Chapter: Chapter 35Nora’s POVSilence stretched across the phone line for a few long seconds. I could hear Julian's heavy breathing on the other end, his usual arrogant retorts failing him completely."I signed the divorce papers, Julian," I continued, holding the phone firmly against my ear. "They are sitting on your counter in the penthouse, right next to the house keys. Sign them and send them directly to my lawyer. If you try to follow me, show up at my job, or cause another scene at my workplace, I will file a restraining order against you immediately. I am an associate architect at Hayes Global now. I am not your sick, dependent wife anymore.""Nora, listen to me," Julian snapped, his voice tight with growing annoyance and cold pride. "You think you can just walk away and build a life in London on your own? After everything I did to protect you? You are making a huge mistake, and you're being utterly ungrateful. I gave you a safe home for three years when you couldn't even stand
Last Updated: 2026-10-04
Chapter: Chapter 34Only a few weeks ago, a fight like that would have sent me straight into a full-blown panic attack. I would have been shaking on the floor, gasping for air, while Julian stood over me demanding that I count to four and practice cold self-soothing ways while Clara whispered in his ear. But today, I hadn't panicked. I hadn't cried. I had simply stood up, looked Julian in the eye, and walked away.I was healing, not because Julian had stripped away my comforts or forced me into cold open therapy, but because I had finally removed the poison from my life.About fifteen minutes later, the elevator doors slid open again and Maya came striding out into the lobby, her high heels clicking loudly on the floor. Her face was still flushed red with anger, her leather purse swinging wildly by her side. When she spotted me sitting by the window, her expression softened immediately, and she rushed over, practically throwing herself onto the couch opposite me."T
Last Updated: 2026-10-03
Chapter: Chapter 33The silence that fell over the high-end private dining suite was heavy and sudden. Every eyes in the room was fixed on Marcus Hayes as he stood up from the head of the table. He was calm, neat, and really calm by the big scene that had just unfolded.Julian was still sitting there with whiskey dripping down his dark hair and running down his crisp white collar, looking really ashamed. His sharp posture had fell into raw anger as he clutched a wet napkin. Maya stood beside him with her hands shaking from rage, her eyes burning through Julian like she wanted to tear him to pieces right then and there."Nora, see me out."Marcus's voice was clear, smooth, and final. It was not a request, but a gentle command that cut straight through the tension in the room.I felt every gaze shift back to me. My heart was beating hard against my ribs, making my chest tighten, but I refused to show any weakness. I took a deep breath, gathered my leather portfolio from the glass table, and slowly stood u
Last Updated: 2026-10-03
Chapter: Chapter 32Nora's POV.The moment those words left my mouth, I could feel the gazes of the other staff on me. My voice had come out louder than I had intended.Julian's face turned red, and before I could even move my hand back to my lap, he grabbed my wrist tightly, holding my hand down against the glass table."Nora, stop making a scene—" Julian started."I think that should be enough now, Mr. Vance," Marcus said, cutting him off. I turned to glance at him, but he wasn't even looking at me.Maya made eye contact with me and instantly face-palmed. I had no idea what she was thinking, but hell, was I tired of this situation. Julian froze, his hand still clamped around my wrist.Thud!Marcus set his glass down on the table, then reached up to run a hand through his tousled hair."Mr. Vance. I'm sure everyone here can see it, but Nora doesn't want you speaking or touching her in that manner," Marcus stated firmly. "Please fo
Last Updated: 2026-10-02
Chapter: Chapter 31Nora's pov. "Oh? Nora seems to be quite familiar with Mr. Vance." I heard someone behind me. "They also hear the same surname, do you think they're related?"I couldn't help but be both annoyed and angry at this whole situation. "Mr. Vance, I believe we're here for business." I said clearly, letting my voice echo through the room. But then I lowered my voice so only Julian could hear, "We don't need to pretend we're anything other than strangers."Julian's throat moved as he swallowed hard. My words seemed to hit a mark as the calm mask on his face shattered. Without saying another word, he walked back to his seat and sat down. One of the colleagues that had come with Maya laughed, waving a hand toward the empty spaces at the table. "Well, look at that," He said cheerfully, looking between our name tags. "Since you two share the same surname, why don't you sit with Mr. Vance, Nora? You can get to know each other better while we discuss the plans we have on hand."Maya snapped her
Last Updated: 2026-10-02
Chapter: Chapter 30Nora's pov.Maya let out a short, but high pitched chuckle. "Of course! What else would we be doing?"I stopped walking, giving her a sharp, suspicious look. "I'm serious. I hope you didn't drag me into some kind of weird blind setup. Did you?"Maya turned around, waving her hand dismissively, though her fingers were twitching slightly. "You're overthinking things! Just relax. We're here to meet the clients. Whatever happens after that, just go with the flow."'Go with the flow?' That didn't sound like Maya at all.We turned and continued down a long, dark hallway that was illuminated by a red bulb toward the VIP section. As we moved farther from the main floor, the booming bass faded into a dull sound. Security guards in black suits stood at every corner, their arms crossed as they watched us walk past.The closer we got to the rooms at the end of the hall, the stiffer Maya's body became. Her breath was coming in short, shallow puffs."Why are you so nervous?" I asked, increasing my
Last Updated: 2026-10-01
Off the Ice
"I’m straight, Thorne. I like women."
"Good. Because you’re definitely not my type."
As the captain of the city’s most brutal pro-hockey team, Jaxson Thorne rules the rink with iron fists. He doesn't do PR stunts, and he definitely doesn't do men. But when a massive bar brawl threatens his captaincy, management hands him a devastating ultimatum: fake-date the new figure skating coach to clean up his image, or lose his contract.
Liam Vance is desperate. When his Olympic funding is cut, his dreams shatter. The contract to pretend to be deeply, madly in love with a thuggish hockey player is his last financial lifeline. The catch? They have to move into Jaxson’s luxury penthouse to keep up the charade for the paparazzi.
Both men are fiercely, stubbornly straight. Behind closed doors, it’s a war of flying insults and strict boundaries. But when the cameras flash, forced proximity starts to blur the lines. A casual touch sparks an agonizing heat. A fake kiss leaves them breathless.
Suddenly, the most terrifying game isn't on the ice—it's the realization that the man they are supposed to be pretending to love is the only one they can no longer live without.
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Chapter: Chapter 140: Shadow over the LakeThe morning was blindingly bright. The high-altitude sun reflected off the frozen surface of Blackwood Lake like polished silver, throwing harsh, glittering glare across the ice. Located two miles west of the cabin in a deep granite basin, the lake was their primary winter larder—a silent, pristine world surrounded by dense, snow-laden hemlocks.Liam sat on a overturned wooden bucket near the center of the lake, his hood pulled up against the biting wind. He was jigging a hand-line down a six-inch hole Jaxson had cleared with the iron auger, watching the clear green water below for the flash of cutthroat trout. For the first time in days, his mind felt completely quiet, cleared of the ghost broadcast down in the cellar.Fifty yards away, Jaxson was kneeling on a foam pad, hauling a heavy mesh net from a secondary ice hole. His breath bloomed in thick white clouds, his broad shoulders flexing beneath his canvas coat as he hauled a pair of thrashing, fat trout onto the snow."That's fou
Last Updated: 2026-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 139: The Weight of the NameThe static from the radio down in the cellar seemed to echo through the floorboards, bleeding into every corner of the cabin.Liam sat on the edge of the heavy cedar bed, his head buried in his hands. His breathing was rapid, shallow, and ragged. For months, he had believed that walking away meant the nightmare was over. He had thrown away his gold medal, severed his corporate ties, and vanished into the high country to protect his sanity. But hearing Marcus’s voice on that broadcast—smooth, grieving, and effortlessly monstrous—had shattered the illusion.His name wasn't just his own anymore. It was a weapon. The "Liam Vance" the world knew was being used to paint Jaxson as a monster, a criminal, a violent kidnapper marked for open season by federal law enforcement."It’s because of me," Liam choked out, his fingers digging frantically into his blond hair, his knuckles turning white. "It’s my name. My legacy. My fucking family. Marcus is going to put a bullet in your head and call it
Last Updated: 2026-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 138: Broken TelegraphThe cellar beneath the cabin was a cold, dirt-floored cavern that smelled of damp earth, stored root vegetables, and age. While Jaxson was out clearing the frost off the secondary chimney pipe, Liam carried a battery lantern down the steep wooden steps to search for extra kerosene cans.Tucked beneath a dusty tarp behind a stack of empty preserve jars, he spotted an iron-bound wooden chest. Inside lay a dusty, commercial-grade ham radio unit—a heavy, analog receiver with a faded frequency dial and a coiled rubber microphone, left behind by the forestry workers decades ago.Curious, Liam brushed away the thick cobwebs and flipped the toggle switch. The unit hummed to life with a crackle of static, its orange vacuum tube glowing softly in the dim subterranean gloom.Liam slowly turned the tuning dial, cycling through bursts of white noise, weather reports from distant airports, and static-heavy emergency broadcasts. He was about to turn it off when a sharp, clear signal cut through the
Last Updated: 2026-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 137: High Country WinterThe high country winter closed its jaws over the ridge forty-eight hours after Miller’s vehicle disappeared into the mist. It wasn't just a storm; it was an absolute, systemic freeze that dropped the mountain pass into forty below zero, burying the access road under six feet of impenetrable blue ice and drift-snow. The world down below—Marcus Vance, the private security firms, and the threat of exposure—was entirely cut off by a wall of white granite and screaming wind.Inside the cabin, the isolation was complete. The world had shrunk down to the heavy cedar walls, the iron woodstove, and the stone hearth that glowed red from dawn to dusk.Jaxson stood near the kitchen alcove, stripped down to his dark thermal trousers, his bare chest slick with a light sheen of heat despite the sub-zero gale rattling the heavy window shutters outside. He was hauling thick oak logs from the wood-box, dropping them onto the hearth rug with heavy, reverberating thuds.Liam watched him from the wide bed
Last Updated: 2026-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 136: The Burning PageThe satellite transmitter sat in the palm of Jaxson’s calloused hand, its tiny green status light pulsing like a rhythmic, mechanical heartbeat against the dim firelight.Miller’s breathing went shallow and fast. "You break that, and the fail-safe triggers. My editor gets the automated packet at noon. Your coordinates go straight to Marcus Vance’s security director.""Let them try," Jaxson rumbled softly.He didn't use a tool. Jaxson simply closed his massive fist around the plastic and glass casing, his forearm muscles cording tightly under his flannel shirt. A sharp, sickening *CRUNCH* echoed through the cabin as the casing imploded, splintering into plastic shards and crushed microchips. Jaxson tossed the wreckage directly into the heart of the hearth, where the roaring oak embers swallowed it whole, turning the battery into a brief, violent hiss of bright blue flame."No!" Miller cried out, straining against the ropes. "You just sealed your own warrants!"Liam didn't answer him. H
Last Updated: 2026-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 135: The UltimatumThe reporter, whose press badge identified him as Miller, sat bound to a heavy oak chair in the center of the cabin. His throat bore the dark, purplish shadow of Jaxson’s grip, and his hands were wrapped in thick cotton bandages, but the initial, paralyzing terror in his eyes had hardened into something far more dangerous: professional calculation.Outside, the blizzard had settled into a steady, bitter drop in temperature that froze the cabin windows into solid sheets of opaque glass. Inside, the only light came from the dying embers of the hearth, casting long, sharp shadows across the three men."Look at yourselves," Miller rasped, his ruined voice scraping against the quiet room. He winced as he shifted his shoulders, but he didn't look down. His gaze remained locked on Liam, who was standing near the edge of the rug with his arms crossed over his chest. "Two of the biggest names in professional sports, living like fugitive survivalists in a cabin that isn't even on state survey m
Last Updated: 2026-08-03
Chapter: Chapter 34: The Green-Eyed MonsterThe roaring applause that filled the grand gallery of the Metropolitan Fine Arts Hall sounded like physical violence to Oscar Grayson.He stood in the shadows near the rear exit doors, half-hidden behind a thick marble pillar. He wore a dark cap pulled low over his forehead, his coat collar turned up against his jaw.Nobody noticed him. In a room overflowing with international fashion royalty, billionaire investors, and glowing high-society figures, Oscar was invisible.From his dark vantage point, he watched Adelaide Vance step out onto the brightly lit stage.She wore a sleek, black tuxedo dress that clung to her long frame with immaculate precision. Her dark hair was styled into a low, gleaming knot, exposing the elegant line of her neck and her sharp collarbones.She looked radiant. She looked powerful.She stood at the exact center of the universe, bathed in a pool of brilliant white light, taking her bow as the most celebrated figure in the city.
Last Updated: 2026-09-12
Chapter: Chapter 33: Triumph on the RunwayThe atmosphere inside the grand gallery of the Metropolitan Fine Arts Hall was suffocatingly tense.Every single seat in the house was occupied.Fashion editors, high-net-worth buyers, foreign ambassadors, and celebrity stylists crowded together along the edge of the sleek, white runway.The air smelled of fresh white lilies, expensive perfume, and hot lighting rigs.In the front row, Maeve Sterling sat with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.She wore a sharp tailored dress, but her expression was cold and bitter.Beside her sat three prominent fashion bloggers and two senior critics from major tabloids.Maeve had paid each of them a small fortune earlier that morning.Their job was simple: write scathing, ruthless reviews the moment the show concluded.They were instructed to focus on the last-minute material changes and call the collection a cheap, desperate disaster.Maeve checked her gold watch.The show was scheduled to begin in
Last Updated: 2026-09-12
Chapter: Chapter 32: The Phantom SignatureOscar stared at the blue crest on the clinic record until the ink blurred before his eyes.The rain outside drummed a relentless beat against the roof of the sedan. Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of wet wool and cold sweat."Are you certain about the proxy firm?" Oscar asked, his voice barely a rasp.Victor pulled a second document from his coat."The three-star crest belongs to Valen Holdings," Victor explained calmly. "It's a shadow entity registered in Zurich. Dean Grayson is the sole beneficial owner."Oscar leaned his head back against the leather headrest, closing his eyes.His mind raced backward through time.Six years ago, Adelaide was supposed to be a nobody. She was just an obscure, struggling designer working out of a drafty studio in Lyon.Or so she had told him.When Oscar met her in London two years later, she had appeared like a ghost—quiet, distant, and fiercely independent.He had assumed her coldness was just her nature. He thought her refusal to talk abou
Last Updated: 2026-09-11
Chapter: Chapter 31: A Clue to the PastRain tapped heavily against the tinted glass of Oscar’s car.The storm outside matched the dark mood in his mind. He sat in the backseat, staring at the dimly lit Queens street.The door opened with a sudden creak.Victor slipped inside, shaking rain off his dark coat. He looked unusually quiet as he held out a thick yellow envelope."I found something else," Victor said.His voice was lower than before. "The Geneva art lead was a dead end. But I dug deeper into her missing years in Europe."Oscar grabbed the envelope eagerly. "What is it?""A medical record," Victor replied."It was buried deep in an old off-shore server. It took a massive bribe to pull it out."Oscar pulled out a piece of old paper.Most of the lines were covered in dark black ink. Big sections of text had been erased or blacked out completely.His eyes scanned the top of the page.It was an admission form from an elite private clinic. The facility sat high in the isolated mountains of Switzerland.The document show
Last Updated: 2026-09-11
Chapter: Chapter 30: Oscar’s Desperation The dimly lit interior of the uptown lounge smelled of stale whiskey, leather, and cigar smoke—a far cry from the opulent, sun-drenched boardrooms Oscar Grayson used to frequent. Oscar sat in a corner booth, staring into the amber depth of his glass. His crisp designer suit, once immaculate, was slightly wrinkled at the elbows. The dark circles under his eyes spoke to weeks of sleepless nights, driven by a toxic cocktail of wounded pride, escalating financial terror, and relentless pressure. Opposite him, Maeve Sterling didn't bother to hide her disdain. She tapped her manicured nails against the dark wood table, her crimson lips pulled into a sharp, impatient line. "My father is pulling the Sterling Group's support from your secondary investments by the end of the week, Oscar," Maeve said, her voice dropping into a cold, transactional whisper. "The board meeting yesterday was a bloodbath. Dean stripped your remaining voting rights on the international retail committee. You’re eff
Last Updated: 2026-07-30
Chapter: Chapter 29: The Private Showing The frantic energy that had consumed the Mercer Street loft during fashion week had finally settled into a serene, meditative quiet. It was two o'clock in the morning. Outside, a gentle summer rain brushed against the towering arched windows, blurring the warm yellow streetlights below. Inside the studio, most of the work lights had been switched off, leaving only a single, warm spotlight focused on the central fitting pedestal. Adelaide stood before a dress form, dressed in a soft cream cashmere sweater with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows and her dark hair secured in a loose, casual twist. She held a pin cushion wrapped around her wrist, a pair of steel shears resting in the back pocket of her trousers. On the mannequin was her newest project—a breathtaking, midnight-black silk velvet evening gown that absorbed the light like a starless night sky. She leaned in close, her slender fingers carefully pleating a heavy fold of velvet across the hip, securing it with a single, pr
Last Updated: 2026-07-30
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