chapter nine

My heart took a violent,plunge into my stomach as the heavy knocks echoed from the front door. Janice gave me a dramatic, wide eyed look, silently mouthing, “He’s here.”

I took one final, grounding breath, smoothing down the luxurious fabric of the dress before walking out of my room. As I made my way down the staircase, my parents and Janice trailed closely behind me, practically radiating nervous excitement.

When my dad pulled the front door open, the breath completely left my lungs.

Ethan Vance stood on our porch, looking so devastatingly handsome it should have been illegal. He was wearing a custom tailored black tuxedo that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, his dark hair expertly styled. For a fraction of a second, his composure completely faltered. His intense eyes locked onto me, sweeping down my length, and his jaw subtly tightened. He was completely breathless.

But within a heartbeat, the smooth playboy persona slid right back into place, and he flashed a brilliant smile.

"Good evening," Ethan greeted, his deep baritone sending a sudden shiver down my spine. He stepped forward, effortlessly charming my parents by shaking my dad’s hand firmly and offering my mom a polite, dazzling compliment that made her blush. He was playing the perfect, doting gentleman, smoothly promising them he’d have me home safe.

"Ready, love?" Ethan murmured, turning his gaze back to me.

Before I could answer, he reached out, placing his palm flat against the small of my back to guide me toward his sleek, roaring sports car parked at the curb. The sudden, burning warmth of his hand through the dress sent a jolt of pure electricity straight up my spine. My skin tingled under his touch.

Once we were safely inside the car and he tore down the street, the engine making a rich, intimidating growl, he cast a sideways glance at me. "Relax, Kathrine. You’re gripping your purse so hard your knuckles are turning white."

"I'm just... not used to this," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly as I looked at the flawless leather interior.

"You look absolutely dangerous tonight," he countered softly, his voice dropping the comment as his eyes briefly drifted down to my lips before focusing back on the road. "Trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

The venue for the annual NHL dinner was nothing short of spectacular. As we pulled into the VIP zone, my chest tightened. The grand entrance was completely swarming with sports journalists, flashing camera lenses, and eager fans trying to get a glimpse of the hockey stars.

Seeing the chaos, I froze inside the passenger seat. The reality of what I had agreed to was suddenly crashing down on me.

Ethan turned off the engine and turned his body toward me. Sensing my rising panic, his playful demeanor completely vanished, replaced by something surprisingly grounded and protective. He reached over, gently taking my hand in his. "Look at me, love."

I turned my head, my wide eyes meeting his calm ones.

"Just follow my lead," he instructed softly, his thumb tracing soothing circles over the back of my hand. "Hold onto my arm, keep your chin up, and smile. I’ve got you. I promise."

I nodded, swallowing the lump of anxiety in my throat.

The moment the valet opened my door and my feet hit the pavement, flashbulbs exploded in a blinding rhythm. The shouting of reporters filled the air. But before the media could overwhelm me, Ethan was right there. He wrapped a strong, possessive arm securely around my waist, pulling my hips flush against his side as we stepped onto the carpet.

We walked together like absolute royalty. Ethan played the doting, infatuated boyfriend to absolute perfection. He kept his head bent low near mine, whispering subtle, witty jokes into my ear just to make me genuinely laugh for the cameras. To the press, we looked like a golden couple completely lost in their own world. The media went wild, the cameras capturing every single staged touch.

Inside the breathtaking ballroom, the atmosphere was thick with high society luxury. Elegant crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, and the room was filled with elite athletes, sports executives, and beautiful people.

"Come on, let me introduce you to the team," Ethan murmured, keeping his hand rested comfortably on the small of my back as he led me through the crowd.

Within minutes, he introduced me to his manager,a young dashing guy that was probably around his age,he looked incredibly relieved to see Ethan with a respectable girl and several of his high profile teammates.

"So this is the girl who finally tamed the wild Vance," one of his teammates teased, throwing a friendly arm around Ethan's shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Kathrine. He hasn't stopped talking about you."

I smiled politely, playing along with the charade, though my heart did a strange, completely unauthorized flutter at the comment. I handled the conversation with sharp wit and easy grace, completely charming his inner circle. Ethan watched me the entire time, a look of genuine pride and intense admiration washing over his handsome features.

A few moments later, Ethan’s manager nudged him, pointing toward a sports network crew setting up nearby. "Ethan, they need you for a quick live interview before dinner is served."

Ethan looked down at me, a look of reluctance crossing his face. "Will you be okay for a few minutes?"

"Of course," I smiled. "I’ll just grab a drink at the bar."

"Alright. Don't go too far, love," he murmured. Before he walked away, he leaned down and firmly pressed a sweet, lingering kiss against my cheek in full view of the surrounding crowd.

My cheeks burned as I watched his tall figure walk away toward the cameras. Taking a deep breath to catch my thoughts, I turned around and headed toward the long, marble refreshment bar to order a cocktail.

While I waited for the bartender to hand me my drink, a bitter, hauntingly familiar voice sneered from right behind me.

"So, it's true. You really dug your claws into a billionaire's son."

A cold dread washed over me. I turned around slowly, my heart hardening into a block of ice.

Standing there was Cole. He was dressed in a sharp suit, but he looked completely miserable. He was attending the dinner alone,he hadn't invited Bella as his date, likely because this was a serious event for top-tier hockey stars, and he was only there because of his undeniable talent on the ice. But right now, his eyes were dark, burning with a toxic mixture of intense jealousy and deep regret as he stared at my expensive designer dress.

"What are you doing here, Cole?" I asked, my voice completely cold and devoid of any emotion.

"I should ask you the same thing," he stepped closer, his jaw clenching as he looked at my flawless makeup. "What the hell are you playing at, Kat? This isn't you. You don't belong in a place like this, parading around with a guy like Ethan Vance."

"Where I belong is none of your business anymore," I snapped, leaning back against the bar, refusing to let him intimidate me. "You lost the right to care about what I do the moment you betrayed me."

Cole looked around the ballroom, noticing the way people were still glancing at me and whispering about Ethan's new girl. The sight seemed to drive him over the edge. He stepped directly into my personal space, completely cornering me against the marble bar.

Before I could react, his hand shot out, tightly grabbing my wrist. His grip was frantic, his voice cracking with a desperate, toxic possessiveness. "You're only doing this to get back at me, aren't you? You're using him to hurt me! Come with me, Kat. We need to leave right now and talk about us..."

"Let go of me, Cole!" I hissed, trying to wrench my hand away, but his grip only tightened.

But before I could even raise my voice to shout for help, a deep, terrifyingly icy baritone cut through the ballroom noise from right behind Cole, instantly freezing the air around us.

"Take your hands off my girl before I make you regret walking into this room."