First reunion after he broke her heart or rejected her years ago - she treats him with calm, friendly indifference. He is blown away/dumbstruck by her competence/skills.
Most importantly - the FMC is NOT rude to him.
I can’t stand second chance romances when the characters act like they are still just as angry as they were 10 years ago and start fighting off the bat. It’s so unrealistic to me because once you grow into adulthood the more trivial any drama from your younger years seems. I have been able to exchange polite greetings upon running into an ex that completely destroyed my heart as a girl with zero feelings on the matter 6+ years later. It feels like you are greeting a stranger by that point - especially if you were both kids when it ended and you see each other again as adults. You’re both different people now.
I can understand lingering bitterness or anger if it’s only been 1-2years but it’s weird to me if they are still extremely upset longer than that (unless the betrayal flat out ruined her life permanently or something).
I prefer the FMC to be mostly healed but with walls of steel up to him. He can’t get her to open up to him now. She keeps distance between them. Maybe they end up having sex but for her it’s “just sex - no feelings”. The more he realizes he ruined their chances, the more he breaks. He is devastated.
I am basically describing {Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven}
I NEED MORE OF THIS PLEASE 🙏