In Spite of You

Hate. Undermine. Destroy.

That's always been the unspoken agreement between Alexiya Volkov and Natasha Andarev. Calculated. Mutually understood.

They'd been rivals since undergrad-top of every class, locked in a silent war of rankings, reputation, and control. Every achievement was a provocation. Every success, a challenge.

Alexiya always made sure Natasha knew who was superior.
And Natasha? She never went down without a fight.

Now, years later, they've been forced to work together on the firm's most high-stakes case.

Alexiya's cold, cruel, and calculated.
Natasha's ruthless, disciplined, impossible to read.

They were never meant to be allies.
They were never supposed to fall into something darker.
They only had one rule: Don't lose.

Because buried beneath the bruises and broken pride is something neither of them can name - something darker, hungrier, and far more dangerous than hate.

They promised themselves they wouldn't lose.
But neither of them ever considered what it would mean to win.