Chapter one

The arena was shaking with noise.

Thousands of fans were on their feet, screaming loud enough to rattle the glass surrounding the ice rink.

“STE-FAN! STE-FAN! STE-FAN!”

My name echoed across the arena like thunder.

I pushed harder, my skates cutting sharp lines across the ice as I chased the puck racing toward the opposing goal. The cold air burned my lungs, but the exhaustion in my muscles meant nothing right now.

Overtime.

Tie game.

Ten seconds left.

The defenders closed in on me like wolves, sticks slashing across the ice as they tried to steal the puck.

Too slow.

I shifted my weight, dodging the first defender with a quick spin before pushing forward again. The second player tried to block me, but I slipped past him too.

The goalie crouched low in front of the net, eyes locked on me.

The entire arena held its breath.

I could almost hear my father’s voice in my head, the same words he’d repeated to me since I was a kid learning to skate.

Stars don’t hesitate.

Stars finish the game.

So I shot.

The puck flew from my stick like a bullet.

For a split second, everything went silent.

Then—

The red light flashed.

Goal.

The arena exploded.

Fans slammed against the glass, shouting and cheering as my teammates rushed toward me, grabbing my helmet and shoulders while shouting over each other.

“Holy hell, captain!”

“Did you see that shot?”

“That’s why you’re the best in the league!”

I forced a grin as they surrounded me, but the excitement everyone else felt never reached me.

The cheers. The victory. The adrenaline.

It was all distant. Muted.

Like I was watching someone else’s life from the outside.

“Hey.”

A heavy arm wrapped around my shoulders.

Marcus Hale, our loudest defenseman, shoved my helmet playfully.

“You look like you just lost the game, not won it.”

“I’m tired,” I replied flatly.

“That’s the worst lie I’ve ever heard.”

The team skated toward the bench as the crowd kept chanting my name.

“STE-FAN! STE-FAN! STE-FAN!”

I’d heard it thousands of times before.

When I was drafted.

When I broke scoring records.

When I became the youngest captain in franchise history.

Most players would kill to feel that kind of admiration.

But tonight…

It felt empty.

My gaze drifted across the arena seats without thinking.

And then…….. it stopped On him.

Noah Vale.

The new physiotherapist sitting behind the team bench.

He was dressed simply—dark sweater, black pants, sleeves rolled slightly up his arms as he studied a tablet in his hands.

Unlike everyone else in the arena…

He wasn’t cheering.

He wasn’t even looking at the ice.

While thousands of fans celebrated the winning goal, Noah calmly typed something on his tablet, his expression quiet and unreadable.

Like the game meant absolutely nothing to him.

My jaw tightened slightly.

Interesting.

I skated closer to the glass without realizing it.

Marcus followed my gaze.

Then he burst out laughing.

“Oh wow.”

“What?”

“You’re staring again.”

I ignored him.

Noah finally lifted his head.

Our eyes met.

For the first time, I saw them clearly.

Dark. Sharp.

Cold in a way that suggested he noticed everything around him… but cared about very little.

For a moment, we simply stared at each other.

Then I gave him my usual cocky grin and tapped my stick against the glass.

The gesture had made countless fans scream with excitement before.

Noah’s reaction?

He raised one eyebrow.

Then calmly looked away.

Just like that.

Like I wasn’t even worth two seconds of his attention.

Marcus nearly choked laughing.

“Oh my god.”

“What?”

“You just got ignored.”

“I didn’t.”

“You absolutely did.”

I watched Noah stand up from his seat, slipping the tablet into his bag as he began walking up the arena stairs.

His movements were calm, confident.

Completely unaffected by the chaos around him.

Marcus nudged my shoulder.

“Pretty sure he doesn’t care who you are.”

“That’s impossible,” I said.

Marcus snorted.

“You really are arrogant.”

I didn’t answer.

Because something strange had started stirring inside my chest.

Not anger. Not irritation but Curiosity.

Everyone cared who I was, Fans worshipped me.

Opponents hated me.

Reporters followed my every move.

But Noah Vale?

He treated me like I didn’t exist.

Marcus crossed his arms, watching Noah disappear into the arena corridor.

“Poor guy probably just doesn’t like hockey players.”

I tilted my head slightly.

“Maybe.”

Marcus smirked.

“Or maybe he just doesn’t like you.”

A slow smile spread across my face.

“That makes it more interesting.”

Marcus groaned.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“I know that look.”

“What look?”

“The one you get when you decide someone is a challenge.”

I shrugged casually.

“Relax.”

But my eyes were still fixed on the empty stairway where Noah had disappeared.

Because Marcus was right about one thing.

I loved challenges.

And something told me Noah Vale would be the most interesting one I’d faced in a long time.

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The locker room was nearly empty by the time I finished dealing with reporters.

Most of the team had already left.

Only one person remained.

Adrian Cruz.

Our starting goalie and my closest friend.

He was stuffing equipment into his bag when I walked in.

“Nice goal,” he said without looking up.

“You watched it happen.”

“Still counts.”

I leaned against the locker beside him.

“Coach called me into his office.”

That made Adrian pause.

“Good or bad?”

“Both.”

He finally looked at me.

“What happened?”

I exhaled slowly.

“He offered me the captain position permanently.”

Adrian blinked.

“You’re already captain.”

“Temporary captain,” I corrected.

“Management wanted to see if I’d behave this season.”

Adrian laughed.

“Yeah… good luck with that.”

I ignored the comment.

“They’re making it official.”

“That’s huge.”

“Not really.”

“Stefan.”

“What?”

“Most players dream about that.”

I shrugged.

“Dreams change.”

Adrian studied me carefully.

“You’re still not happy.”

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I grabbed my jacket.

“Let’s go.”

We walked out of the arena together and toward the underground parking garage.

Halfway there, both our phones buzzed.

Team email.

Adrian checked his first.

Then his expression shifted.

“What?”

“There’s another announcement.”

“What announcement?”

Adrian turned the screen toward me.

My stomach tightened immediately.

New team trade.

Player joining the roster next week.

Name:

Luca Vance

The air around me suddenly felt colder.

Because I knew exactly who that was.

And more importantly…

Who he used to date.

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck.

“You remember him, right?”

“Unfortunately.”

Luca Vance.

One of the most arrogant players I’d ever met.

The kind of guy who treated people like disposable tools.

I remembered him clearly from years ago.

Especially the way he used to talk to someone else.

Someone who deserved better.

“Wait,” I said slowly.

Adrian sighed.

“Yeah.”

I already knew the answer to my next question.

“Who’s assigned as his physio?”

Adrian hesitated.

Then he said the name quietly.

“Noah Vale.”

My jaw clenched.

Of course.

Of all the teams Luca could’ve joined…

He ended up here.

With Noah.

The memory of Noah’s cold eyes flashed in my mind again.

The way he’d ignored me.

The way he’d walked away like I didn’t matter.

Something sharp twisted inside my chest.

Not anger.

Something else.

Something far more dangerous.

Adrian noticed my expression and groaned.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“The one where you decide to interfere in someone else’s life.”

I smirked slightly.

“Relax.”

But my mind was already racing.

Because tomorrow night the team was hosting a welcome party for the new trade.

Which meant Noah would be there.

And so would Luca.

Adrian shook his head.

“You’re going to cause problems, aren’t you?”

I slipped my phone into my pocket.

A quiet smile tugged at my lips.

“Not problems.”

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the parking level button.

“Solutions.”