Elena Sinclair had never lost a case—until today.

She stood outside the courthouse, gripping the file in her hands so tightly that the edges crumpled. The sting of defeat burned in her chest, but it wasn’t just the loss that infuriated her. It was him.

Damian Westwood emerged from the courthouse with that signature smirk, the kind that made her blood boil. His navy-blue suit was crisp, his tie perfectly knotted, and his confidence radiated off him in waves. The sun hit his dark hair just right, making him look like he belonged on the cover of a legal magazine. And he probably would be—tomorrow’s headlines would sing his praises, while hers would whisper about her failure.

She hated him.

“Well, well,” Damian drawled as he approached her. “That was quite the performance in there, Sinclair. Almost had me worried.”

Elena gritted her teeth, forcing herself to remain composed. “Enjoy your victory while it lasts, Westwood. Appeals exist for a reason.”

His smirk deepened. “Ah, yes, the classic sore-loser approach. Tell me, do you ever get tired of making excuses?”

“Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?” she shot back.

He chuckled, and it was infuriating how effortless it sounded. “Not when I’m saying something worth hearing.”

Elena wanted to throw her coffee at him. Instead, she exhaled sharply, shoving the case file into her bag. “You got lucky. Don’t expect it to happen again.”

Damian took a step closer, his presence annoyingly commanding. “Luck had nothing to do with it, sweetheart. Maybe next time, focus less on hating me and more on your strategy.”

Sweetheart.

The audacity of him.

Before she could say something that would get her disbarred, her phone buzzed. A message from her father’s assistant:

Emergency meeting. Now.

Her stomach tightened. Emergency meetings weren’t common at Sinclair & Associates. If something was urgent enough to require her presence immediately after a trial, it had to be serious.

She glanced at Damian, who was checking his phone with the same furrowed expression.

“Looks like we’re both needed elsewhere,” he mused, slipping his phone back into his pocket. His smug expression returned as he stepped past her. “Try not to let this loss keep you up at night.”

Elena watched him walk away, her hands curled into fists.

She had no idea that this was just the beginning.

The Meeting

The Sinclair law firm’s conference room was silent, save for the ticking of the antique clock on the wall. The tension in the air was suffocating.

Elena sat across from her father, Robert Sinclair, whose face was unreadable as he thumbed through a thick file of documents. Beside him, the firm’s senior partners exchanged uneasy glances.

She straightened her posture. “What’s going on?”

Her father looked up, his gaze heavy. “There’s been an allegation made against both our firm and Westwood & Co.”

Elena frowned. “What kind of allegation?”

Before he could answer, the conference room door swung open.

Damian Westwood entered, his expression just as confused as hers. Behind him, Richard Westwood—his father—walked in with the same commanding presence as Robert Sinclair.

Elena’s eyes narrowed. Whatever this was, it wasn’t just affecting Sinclair & Associates. It was affecting both firms.

Her father slid a document across the table. “An anonymous whistleblower has accused our firms of colluding to rig high-profile cases.”

The words sent a jolt through her. “What?”

Damian’s smirk was gone. He picked up the document, scanning it quickly before scoffing. “This is ridiculous. Our firms have been at war for years. Why the hell would we be colluding?”

“That’s exactly what makes the accusation so dangerous,” Richard Westwood said, rubbing his temple. “The claim is that the rivalry is a front—that our firms have secretly been working together behind closed doors to control major corporate cases.”

Elena’s stomach twisted. “That’s absurd. We’d never—”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s absurd,” her father interrupted. “The press is already digging into it. And if we don’t get ahead of this, it could ruin both firms.”

For the first time in her life, Elena and Damian were sitting on the same side of a fight. And neither of them liked it.

Forced to Work Together

The next morning, Elena walked into Sinclair & Associates and immediately regretted showing up.

Damian was waiting for her in the main office, leaning against her desk like he belonged there.

She groaned. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Good morning to you too, sunshine.”

“I don’t recall inviting you into my office.”

“Your father did.” Damian pulled out a file and tossed it onto her desk. “Turns out, we have to work together on this.”

She stared at the file as if it personally offended her. “You’re kidding.”

“Wish I was.”

Elena clenched her jaw. The last thing she wanted was to be forced into proximity with him, but the stakes were too high. If they didn’t find the source of this accusation, their firms would take a hit they might not recover from.

She exhaled sharply. “Fine. But let’s get one thing straight—I’m not your friend, and I sure as hell don’t trust you.”

Damian smirked. “Oh, Sinclair. If I wanted your trust, I’d have had it years ago.”

She grabbed the file and flipped it open. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Damian pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “Buckle up, sweetheart. This is just the beginning.”

As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.

And neither of them were ready for what came next.

Elena wanted to believe this was all a bad dream.

Sitting across from Damian Westwood in her office, forced into an uneasy alliance, was her worst nightmare come to life. He had made her life hell for years—outmaneuvering her in court, mocking her in interviews, and flashing that insufferable smirk whenever he won.

And now, they were supposed to work together?

Absolutely not.

She flipped through the file Damian had brought, her fingers moving quickly over the pages. It contained the full details of the anonymous accusation:

Sinclair & Westwood firms accused of collusion. Secret backroom deals to control corporate law in the city. Sources claim years of manufactured rivalry to deceive clients.

Elena clenched her jaw. “This is a joke.”

Damian leaned back in his chair, watching her. “Funny, I don’t hear anyone laughing.”

She shot him a glare. “You really think I’d fake a rivalry with you?”

He smirked. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing that’s ever happened to you.”

She exhaled sharply. “God, I hate you.”

“Likewise.”

Their fathers had agreed that since the accusation directly involved their reputations, they had to be the ones to get ahead of it. Their firms’ entire credibility was at risk. If clients believed the rumors, they could lose millions in business—and if the Bar Association got involved, they could even face legal consequences.

The problem? Neither of them had the slightest idea who was behind the accusation.

Elena turned another page, scanning the details. “The email was sent to three major news outlets. No name, no traceable source, just a single message claiming we’ve been secretly working together to rig cases.”

Damian tapped his fingers against the desk. “Anyone with half a brain knows that’s bullshit. We barely tolerate being in the same room.”

Elena sighed, rubbing her temples. “That doesn’t matter. The press loves a scandal. And if we don’t find the source of this and clear our names, we’re screwed.”

Damian studied her for a moment. “What do you suggest, then?”

She hated that he was asking for her opinion, as if they were equals. But if they had to do this, they might as well start somewhere.

“First, we go through the cases mentioned in the accusation. Find out who benefits from this story gaining traction. Someone had to leak this information, and I intend to find out who.”

Damian smirked. “Good. I love watching you work when you’re angry.”

She shot him a warning look. “Enjoy the view while it lasts, Westwood. Because when we find out who’s behind this, I’m going to bury them.”

---

The Investigation Begins

The first thing Elena noticed about working with Damian wasn’t how frustrating he was. She already knew that.

It was how good he was.

As much as she wanted to hate him, there was no denying his intelligence. He worked quickly, scanning through cases and pinpointing inconsistencies. He saw patterns others missed, and he never hesitated to push her—just like he did in court.

Unfortunately, that also meant they butted heads constantly.

“Your method is too aggressive,” she muttered as they sat side by side in a private office, combing through past legal records.

Damian didn’t look up. “And yours is too cautious.”

She scowled. “Caution keeps people from making mistakes.”

“Caution makes people hesitate,” he countered. “Sometimes you have to take risks.”

She sighed, knowing this conversation would go in circles. “Whatever. Just tell me what you found.”

Damian slid a document toward her. “There’s a pattern. The cases mentioned in the email? They all have one thing in common—each involved a high-profile corporate client who ended up switching firms after the verdict.”

Elena frowned. “Meaning?”

“Meaning someone wants to damage both our reputations. If clients start to believe these accusations, they’ll drop us.”

Elena’s stomach twisted. A scandal like this wouldn’t just ruin their firms—it would destroy everything she had worked for.

She glanced at Damian, who for once wasn’t smirking. His expression was serious, his focus unwavering.

As much as she hated him, they were in this together.

And that terrified her.

---

Late Nights and Unexpected Truths

Two days passed, and they still had no solid leads.

Elena barely slept, pouring over files, making phone calls, and chasing dead ends. Damian worked just as hard, though he somehow managed to look effortlessly put together while doing it.

They spent long nights locked in conference rooms, coffee cups scattered around them, tension thick in the air.

At some point, exhaustion caught up with her. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. “This is impossible.”

Damian leaned back too, stretching his arms. “Come on, Sinclair. You giving up already?”

She rolled her eyes. “You wish.”

He smirked. “I do love a challenge.”

She groaned. “Remind me why I haven’t murdered you yet?”

“Because deep down, you’d miss me,” he said smoothly.

She let out a short laugh before catching herself. No. She wasn’t laughing with him. She was exhausted. That was all.

Damian watched her, his smirk softening slightly. “You really don’t know how to stop, do you?”

Elena hesitated. “What?”

“This. The constant fight. You don’t slow down. Ever.”

She tensed. “Neither do you.”

He shrugged. “Fair point.”

For a moment, they weren’t enemies locked in battle. They were just two exhausted lawyers, forced into a fight neither of them asked for.

Then Damian broke the moment with his usual arrogance.

“You know,” he mused, “if you weren’t so busy trying to beat me, we might actually make a good team.”

Elena scoffed. “Over my dead body.”

Damian chuckled. “We’ll see.”

She wanted to believe this partnership would be temporary. That as soon as they found the culprit, they could go back to their separate lives.

But something told her that after this, nothing would be the same.

And that scared her more than anything.

---

Elena didn’t know which was worse—the fact that her firm’s reputation was on the line or that she was stuck with Damian Westwood as her only ally in fixing it.

Three days into their forced partnership, she had already considered murder at least a dozen times. He was arrogant, insufferable, and somehow always two steps ahead of her, which made her want to strangle him.

Unfortunately, she needed him.

She sat across from him in yet another late-night meeting, glaring at her laptop screen. “I hate this.”

Damian didn’t even look up from the file he was reviewing. “You hate losing. There’s a difference.”

She snapped her gaze to him. “I hate working with you.”

He smirked, finally meeting her eyes. “And yet, here we are.”

Elena exhaled sharply. If this accusation weren’t so dangerous, she would’ve walked away from this partnership the second it was suggested. But with both their firms at risk, she had no choice but to tolerate him.

“Did you find anything?” she asked, forcing herself to focus.

Damian tapped a pen against the desk. “Maybe. Every case mentioned in the accusation has something in common—besides the claim that our firms colluded.”

She leaned forward. “Go on.”

He slid a file toward her. “All of the clients involved in those cases ended up switching firms after their trials. Every. Single. One.”

Elena frowned as she flipped through the documents. “That’s not unusual. Clients change firms all the time.”

“Sure,” Damian agreed, “but look at where they went.”

Elena’s stomach twisted as she read the names. The same law firm appeared over and over again.

Sterling & Co.

Her eyes snapped to Damian’s. “You think they’re behind this?”

“I think it’s a damn good place to start,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Sterling & Co. has been gunning for our firms for years. If they can convince clients that we’re involved in shady dealings, they’ll clean up our losses.”

Elena clenched her jaw. Sterling & Co. wasn’t just any firm—they were the third-largest corporate law firm in the city, and they had always been bitter about being left in the shadows of Sinclair & Associates and Westwood & Co.

“If they’re behind this,” Elena said slowly, “we need proof.”

Damian smirked. “That’s where the fun begins.”

She rolled her eyes. “If this is your idea of fun, I worry for your mental health.”

He chuckled, flipping the file shut. “I’m flattered you worry about me at all, Sinclair.”

She threw a paperclip at him.

---

The First Lead

The next morning, Elena stood outside the offices of Sterling & Co., arms crossed as she waited for Damian to arrive. She had barely gotten four hours of sleep, but adrenaline fueled her now. If Sterling & Co. was behind the accusations, she needed to find a way to prove it.

A sleek black car pulled up, and Damian stepped out, looking annoyingly refreshed.

Elena scowled. “Do you ever not look like you just walked out of a fashion magazine?”

He smirked, adjusting his cuffs. “Jealous?”

“Disgusted,” she corrected.

Damian chuckled as they headed toward the building. “Alright, Sinclair. What’s the plan?”

She sighed. “We talk to our mutual contact inside. If they know anything, we’ll see how much we can get out of them.”

“And if they don’t cooperate?”

Elena smiled sweetly. “Then we do things your way—apply pressure until they break.”

Damian grinned. “See? You are learning from me.”

She ignored him, leading the way inside.

---

The Source

The contact they were meeting was Liam Carter, a junior partner at Sterling & Co. He wasn’t particularly loyal to anyone, which made him the perfect source of information—if they could get him to talk.

The conference room was cold and sterile, the glass walls making it feel too exposed. Liam sat across from them, looking vaguely uncomfortable.

“I don’t know why you two are here,” he said, folding his arms. “I have nothing to do with your firms’ problems.”

Damian smiled, but it was sharp. “That’s cute, Carter. But we both know you love knowing things you shouldn’t.”

Liam exhaled. “I don’t—”

Elena leaned forward. “You have two options, Liam. You help us now, or we start digging into your work history.”

Liam hesitated, his jaw tightening. “You really think Sterling & Co. is behind this?”

Elena and Damian exchanged glances.

Liam sighed. “Look—I don’t know anything for sure. But…” He lowered his voice. “There have been… conversations. Our firm’s been aggressively targeting your clients lately. Maybe someone decided to speed things up.”

Elena’s heart pounded. “Names. Who’s been leading this charge?”

Liam hesitated.

Damian leaned in, his voice deceptively smooth. “Come on, Carter. Don’t make us play rough.”

Liam swallowed. Then, reluctantly, he said, “Victoria Sterling.”

Elena’s blood ran cold.

Victoria Sterling—the managing partner of Sterling & Co.. Ruthless. Calculated. Dangerous.

If she was behind this… they were in bigger trouble than they thought.

---

The First Confrontation

Later that evening, Elena and Damian sat in her office, going over everything they had learned.

“If Sterling & Co. is behind this,” Elena said, running a hand through her hair, “Victoria won’t go down easily. She’s too smart.”

Damian smirked. “So are we.”

She eyed him warily. “You really think we can outmaneuver her?”

His smirk softened slightly. “I think you and I together are the most dangerous pair in this city.”

For a moment, Elena didn’t know how to respond. She had spent years seeing him as her rival, her enemy. But now, for the first time, she saw something different.

Damian wasn’t just good at what he did. He was relentless. And when they worked together… they were unstoppable.

She hated that she liked that.

She shook the thought away, standing up. “Then let’s take her down.”

Damian stood too, and for the first time, he extended his hand. “Partners?”

Elena hesitated. Then, slowly, she shook his hand.

The moment their hands met, something electric passed between them.

Neither of them acknowledged it.

They had a war to win.

And neither of them planned to lose.

---