The Enemy I Hate To Love

CHAPTER 2! The Accidental Exchange

Michelle's POV

The sun poured through the large glass windows of the cafe, casting a warm glow that seemed to mock my mood. I needed caffeine, and I needed it fast. My head throbbed from last night's late meeting about the upcoming fashion show-another chaotic event I didn't need to deal with right now.
As I stepped into the cafe, its trendy decor clashed with my grim determination. The barista flashed me a smile as I approached the counter, but I merely grunted in response.
"One black coffee, strong enough to wake the dead," I said, trying to suppress my irritation.
"Coming right up!" she chirped, completely unfazed by my lack of enthusiasm. I took my coffee and scanned the room, spotting an empty table in the corner.
Then, I saw her.
Emma Olsen.
She sat at a table, her head bent over her phone, typing furiously. I'd hoped to enjoy a quiet moment, but no such luck. The sight of her filled me with annoyance. The last time we met, she had turned my fashion show into a disaster.
What the hell was she doing here? I had half a mind to leave, but my thirst for caffeine won out, and I trudged over to the table, trying to ignore the strange flutter in my stomach.
"Fancy seeing you again," I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
Emma looked up, surprise flickering across her face before she masked it with a smile. "Hi, Michelle! I was just-"
"-lost again, I presume?" I interrupted, crossing my arms. "What are you doing here? Did you think you'd find another event to crash?"
Her smile faltered, and I relished the moment. She fidgeted, clearly unsure how to respond. "Actually, I just came to grab some coffee. Is that a crime?"
"It should be if you keep showing up at places you don't belong," I shot back, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
"Look, I didn't mean to cause any trouble," she replied, her eyes narrowing. "That was an accident!"
"An accident that could've ruined my event," I snapped, frustration boiling over. "You need to be more careful about where you're wandering."
Emma opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, I noticed my phone buzzing in my pocket. It was an urgent message from my cousin Ethan, probably about the upcoming fashion show.
I turned away from her, dismissing her entirely as I read Ethan's message, barely registering her reaction. My annoyance faded slightly as I engaged in a quick back-and-forth with him, but then I felt a sudden jolt.
Without thinking, I turned back toward her, my arm brushing against the table and knocking my coffee cup off the edge. The hot liquid spilled everywhere, splattering her phone.
"Dammit!" I cursed, scrambling to grab a napkin from the table, but my efforts only made things worse.
"Seriously?!" Emma exclaimed, her eyes wide as she stared at her now-soaked phone. "What is wrong with you?"
"Don't look at me like it's my fault," I snapped back, irritation surging again. "You should've kept your phone further away from the edge. This is all on you."
"I can't believe you!" she shouted, exasperated.
"Believe it," I said, my voice was cold. "This is typical of you. You can't even handle a simple coffee break without causing a scene." i walked away to my car
Later in the office
I stared at the phone in my hand-her phone. Emma Olsen, the clumsy, lost tourist who crashed my event, now had my phone, and I had hers. The thought alone was enough to make me mutter, "Dammit." Of all the people in the world, why her?
The fact that she had just stumbled into my show wasn't enough to clear her in my eyes. No, there was something off about her. I still believed she was up to something, and I intended to find out what. But first, I needed access to her phone.
I smirked, sitting back in my office chair. I had handed over my phone to Ethan earlier-he could unlock any device in under five minutes. He was the kind of guy you called when you had a problem that required a little finesse.
After getting back her unlocked phone from Ethan, I unlocked the screen with a quick swipe. Her phone was exactly what I expected: basic, clean, and surprisingly organized. Her wallpaper was a calming beach scene, which somehow annoyed me.
Alright, let's see what you've been hiding.
As I scrolled through her apps, my eyes landed on one that made my smirk widen-Instagram. Of course, she had one. Everyone did. I tapped on the app icon, and her account popped open without a hitch. Her handle, @EmmaSunshine_, was fitting-sunshine, optimism, all the things that rubbed me the wrong way.
I couldn't help myself. What if I left her a little surprise? I thought, rubbing my chin, the corners of my lips curling up. Something chaotic and funny. Something that would make her cringe in embarrassment the moment she saw it.
With a mischievous gleam in my eye, I tapped on the camera icon and flipped it to selfie mode. The screen showed my reflection, cold and serious as ever. But that wasn't what I had in mind. I adjusted the camera, shifting into the most exaggerated duck-face I could muster-lips puckered, eyes wide.
"Perfect," I muttered to myself, snapping the selfie.
Next, I quickly typed up a caption:
Date night with the event crasher. Guess she got her wish;) #BossBabe
I pressed Post, laughing under my breath. The post went live, and I could already imagine her reaction when she saw it. She'd probably freak out, especially considering the number of followers she had. Her profile wasn't massive, but it had enough followers for this to be seen by plenty of people.
I leaned back in my chair, satisfied.
Let's see how Miss Sunshine handles a little playful sabotage.