Ace walked into Izel's office with a storm brewing behind his eyes, the five hours of waiting, having worn down his patience to a razor-thin edge.

Without waiting for her acknowledgment, he stepped right up to her desk, his presence demanding attention.

"Five hours, king," he began, his voice sharp. "Was that your idea of a power play? Because it's childish, even for you."

Izel didn't flinch. Instead, she continued organizing the papers in front of her, her movements calm, controlled.

"It was a necessary delay, knight. Unlike you, I have priorities that don't revolve around my ego."

His jaw tightened, and fists clenched at his sides.

"Spare me the lecture. Let's just get to the point. We both know why I'm here."

Izel finally looked up, her gaze cool and detached.

"Yes, we do. But I've decided not to move forward with the offer. It's no longer on the table."

Ace blinked, disbelief washing over his features before it was quickly replaced by fury.

"Excuse me? You're just rejecting it? After making me wait five hours?"

"Consider it a lesson in humility," she replied, her tone as icy as her stare.

"You rejected me in five minutes, and now you're feeling what it's like to be on the other side."

"Humility?" he repeated, his voice dripping with disdain.

"I don't need humility, Izel. I need results. And so do you. Don't let your pride ruin this for both of us."

"My pride?" she countered, standing up to meet him at eye level. "You're the one who came back here, Ace. Not because you wanted to, but because you had to. That's what this is about-you need this so much to even admit, and it's killing you that you have to rely on me."

His eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"You think I need you? Let me make one thing clear-I don't need anyone. But if this deal falls apart, it won't be me who loses the most."

Izel's lips tightened, her composure slipping just slightly.

"You think you can walk in here, after insulting me and my offer, and I'll just hand you what you want? You're delusional. I don't play games with people who don't respect me."

"And I don't follow rules made by people who think they're better than me,"

he shot back, stepping closer, the tension between them crackling like electricity.

"You think you're in control here, king, but you're not. I don't care how long you made me wait or how many times you try to push me away. This deal needs to happen, and it will. With or without your cooperation."

She glared at him, the heat in his words stoking the fire in her own chest.

"You arrogant bastard. Do you think you can just bully your way through this? You don't understand, do you? I'm not like your other opponents. I won't bend, and I won't break."

"Good," he replied, a slight smrik on his face, but his voice tight with a mix of anger and something darker, more intense.

"Because I don't want someone who's going to bend. I want someone who can match me, push me, and make me fight for every inch. But if you think you can outlast me, you're dead wrong."

Izel took a step forward, closing the distance between them, her breath coming quicker but face as emotionless as it always was.

"This isn't a fight you can win by sheer force, Ace. You can't just muscle your way through this. You're in my territory now, and you're going to play by my rules, or not at all."

Ace's gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes, his voice a low growl.

"You and your damn rules. I don't follow rules, dove. I break them. And if that's what it takes to get what I want, then so be it."

Her heart pounded in her chest, the raw energy between them almost suffocating, but the words dove, it made her furious. She isn't a soft & submissive girl to feel her heart fluttering at the word. Instead, it makes her feel that he thinks she's dove.

"Then you'll get nothing, knight," she whispered, her voice laced with both defiance and something dangerous.

"You can break all the rules you want, knight, but understand this-I don't follow them, and I don't break them. I rewrite them according to my will I'm not your sweet girl or submissive dove; I'm IZEL KING. And in my world, I'm the one who decides how this game is played."

They stood there, locked in a standoff, the air around them heavy with the weight of their unresolved animosity. Both of them knew that this was no longer just about the deal. It was about control, about power, about the undeniable attraction simmering beneath the surface of their hatred. And in that moment, neither of them could tell if they wanted to destroy each other-or something else entirely.

______________

That's it. How's the prologue?
They are already fighting!!
Don't forget to comment & like. I'll love to read your reviews.

Roy ♡