needed to do. I was exhausted.

A man entered the elevator, tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair that framed his face. His eyes were intense, almost cold. I glanced at him briefly before returning to my phone, too tired to care.

Suddenly, the elevator jerked to a stop, lights flickering. My heart began to race. No. Not now.

"Looks like it's stuck," the man said, his voice surprisingly calm.

I tried to breathe, but panic rose in my chest. "Yeah," I whispered, hands starting to shake. The air felt suffocating.

"Take a deep breath," he said. His voice was low and steady, the kind of calm that made me feel oddly safe.

"I can't—" I began, but he cut me off.

"Just breathe. I'm right here," he said, his tone reassuring.

I glared at him, annoyed at how much his presence was helping. I didn't need help. But I followed his advice, breathing slowly, forcing the panic back. Eventually, my heart slowed, and the space didn't feel so suffocating.

When the elevator finally lurched back to life, I rushed out the moment the doors opened, not looking back. That encounter wasn't supposed to matter. But it did.

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Later, I sat with Sophia in our apartment. "You won't believe who I ran into today," I muttered, still shaken by the encounter.

"Who?" Sophia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A guy in the elevator. He was... different," I said, unsure how to explain it.

"Different?" Sophia smirked. "Or intriguing?"

I shot her a look. "I'm not thinking about him," I said, crossing my arms.

Sophia grinned. "You totally are."

I rolled my eyes, but she wasn't wrong. That stranger was all I could think about.

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That night, Julian and Valentina dragged me out to a club. I wasn't in the mood, but I went anyway. The music was loud, the lights flashing. But as I walked through the crowd, I saw him—Lucas, my boyfriend. And he wasn't alone.

He was kissing another woman. I froze. What the hell?

I marched over, fury rising. "Seriously?" I spat. "Is this how you treat me?"

Lucas pulled away, but didn't seem ashamed. I turned to the woman, my anger reaching its peak. "And you? Know your place."

Without another word, I stormed out of the club, leaving them to deal with the consequences. I didn't need this. I didn't need them.

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