Friction
852 Words
The second time Zara saw Adrian Cole, she pretended not to.
It was easier that way.
Safer.
She kept her head down as she pushed her cleaning cart past the glass-walled conference room, where he stood at the head of a long table, speaking to a group of executives.
Confident.
Sharp.
Untouchable.
Everything about him irritated her now.
The way he had looked at her yesterday.
The way he had spoken to her.
“You’re invisible.”
She tightened her grip on the cart.
Well, good.
That’s exactly how it should be.
She turned the corner—
“Zara.”
Her steps halted.
Slowly, she turned back.
He was standing just outside the conference room now, his presence immediately shifting the air around her.
Her stomach tightened.
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes scanned her briefly.
Assessing.
Again.
“I need my office cleaned.”
She blinked.
“Sir, I cleaned it yesterday.”
“I’m aware.”
A pause.
“Clean it again.”
Zara stared at him.
Was this… intentional?
Something about his expression told her it was.
“Is there… a reason?” she asked carefully.
His gaze didn’t soften.
“Do you question instructions often?”
Zara pressed her lips together.
“No, sir.”
“Then don’t start today.”
Her jaw tightened.
“Yes, sir.”
His office was spotless.
Cleaner than it had any right to be.
Zara stood in the middle of it, annoyed.
There was nothing to clean.
Absolutely nothing.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered under her breath.
“Then leave.”
She spun around.
Adrian stood by the door.
Watching her.
Her irritation flared instantly.
“You told me to clean.”
“And you’re done,” he replied calmly.
Zara folded her arms.
“If there’s no actual work, I have other places to be.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
Then—
“Your attitude is problematic.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“My attitude?”
“Yes.”
Zara let out a soft, incredulous laugh.
“You called me here to clean a spotless office, and my attitude is the problem?”
His expression hardened.
“You’re speaking to your employer.”
“And you’re wasting my time,” she shot back.
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Adrian took a slow step forward.
Zara didn’t move.
“You’re bold,” he said.
“You’re unreasonable,” she replied.
For a second—
Just a second—
It felt like something might snap.
But Adrian stepped back instead.
“Get out.”
Zara didn’t hesitate.
She grabbed her supplies and walked out.
But her heart was racing.
And not entirely from anger.
Chapter 4: Pressure
By Wednesday, Adrian’s patience was gone.
Completely gone.
“Mr. Cole, the board is asking for an update regarding—”
“I know what the board is asking,” he cut in sharply.
His assistant nodded nervously.
“Yes, sir.”
Adrian exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Every conversation.
Every meeting.
Every single day.
Marriage.
He was tired of hearing it.
Tired of the pressure.
Tired of the expectation.
His phone buzzed.
A message.
Father.
Dinner tonight. Bring a date.
Adrian scoffed.
Unbelievable.
He tossed the phone onto his desk.
This was getting out of hand.
Marriage wasn’t a business deal.
It wasn’t something you forced.
And yet—
That’s exactly what it was becoming.
His mind drifted briefly.
Uninvited.
To a certain cleaner with a sharp mouth and no sense of fear.
Zara.
He frowned.
Why was he even thinking about her?
Annoying.
Difficult.
Disrespectful.
Nothing about her made sense in his world.
And yet…
She hadn’t pretended.
Hadn’t tried to impress him.
Hadn’t looked at him like he was something to gain from.
That alone made her different.
Adrian leaned back in his chair.
No.
That didn’t matter.
She was irrelevant.
Completely irrelevant.
Chapter 5: Collision
Thursday.
Zara was already having a bad day.
Her mother’s condition had worsened.
The hospital had called again.
More tests.
More money.
Money she didn’t have.
Her head ached as she moved through the hallway, barely paying attention—
Until she walked straight into someone.
The impact was solid.
Familiar.
Zara didn’t need to look up to know.
“Again?” Adrian’s voice came, low and unimpressed.
She stepped back immediately.
“Sorry.”
This time, she didn’t explain.
Didn’t ramble.
Just… sorry.
Something in her tone made him look at her properly.
“You’re distracted.”
She forced a small smile.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
Zara stiffened.
“I said I’m fine.”
Adrian studied her for a moment.
Longer than necessary.
Then—
“That’s not my concern.”
The words were cold.
Sharp.
Exactly what she needed to hear.
Good.
That was the Adrian she knew.
“Good,” she said quietly. “Because I didn’t ask for your concern.”
Their eyes met.
Clashed.
Neither willing to back down.
Then he walked past her.
Just like that.
And Zara stood there, her chest tight for reasons she didn’t want to examine.
- Writer
