005

Chloe’s Pov

Waking up in a bed that isn't yours is always terrifying, but waking up in the bed of the city’s most famous hockey captain feels like stepping into a house fire on purpose.

Bright morning sunlight poured through the wide floor-to-ceiling windows, blinding my eyes. I blinked slowly, taking in the soft white sheets, the massive wooden bedroom, and the heavy, warm arm wrapped securely around my waist.

For three whole seconds, my brain forgot everything I was supposed to be angry about. I remembered the way Nathaniel had held me during the night, the surprising softness in his hands, and the quiet way he had listened when I opened up about my family. He hadn't acted like an arrogant athlete in the dark. He had acted like someone who genuinely cared about me.

Then he stirred beside me, and reality hit me like a splash of ice-cold water.

Nathaniel rolled over, his hazel eyes opening slowly. He gave me a sleepy, gorgeous smile that made my stomach do a dangerous little backflip. He reached out to gently brush a lock of dark hair away from my forehead, his thumb lingering against my cheek.

"Morning, Chloe," he murmured, his voice thick and raspy from sleep. "You're up early."

"I have to get ready for class," I said, my voice sounding far stiffer than I intended. I pulled the blanket up to my chest, suddenly feeling completely exposed in the bright daylight.

Nathaniel chuckled softly, resting his head on his hand and looking down at me with an easy, relaxed expression. "Relax, Bennett. We don't have to rush. We can just grab some breakfast downstairs, keep things nice and uncomplicated, and take it easy today."

Keep things nice and uncomplicated.

Those five little words felt like a sharp slapped across my face.

My mouth went dry. I hadn't expected him to propose to me, and I certainly hadn't planned on asking for a grand romance. But hearing him casually lay down the rules—reducing our passionate night into a simple, harmless distraction—made my throat burn with shame. He had already decided what this night meant to him, and he assumed I would just smile, nod, and play along like all the other girls in his life.

"Uncomplicated," I repeated flatly, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and grabbing my green dress from the floor.

Nathaniel sat up, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "Yeah. I mean... we both have crazy busy lives, right? You've got your studies, I've got the team. We had a great time last night, but we don't need to make it weird or dramatic."

"Don't worry, Nathaniel," I said, my voice shaking slightly as I pulled the dress over my head and zipped it up with aggressive speed. "I have zero intention of turning one night into a relationship. You don't have to panic."

Nathaniel let out a short, uncomfortable laugh, running a hand through his messy hair. "I'm not panicking, Chloe! I just don't want you getting the wrong idea. I thought we were on the same page."

"We are on the same page," I said, stuffing my high heels into my bag and stepping into my flats. "You think you can treat people like fun little games, and I think I made a massive mistake coming here with you."

"Come on, Bennett," he said, stepping out of bed and pulling on a pair of grey sweatpants. His tone turned slightly teasing, trying to laugh it off like he always did. "You always have to get the last word, don't you?"

I stopped right by his bedroom door. I turned around to face him, looking straight into his eyes with a cold, quiet seriousness that made his teasing smile completely vanish from his face.

"This was only a mistake if you think it gives you the right to treat me like I don't have feelings, Nathaniel," I said softly, my chest heaving up and down. "I don't want your money, and I don't want your casual little arrangements. Enjoy your hockey season."

Before he could say another word, I turned on my heel, walked down his long hallway, and let the heavy front door slam shut behind me.

Four weeks went by, and I threw myself into my life with an absolute vengeance.

I studied until my eyes burned. I worked extra shifts at the rehabilitation centre until my feet were numb. I refused to look up Nathaniel’s name on the internet, I muted every sports channel on my small apartment TV, and every time Maya mentioned the hockey team, I immediately changed the subject. I convinced myself that I had successfully erased Nathaniel Hayes from my life forever.

Except my body refused to cooperate.

At first, I thought my missed period was just caused by the overwhelming stress of my upcoming final exams. I was barely sleeping four hours a night, living off cheap coffee and cold instant noodles. It made total sense for my body to be completely out of whack.

Then came the morning nausea.

It started as a small, sour feeling in the back of my throat, but within a week, I was spending every single morning on my knees in front of my tiny bathroom toilet, heaving until my stomach was completely empty.

On a rainy Tuesday evening, I finally walked into a late-night pharmacy, bought a small white box, and hurried back to my apartment. I told myself I was being completely dramatic. I was going to take this dumb test, see the single line, laugh at my own foolishness, and go to bed.

I sat on the cold linoleum floor of my bathroom, resting my forehead against my knees while the tiny plastic stick sat on the counter beside me. My heart was beating so hard and fast inside my chest that it felt like it was going to break my ribs.

"Please," I whispered to the empty room, squeezing my eyes shut tight. "Please, just be one line. Please."

I waited three long, agonizing minutes.

Slowly, shivering with terror, I lifted my head and looked at the plastic window.

Two bright, thick, undeniable pink lines stared right back at me.

"No," I gasped, the air completely leaving my lungs. "No, no, no!"

I grabbed the stick, staring at it in total horror. I was twenty-three years old. I had two hundred dollars in my bank account. I was trying to finish my degree so I wouldn't have to rely on anyone, and now... now I was carrying the baby of a multi-millionaire hockey captain who thought relationships were an annoying complication.

My hands trembled so violently I dropped the test onto the floor. I buried my face in my hands and let out a broken, sob.

Suddenly, my phone on the sink counter lit up with a loud, sharp ding.

I wiped my wet eyes with the back of my hand and reached up to look at the screen. It was an automated email notification from my university's clinical placement office.

Subject: CONFIRMED CLINICAL PLACEMENT ASSIGNMENT Dear Chloe Bennett, your primary clinical placement with the City Blades Hockey Organization has been officially approved. You will begin supervising player recovery next Monday at 8:00 AM under Team Captain Nathaniel Hayes.

I sat on the bathroom floor, staring back and forth between the email on my phone and the positive pregnancy test near my shoe, realizing with a sick, sinking feeling that the one man I desperately needed to run from was now impossible to escape.