Book one | Alexa Harvey, a celebrated actress known for her fierce independence and uncompromising nature, has always steered clear of the sports world. But when her latest film role requires her to shadow Jude Bellingham, a rising football star wit...
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Alexa's patience was already worn thin by the time she arrived at the training grounds the next morning. The relentless grind of these early starts and the never-ending tension with Jude had left her feeling more drained than she wanted to admit.
Despite her determination to keep her cool, the thought of spending yet another day dealing with his arrogance was enough to set her teeth on edge.
As she approached the pitch, she saw Jude, as usual, already there, deep in conversation with one of the coaches. He was dressed in his training gear, his expression serious and focused.
The sight of him so effortlessly in control, so at ease in his world, only fueled her irritation. Jude Bellingham seemed to thrive on making her life difficult, and Alexa was starting to wonder if he enjoyed it.
She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders as she marched onto the pitch. Today was going to be different, she told herself. Today, she wouldn't let him get under her skin.
"Morning, Jude," she called out, trying to keep her tone neutral.
Jude glanced over at her, his expression flickering with something unreadable before it settled into his usual mask of cool indifference. "You're on time for once," he remarked, his voice laced with condescension.
Alexa felt her temper flare instantly. "What is that supposed to mean?"
He shrugged as if the answer was obvious. "It means you're usually late or you come dragging in like you'd rather be anywhere but here. So, this is a first."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm always on time, thank you very much."
Jude arched an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Barely. But let's not split hairs, shall we? You're here now."
He turned away from her, dismissing her with the same infuriating ease he always did, and walked toward the players who were gathering on the pitch. Alexa followed, fuming. She was tired of his constant needling, his constant implication that she didn't belong here, that she was out of her depth.
As she reached the sidelines, one of the players—a young guy who couldn't have been more than twenty—smiled at her, his eyes filled with excitement. "Hey Alexa, I'm a huge fan! I saw your last movie twice!"
The unexpected praise caught her off guard, and Alexa managed a genuine smile. "Thank you," she replied warmly, grateful for the brief respite from Jude's badgering. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
The player beamed, clearly starstruck. "It was amazing. The way you—"
"Focus, Arda!" Jude's sharp voice cut through the air, and the young player instantly snapped to attention, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Alexa shot Jude a glare. "He was just being polite."
"And he's here to train, not to chat," Jude retorted, his tone clipped. "We don't have time for distractions."
