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SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal 119.
Celeste’s POV My voice was iron. Hearing it out loud made something shift inside me. It felt like a lock turning, like a gate slamming shut. And with that came a cold, awful relief, somewhere between victory and ruin.Parker gave a slow nod, approval balanced with caution. “Understood. We will move quickly. Expect calls, subpoenas, and a lot of communication from us. And Celeste…” He folded his hands neatly on the desk. “…prepare yourself for scrutiny. Every detail of your career, your injury, your recovery, your relationship with Anthony. It will all be pulled apart.”I inhaled, bracing. “I know.”He watched me for a moment, studying my tension like it was an X-ray only he could read. “There are rules you need to follow from this point forward. Nonnegotiable rules.”“Okay,” I said. A part of me straightened instinctively, like I was being coached again. “Tell me.”“First,” he said, lifting a finger, “you do not meet with Anthony. Not privately, not accidentally, not for closure, no
SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal 118.
Celeste’s POVParker folded his hands again. “Good. From here on, we take each step strategically. I will handle the legal response. You focus on staying quiet publicly. No social media posts. No vague quotes that can be used against you. Anything you say will be monitored.”I forced a breath. “Fine.”“And Celeste,” he added, his tone softening, “I know you want justice. You deserve justice. But I also want to keep you protected. Let me take the hits for you in court, not in the media.”His words steadied something inside me, even if only for a moment.I sat back in the chair, letting the reality settle: Anthony was fighting, the federation would watch, the press would circle, and this was only the beginning.But for the first time in days, my fear slowly sharpened into focus.“If he wants a war,” I said quietly, “then he picked the wrong person to underestimate.”Parker gave a small, approving smile. “Then let us build the strongest case possible.”I nodded, gripping the armrests of
SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal 117.
Celeste’s POVThe receptionist at the front desk greeted us politely, her professional smile not quite hiding the flicker of recognition in her eyes. I was used to it by now, the whispers, the pitying looks, but I didn’t meet her gaze. I just signed in and followed Lena down the hall.“You okay?” Lena asked quietly once we were out of earshot.“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just… tired.”“Tired,” she repeated softly, as if testing the word. “You’ve been tired since the fall.”I didn’t answer that. I couldn’t.We stopped outside Parker’s office, his name gleaming in gold on the frosted glass. Lena turned to me, her voice low. “Whatever he says, don’t lose your cool, okay? That’s exactly what Anthony’s hoping for.”I gave a humorless laugh. “I stopped losing my cool a long time ago.”She raised a brow. “You sure about that?”I sighed. “No.”Before I could second-guess myself, Lena pushed open the door.Attorney Parker’s office smelled faintly of leather and old paper when I arrived. He greeted m
SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal 116.
Celeste’s POVThe phone rang like an alarm cutting through the quiet of my apartment, shrill and unwelcome. I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall, late afternoon, and for a suspended second I let myself imagine it was Lena calling with another pep talk, a text about next steps, anything that would keep me rooted to something other than the slow, grinding panic that had lived under my ribs since the appointment.“Celeste Hart,” I answered, voice smaller than I intended. My voice sounded foreign in my own ears.“Miss Hart, it’s Parker.” My lawyer’s voice was brisk, professional. “I need to see you at the office. It’s urgent.”Urgent. The word landed like a stone. I felt the air leave me for a breath. “Is everything all right?” I asked, trying to keep my tone steady even as my stomach constricted.“No… well, there’s been movement on Anthony Vale’s side. He’s engaged counsel. There are a few things we need to discuss in person. Can you come in within the hour?”My hands went suddenl
SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal 115.
Celeste’s POV I stared at the X-ray on the screen, the faint ghost of my ankle bone glowing in shades of white and gray. “It doesn’t even look broken,” I said bitterly. “Looks perfect.”“Bones heal,” he said gently. “Cartilage doesn’t always.”I swallowed hard, blinking fast. “So what? I’m supposed to just… accept that I’ll never skate the same again?”He didn’t answer right away. His silence was the kindest and cruelest thing in the room.“Celeste,” he said finally, his tone careful, “if anyone could defy the odds, it’s you. But I need you to understand the reality before you decide how to move forward.”I let out a shaky breath, blinking back the tears burning my eyes. “So that’s it? My career’s just… over?”The words sounded foreign in my mouth, like I was asking about someone else’s life, not my own. But the moment they left my lips, the reality behind them hit like a blade twisting in my chest.Dr. Green shook his head gently, his expression soft but guarded, the kind doctors us
SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal 114.
Celeste's POVThe radiology room was cold, the kind of sterile chill that crept under your skin and made you feel exposed even though you were fully clothed. The hum of the machine filled the silence as the technician, a middle-aged man with kind eyes, motioned for me to settle on the metal table.“Alright, Ms. Celeste,” he said gently, adjusting the height of the X-ray arm. “We’ll just take a few images of your ankle today. Shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”I nodded, forcing a thin smile. My palms were damp. “Okay… um, will it hurt?”He shook his head, smiling faintly. “Not at all. You might just feel a bit of discomfort from holding the position still for a while. That’s all.” he said.I exhaled slowly. My ankle throbbed faintly as he carefully positioned my leg, rotating it at just the right angle. “Like that?” I asked, glancing at him.“Perfect,” he said. “Now, just stay completely still for me. I’m going to take a few shots, one from the top, one from the side, and one at a
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