로그인MICHAEL'S POV"I did not drink with her," I said, keeping my voice steady even though my chest tightened with heavy guilt. "My father set that picture up to ruin us. She waited in the lobby, and she grabbed my arm when I walked past her. A photographer was hiding near the elevator doors. I pushed her away right after the camera flash went off, and I told her to stay away from me.""That is a very great story," Axel replied, and his tone remained freezing cold. "It is a massive shame you did not tell me that story yesterday. You let me walk around campus looking dumb while everyone whispered about our relationship.""I told you I fell asleep because I was exhausted beyond reason," I argued, and I gripped the phone tight in my hand. "I played a brutal hockey game against a huge defensive line, and I had to do hours of interviews for the sports networks. I got back to my hotel room, and my body just shut down. I passed out on the mattress. You have to believe me, Axel.""I do believe tha
MICHAEL'S POVThe heavy wooden door of my hotel room stood at the end of the long hallway, and I just wanted to reach it so I could finally sleep. The away game had drained my energy because we played against a tough defensive line, and I spent all three periods fighting for every inch of the ice. I scored two goals, but the physical cost was high. The opposing team targeted me during the third period, so I took a lot of cheap shots. My ribs throbbed from taking hard hits against the plexiglass boards, and my knees ached from the constant skating.On top of the physical pain, the post-game press conference lasted for two hours since the reporters only wanted to ask questions about my personal life."Michael, we need to review the morning schedule before you go to bed," Victoria said.She walked right beside me, holding her bright tablet, and she wore a sharp blazer while her high heels clicked loudly on the carpeted floor."We are not reviewing anything tonight," I told her, and I kep
The phone in my pocket vibrated non-stop. Every single buzz sent a jolt of anxious energy straight up my spine. I stood next to the kitchen island, holding my plastic cup, and tried to focus on the loud music bouncing off the walls."You broke the internet," Miller shouted over a heavy bass drop. He leaned over and showed me his own phone screen. "Your picture has five hundred likes already. The comments are wild, Axel. People are actually tagging the hockey team's official account.""Put the phone away, Miller," I told him. I took a sip of my drink and forced a relaxed smile. "We came here to have a good time, not to stare at a screen all night. Let's go find Carter."We pushed our way through the dense crowd. The heat in the living room felt thick and suffocating. Students danced shoulder to shoulder, spilling drinks and shouting the lyrics to a popular rap song. I spotted Carter near the front door talking to a girl from his biology class. He waved us over with a bright grin.I lau
Walking back to the dorm felt different than the walk to the coffee shop. The heavy sadness in my chest was gone, replaced by a hot spark of stubborn pride. Silas wanted me to hide in my room, and the rest of the campus expected me to cry over a staged photograph. I refused to give them the satisfaction.Carter unlocked the suite door, and Miller tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter with a loud clatter."I claim the shower first," Miller announced. He grabbed a fresh towel from the hall closet and pointed a finger at me. "Make sure you actually wear something nice, Axel. Leave the baggy hockey hoodies in your closet for tonight. We are going to a party, so you need to look the part.""I have nice clothes," I argued, crossing my arms."You have comfortable clothes," Carter corrected me. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "Comfortable does not send a message. You need an outfit that makes people turn their heads when you walk into the room."I walked into m
When I woke up, the morning sun was already bright and casting long shadows across my small dorm room. I had fallen asleep around four in the morning after tossing and turning for hours. My eyes felt heavy and dry. I rolled over on the narrow mattress and reached for the wooden nightstand. My fingers found the cold metal of my phone.I held my breath and pressed the side button.The bright screen illuminated the quiet space. I stared directly at the lock screen.Nothing.There were no missed calls. There were no text messages. There was only a generic email from the university library reminding me to return a book.A dull, heavy ache settled deep inside my chest. I dropped the phone onto the messy blankets and stared up at the white ceiling. He had his phone. I knew the text message was delivered. He had read my vulnerable question at two in the morning, and he had simply chosen to go to sleep instead of answering me.I tried to justify his silence. I told myself he was exhausted from
Miller pointed his finger at the terrible headline on my phone screen. The digital photograph glared back at us, showing Michael leaning incredibly close to Victoria in the dim hotel lobby."The media is having a field day with this story," Miller warned me. "What are you going to do when the whole campus starts asking if he cheated on you? They are already trying to replace you, Axel."I took a deep breath and forced myself to unlock the screen. Swiping the internet browser away, I tossed the device onto my messy bed."I am not going to do anything," I answered firmly. "Michael warned me about her last night during our video call. His father hired her specifically to follow him around and cause trouble. That picture is staged."Miller raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest. "Staged or not, it looks really bad. The sports blogs are painting you as the naive college kid who got dumped the second the State Rebel left town. People are going to talk.""Let them talk," I s







