They say there's a thin line between love and hate. Amara Malik is about to trip over it. Amara has spent years building her career at Brightwell Global, determined to prove she belongs in the world of boardrooms and big deals. Her biggest obstacle? Ryan Cole-the infuriatingly calm, maddeningly smug operations director who seems to exist solely to outshine her. Their rivalry is legendary across the office, a constant duel of sharp words, stolen victories, and the occasional sabotaged coffee order. When the company announces a major promotion, Amara is ready to fight tooth and nail for the role of her dreams. But there's a catch: she and Ryan have been chosen to co-lead the most important project of the year. Suddenly, every late-night meeting and every elevator ride crackles with something neither of them wants to name. Because beneath the sarcasm and the sparring, Amara can't ignore the way Ryan looks at her when he thinks she isn't watching. And Ryan-who has always hidden behind logic and control-can't seem to resist the fire in Amara's eyes. As deadlines loom and the stakes rise higher, the battle between them becomes more than professional. Winning might mean losing the one person who understands them best. And when enemies turn into something more, the real question isn't who gets the promotion-it's who surrenders first. Love at First Deadline is a witty, slow-burn office romance full of sharp banter, unexpected tenderness, and the delicious tension of discovering that the person you swore you hated might just be the one you can't live without.