Aurora Ysabelle Zobel has everything—money, looks, a famous last name. But behind the designer wardrobe and socialite events is a girl with no direction and zero passion. At twenty-four, she’s tired of being known as just “the Zobel heiress.” She's done living off her family's reputation. What she wants is simple: a life that’s hers, built by her own hands... even if she has no idea where to start.

Enter Calix Elijah Montemayor.

Basketball superstar. Self-made millionaire. Discipline in human form. Calix despises everything Aurora stands for—privilege, entitlement, and people who’ve never worked a day in their life. Aurora, on the other hand, thinks Calix is a walking ego trip in sneakers. They’ve hated each other from day one.

But fate has other plans.

A series of accidents, events, and not-so-coincidental encounters push them into each other’s lives—again and again. What starts as an ongoing feud turns into tension neither of them can explain. Because somewhere between the cold stares, sarcastic jabs, and stolen moments... something starts to shift.

This isn’t supposed to be a love story.

This is war.

But the more they fight, the harder it gets to tell:
Are they enemies... or just scared to fall?

The first time i met Calix Elijah Montemayor, I just knew.


As in — hindi kami magkakasundo. Ever.


Not in the "ugh he's so annoying but kinda hot teehee" way na pinapantasya ng mga friends ko.


Not even in the enemies-to-lovers Webnovel kind of way.


No, girl. I hated him in the way na parang may splinter ka sa talampakan — small but super irritating.


Hindi mo siya makita, pero ramdam mo lagi. Masakit. Nakakainis. Pangit ng vibes.


As in wala siyang ginawa. Nakatayo lang siya dun.


Yung mukha niya lang talaga ‘yung may attitude.


I was 21. Nasa Forbes Park kami for some rich people’s engagement party.


I was wearing a gown na pinili ng mom ko, heels na ayaw akong patawarin, at may hawak akong champagne flute for the aesthetic kahit hindi ako umiinom.


I had just dropped out of law school. AGAIN.


Fresh pa yung words ng mom ko sa utak ko:


“Maybe you're just not trying hard enough, Ysabelle.”


But also — maybe i was just tired of trying to be perfect all the time.


Wala pa akong twenty-two, pero parang i was expected to be this iconic girlboss with a diamond-encrusted five-year plan.


Sorry na, I was busy having an identity crisis.


Suot niya yung tipo ng suit na sinusuot lang ng mga lalaking may generational trauma and a private jet.


Everyone was whispering his name like he was some Greek god na bumaba mula sa heaven of stock portfolios and six-pack abs.


The moment he looked at me, I knew he was trouble.


As in hindi ‘yung hot-boyfriend kind of trouble.


‘Yung "I will ruin your day with one passive-aggressive comment" kind.


Hindi man lang “Hi, nice to meet you”?!


Anong tingin niya sa’kin, floor lamp?!?


I smiled. The fake kind. The kind na may kasamang mental curse.


I wasn't gonna let another man define me by my last name.


And i could tell — he hated people who didn’t “earn” their spotlight.


For the next three years, naging sworn enemies kami.


We'd run into each other at events, pretend to be civil, but behind every smile was a death threat.


And suddenly, nothing made sense anymore.


This is not your typical enemies-to-lovers story.


And it started with that one annoying line—


Chapter 1 - Prologue