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 resolve hardened overnight. By the time the sun rose, she had steeled herself against the hurt, anger, and confusion still lingering from her confrontation with Jude. She wasn't going to let him break her, and she certainly wasn't going to let him see how deeply his betrayal had cut her.
She had faced worse than this before—industry politics, backstabbing colleagues, the unforgiving scrutiny of the public eye. But this was different. This was personal. And if Jude thought she was just going to disappear quietly, he was sorely mistaken.
After a long shower and a few deep breaths, Alexa dressed in her sharpest outfit—a tailored, sleek black jumpsuit that screamed confidence and control—and headed to the training grounds. She was done licking her wounds. If Jude wanted to play games, she would be more than ready.
As she approached the pitch, she could see the team already warming up. Jude was in the center, commanding attention as usual, his movements fluid and precise. He didn't look up when she arrived, but she knew he was aware of her presence. The tension in the air was palpable, almost crackling with the animosity she felt towards him. Good. Let him feel it.
She strolled up to the sideline, leaning against the barrier with an air of nonchalance, her eyes never leaving Jude as he trained. She could tell he was pushing himself harder than usual, his jaw set in determination. Probably trying to prove something, she thought bitterly. Well, so was she.
Jude finally noticed her, his gaze locking onto hers for a brief moment. The tension between them was electric, thick with the unresolved issues from the day before. His expression was guarded, his eyes narrowed as if he was trying to figure out her next move. Good luck with that, she thought. I don't even know my next move.
After a few more drills, he jogged over to the sidelines, his brow furrowed in a mix of irritation and curiosity. "You're here," he said, not quite a question, but not a statement either.
"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock," Alexa replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "It's almost like I'm still working on this film. Oh, wait—never mind."
Jude's jaw clenched, but he didn't take the bait. "I thought you'd be, I don't know, figuring out your next move."
"I am," she shot back. "My next move is to do my job, despite the fact that a certain someone decided to throw me under the bus."
His eyes darkened, the familiar fire igniting between them. "You can't be serious, Alexa. You think I wanted this to happen?"
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean the part where you went to the studio heads and made sure they knew how 'distracting' I was? Yeah, that part didn't quite scream 'friendly concern' to me, Jude."
He stepped closer, his expression intense. "I never said you were distracting. I said our dynamic was becoming a problem."
"Same difference," she retorted, her voice sharp. "You knew exactly what they'd do with that information. You played your part perfectly."
