Cassie had always been a bit of a cynic when it came to love. Her friends would gush about their relationships, dreaming of the perfect partner and fairytale endings, but Cassie couldn't help but roll her eyes. Love, to her, felt like a fleeting moment-something that was either too complicated or too easy to get caught up in. She had been burned before, her heart left in pieces after a betrayal that shattered her belief in happily-ever-afters. Now, she focused on herself: her career, her passions, and her friends. Relationships? They were more of a distraction than anything real. So when Noah, the charming and annoyingly persistent new guy at work, began to show interest in her, Cassie dismissed him with the same cool detachment she applied to everything else in her life. There was no way someone like him could change her mind about love. Or so she thought.

Noah had made it his mission to prove Cassie wrong. From the moment they met, he could tell that she was guarded, keeping her distance as though afraid to let anyone in. But there was something about her-something fierce and captivating-that drew him in. He knew he had to work for her attention, but Noah wasn't the type to give up easily. His approach was subtle at first, small gestures that showed he was interested but never forceful. A compliment about her work, a shared joke, a lingering look. At first, Cassie resisted, dismissing it all as nothing more than harmless flirtation. But the more time they spent together, the more she found herself drawn to him. There was a kindness in Noah's eyes, a warmth in the way he listened to her, and a quiet confidence that made her question everything she thought she knew about love.

One evening, as the office slowly emptied out after another long day, Noah found Cassie standing by the window, staring out at the city lights. "You know," he said, his voice low and teasing, "I bet you will love me, eventually." Cassie turned, arching an eyebrow. "Is that so?" she replied, her tone playful but with a hint of doubt. "You're pretty confident for someone who's not my type." Noah stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "I don't need to be your type, Cassie. I just need you to give me a chance. Because I'm willing to bet that when you do, you'll realize that the love you've been waiting for is right here in front of you." His words hung in the air, filled with the kind of sincerity that disarmed her completely. And in that moment, Cassie realized that maybe love wasn't something to fear after all. Maybe it was something she was ready for, with someone who saw her, not just the version she had built around herself. It wasn't the fairytale she had expected-but it was real, and that was more than enough.