Enemies to lovers:Rival tech CEOs

The rules we were never supposed to break

Enemies to Lovers: Rival Tech CEOs

Chapter Three — The Rules We Were Never Supposed to Break

Ava Bennett woke up the next morning with one thought repeating in her head.

Trust Alexander Cole.

She hated the thought.

Not because she believed he was incapable of being trusted.

That was the problem.

For the first time in two years, she wasn't entirely sure she didn't trust him.

She stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, remembering the previous night.

His hand around hers.

His eyes.

The quiet confidence in his voice when he'd said, For the next thirty days, you trust me anyway.

She rolled onto her side and groaned.

"This is a terrible idea."

Her phone buzzed.

She reached for it.

Alexander: Conference room. 7:30 a.m. We need to talk.

Ava glanced at the clock.

7:12.

She sat upright.

"Who sends messages at seven in the morning?"

Another message appeared.

Alexander: And bring coffee.

She frowned.

Then another.

Alexander: Black. No sugar.

She stared at the screen.

A reluctant smile touched her lips.

"Annoying man."

Twenty minutes later, she walked into the LunaMatch office carrying two coffees.

Alexander was already there.

He stood in front of the whiteboard, sleeves rolled up, studying a list of names.

He looked up when she entered.

"You're late."

"It's seven thirty-two."

"Exactly."

"You said seven thirty."

"You made me wait two minutes."

"You're welcome."

His eyes dropped to the coffee in her hand.

"You brought mine."

"I considered throwing it away."

"But you didn't."

"Unfortunately."

He smiled.

"Good morning, Ava."

"Morning."

She handed him the cup.

Their fingers brushed.

Again.

Ava quickly pulled her hand away.

Alexander noticed.

He noticed everything.

"I found something," he said.

Her expression became serious.

"What?"

He pointed to the whiteboard.

"I checked the server logs against Veyra's access records."

"And?"

"The account that accessed the project server belongs to someone who shouldn't have had access."

"Who?"

"Daniel Mercer."

Ava's eyes widened.

Daniel was one of LunaMatch's senior software engineers.

He had been with the company almost since the beginning.

"Daniel?"

Alexander nodded.

"Do you think he did it?"

"I think his account was used."

"That's different."

"I know."

Ava crossed her arms.

"Daniel wouldn't betray us."

"You sound certain."

"I am."

Alexander studied her.

"You trust him."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he stayed when we had twelve employees and barely enough money to pay salaries."

Alexander's expression softened.

"So loyalty matters to you."

"Doesn't it matter to you?"

He looked away.

"Sometimes loyalty is just another word people use until something better comes along."

Ava frowned.

"Who hurt you?"

His eyes snapped back to hers.

For a second, neither spoke.

Then Alexander smiled without humor.

"That's a dangerous question."

"Why?"

"Because you might get an honest answer."

Ava felt something tighten in her chest.

Before she could respond, the conference-room door opened.

Daniel walked in.

"Morning."

He stopped when he saw Alexander.

"Oh."

Ava stepped forward.

"Daniel, we need to ask you something."

His expression changed.

"About what?"

Alexander placed the printed server logs on the table.

"This account."

Daniel looked at the page.

Then his face went pale.

"I didn't do this."

Ava immediately said, "I know."

Alexander glanced at her.

Daniel swallowed.

"Someone must have stolen my credentials."

"Who knew your password?" Alexander asked.

"No one."

"Think."

"I don't know."

Ava stepped closer.

"Daniel, did anyone ask you to install anything yesterday?"

He hesitated.

"Actually..."

Alexander's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"Someone from Veyra's team gave me a software patch."

Silence.

Ava looked at Alexander.

His face hardened.

"Who?"

"I don't know his name."

"Describe him."

Daniel thought.

"Early thirties. Tall. Dark hair. He said he was working with your security team."

Alexander shook his head.

"My security team didn't send anyone."

Ava's stomach dropped.

"So someone impersonated your employee."

Alexander nodded.

"Which means they wanted Daniel to believe they had permission."

He turned to her.

"Someone is deliberately creating evidence that points toward our companies."

Ava stared at the server logs.

"Someone wants us to turn on each other."

Alexander's gaze held hers.

"They're succeeding."

---

By noon, the entire development team had been instructed to change their passwords and surrender access cards.

Ava stood in the middle of the office, watching employees move around nervously.

She hated this.

LunaMatch had always felt like a family.

Now everyone was looking at everyone else with suspicion.

Alexander walked toward her.

"You're quiet."

"I'm thinking."

"About?"

"How easily someone can destroy trust."

He stopped beside her.

"Trust is fragile."

She looked at him.

"You don't seem like someone who believes in it."

"I believe in earning it."

"Do you trust me?"

He didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

Ava blinked.

"You said yesterday that I shouldn't trust you."

"I said you shouldn't trust me blindly."

"And now?"

"Now I know enough to trust you."

She looked away.

"That's dangerously close to being sweet."

"Don't tell anyone."

She laughed softly.

Alexander watched her.

There it was again.

That smile.

He seemed almost mesmerized by it.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"You're staring."

"I know."

"Stop."

He didn't.

Ava's heart began beating faster.

"Alexander."

His voice dropped.

"Do you ever wonder what would happen if we weren't enemies?"

The question caught her completely off guard.

She stared at him.

"No."

"Liar."

She swallowed.

"We've spent two years fighting."

"I know."

"You've tried to destroy my company."

"So have you."

"I hate you."

"I know."

"Then why are you asking?"

He stepped closer.

"Because I'm starting to wonder if hate is really what I feel when I'm around you."

Ava couldn't breathe.

The office seemed to disappear.

There was only him.

Only those dark eyes.

Only the dangerous space between them.

She should have stepped away.

Instead, she whispered, "And what do you feel?"

Alexander looked at her lips.

"That's the problem."

His hand lifted slightly, as if he wanted to touch her face.

Ava's breath caught.

Then someone cleared their throat.

They jumped apart.

Maya stood several feet away, holding a tablet.

"I... have terrible timing."

Ava immediately stepped back.

"Yes."

Maya smiled awkwardly.

"I noticed."

Alexander straightened his jacket.

"What do you have?"

Maya held up the tablet.

"The HeartBridge board wants a progress update tonight."

"Tonight?" Ava asked.

"They're hosting a charity event. They expect both CEOs to attend."

Ava looked at Alexander.

"Absolutely not."

Maya shrugged.

"It's part of the court agreement."

Ava closed her eyes.

Of course it was.

---

That evening, Ava stood in front of her bedroom mirror.

She had changed outfits three times.

She hated herself for caring.

This was a business event.

Not a date.

She finally settled on a simple black dress that fell elegantly around her figure, paired with silver earrings and heels.

She stared at her reflection.

"You're going to a charity event with your enemy."

She paused.

"And you're nervous."

Her phone buzzed.

Alexander: I'm outside.

Her stomach flipped.

She grabbed her purse.

When she reached the building entrance, she stopped.

Alexander stood beside a black car.

He wore a perfectly fitted black suit, white shirt, and no tie.

His eyes found hers.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he smiled.

"You look beautiful."

Ava suddenly forgot every sarcastic response she had prepared.

"Thank you."

His gaze lingered.

"You're welcome."

She walked toward him.

"Let's get this over with."

He opened the car door.

"You're still nervous."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"You're imagining things."

"I've spent years reading people."

"That's creepy."

"It's useful."

She got into the car.

He followed.

As they drove toward the event, silence filled the vehicle.

Ava stared through the window.

"Alexander?"

"Hmm?"

"If we discover who's behind the breach..."

"Yes?"

"What happens?"

"We expose them."

"And our companies?"

"We stop fighting."

She turned toward him.

"Really?"

He looked at her.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

His gaze softened.

"Some battles aren't worth winning."

Ava stared at him.

She wanted to ask what he meant.

But she already knew.

And that scared her.

---

The charity event was packed with investors, celebrities, journalists, and technology executives.

The moment Ava and Alexander entered together, cameras flashed.

A reporter shouted, "Are the rival CEOs finally calling a truce?"

Alexander placed his hand gently against Ava's lower back.

Her entire body stiffened.

"Smile," he whispered.

"Why are you touching me?"

"Because everyone is watching."

"You could have warned me."

"I thought you'd slap me."

"I still might."

His smile widened.

They posed for the cameras.

For appearances, it looked perfect.

A powerful couple.

Two successful CEOs.

A dangerous amount of chemistry.

But Ava knew the truth.

They weren't a couple.

They were enemies.

At least, they were supposed to be.

Inside the ballroom, Alexander leaned closer.

"Someone's watching us."

Ava's smile remained fixed.

"Who?"

"Three o'clock."

She glanced subtly.

A man stood near the bar.

Dark hair.

Tall.

Familiar.

Ava's heart stopped.

"That's him."

Alexander's expression changed.

"The man Daniel described?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

The man noticed them looking.

Then he turned and walked away.

Alexander immediately took her hand.

"Stay here."

"No."

"Ava—"

"I'm coming."

They followed him through the crowd.

The man disappeared into a hallway.

Alexander pushed open the door.

Empty.

Ava looked around.

"He's gone."

Alexander examined the floor.

Then he spotted something.

A small black flash drive.

He picked it up.

There was a label on it.

Two words.

LUNA MATCH.

Ava's blood ran cold.

Alexander looked at her.

"Someone wants us to find this."

She stared at the flash drive.

"Why?"

He stepped closer.

"I don't know."

Then his phone buzzed.

He checked the message.

His face went pale.

"What?"

He turned the screen toward her.

A single message appeared:

YOU HAVE THIRTY DAYS TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH.

Ava looked at Alexander.

"Thirty days."

He nodded.

"Exactly."

She slowly reached for his hand.

This time, she didn't pull away.

"Then let's find out who started this."

Alexander squeezed her fingers.

"Together."

And neither of them noticed the figure watching them from the far end of the hallway.

A figure who smiled before disappearing into the shadows.