Dr Zhou and Dr Stemstrom were both brilliant scholars in their respective fields. They had been rivals since graduate school, each vying for the same grants, fellowships, and academic accolades. Their competitive nature drove them to work harder and harder, pushing the boundaries of their research and intellectual prowess.
But behind closed doors, Jenna and Evan shared a secret desire for each other. They met again at a conference years ago, and an instant spark arose between the pair. They had flirted and bantered, exchanging witty remarks and playful barbs. Yet, they were both in relationships at the time so nothing came out of the attraction.
Years later, they find themselves at the same conference, except this time, they were the speakers. With both achieving tenure at prestigious universities, their reputations as top scholars have only grown over time. With more at stake, who will be the first to give in?
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]