LOGINJulian watched helplessly as Valeria and Shawn turned around and walked away, blending back into the crowded ballroom. As they took their first few steps, Shawn slightly turned his head and cast a glance back over his shoulder. A victorious, mocking smile was smeared across his lips. It was a look that clearly said, “I won this round, and she is with me now.” As soon as they left his line of sight, Julian slowly closed his eyes in deep, agonizing frustration. He felt a heavy weight press down on his chest. Right now, he didn't even have the strength or the energy to get angry at Ariel for the dirty, manipulative game she had just played. He was just too exhausted. Currently, he just hated the world. He hated the world and the people whom it was using as cheap minions to constantly create rifts and walls between him and his love. It felt like every single time he took one step closer to Valeria, the universe would deploy someone to push her two steps further away. Julian’s eyes slowl
Ken immediately became aware of Julian's sudden mood change. The air around the Ice King had turned completely freezing, and his body was as stiff as concrete. Ken followed Julian's dark, burning eyes across the crowded room and immediately understood why. He saw Valeria in her stunning red dress, and he saw Shawn Sterling standing right beside her, his hand gently guiding her through the crowd. "Whoa, Julian, mate, calm down," Ken whispered quickly, grabbing Julian’s muscular arm to hold him back. "Don't do anything crazy right here. The place is packed with international media and heavy sponsors. If you cause a scene now, the league will have your head tomorrow before the match. Just breathe, man." But Julian was having absolutely none of it. The sight of Shawn touching Valeria was driving him completely insane. Without saying a single word to Ken, Julian immediately gulped down his remaining drink in one sharp swallow. He dropped his empty glass onto a passing waiter’s tray with
Valeria stepped out of the silver car, and for a moment, the busy world around the hotel seemed to stand completely still. She was wearing a short, fiery red dinner dress that was the definition of glamorous. The rich fabric caught the golden spotlights perfectly, glowing like embers. The dress was tailored expertly, hugging her body tightly and greatly accentuating her perfect curves and stunning hourglass shape. It cut off just above her knees, showing off her smooth, slender legs. Her hair was styled in silky, straight, long strands that cascaded down her back like a waterfall of dark satin, moving softly with every step she took. She possessed an unearthly beauty that night, a radiant and blinding charm that left people breathless. She didn't look like she was there as a simple reporter at all, instead, she looked like a high society princess or a top supermodel walking the runway. Down in the ballroom, Julian was standing near a group of wealthy sponsors, but the very moment his
Ken bluntly nudged Julian with his elbow, a huge, knowing grin spreading across his face. He leaned closer, lowering his voice so the passing guests wouldn't hear their conversation. "Don't tell me the mighty Ice King is looking for a certain beautiful reporter. Are you waiting for Valeria?" At this point, Julian couldn't help it anymore. The heavy, serious, and icy look on his face completely melted away. His sharp jaw relaxed, and his lips burst into a small, genuine smile just at the mere mention of her name. It was the first real, heartwarming smile that had touched his handsome face all evening, completely changing his dangerous aura into something soft and vulnerable. Ken, seeing that sudden reaction, knew instantly that he had gotten his guess absolutely right. He immediately burst out laughing, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked at his teammate. "I knew it! I knew you weren't looking at the hockey cameras or the foreign players. You've got it bad, man. Five long year
Two days later, the evening finally arrived. The sky was a deep, velvety blue, and the entire area outside the grandest hotel in the city was buzzing with intense excitement. This hotel was a massive, ultra luxury skyscraper, famous for its grand architecture. Its open courtyard and entrance space were so vast and wide that it felt large enough to contain a million people without anyone feeling crowded. One after another, flash cars, sleek sports vehicles, and long luxury limousines began to pack into the massive parking lot. The bright headlights reflected off the polished glass of the hotel’s grand entrance, creating a glittering sea of lights. International hockey players from different parts of the world, rich foreigners with heavy accents, and powerful business men and women from in and out of the country were all arriving in large groups. Everyone was coming together for this grand celebration. The highly anticipated championship finals were scheduled to begin the very next
To Valeria's complete surprise, the two grey checkmarks under her message instantly turned blue. A small bubble appeared at the bottom of the screen showing that he was already typing back. Julian didn't make her wait at all. His reply popped up on her screen just a few seconds later. Julian: I will do just that, Val. I will click the unfollow button right now. But I will do it only on one condition. Valeria’s eyes narrowed as she read the words. She quickly typed back, her fingers hitting the screen aggressively. Valeria: You are in no position to give me conditions, Julian! Unfollow me now! Julian: My condition is simple, Val. The big festival event is happening in two days to commemorate the starting of the championship finals. Everyone will be there. You are a sports writer, so I know your media house is sending you to cover it. All I want is for you to give us a real chance to discuss. Just twenty minutes of your time to talk things over in private. Do we have a deal? Valer







