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149.

Penulis: Justina
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-12-09 21:42:47

Samantha’s POV

This was not the first time I had seen Anthony in a suit.

In every one, he looked unfairly handsome, confident, polished, the kind of man who didn’t just enter a room but owned it. I used to scroll past them quickly, pretending they did not affect me.

But seeing him like this, up close, only a few feet away… it was different. It was breathtaking. He looked real and warm and dangerously close.

“I was surprised,” I muttered, trying not to sound flustered. “You clean up well.”

For a second his expression softened. His gaze dipped over my dress before rising again, slower this time. The brief pause made my heart flip in my chest.

“I will take that as a compliment,” he said. His voice dropped a little as he stepped closer. “Although I am tempted to ask how well you think I cleaned up.”

I swallowed, caught between embarrassment and something else I could not name. “Do not start.”

“Start what?” he asked with mock innocence. “I have done nothing. Yet.”

I moved aside for him an
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  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    158

    Anthony’s POVI had not planned to say it out loud.The words slipped out because the silence after the kiss was too full, too honest to hide behind. My mouth moved before my fear could stop it.“I have been wanting to do that for eight years,” I said softly.Her reaction was immediate. Not anger. Not relief. Something messier.She scoffed, a shaky sound that did not match the way her fingers were still curled into my jacket. “You would not have been wanting to do this if you had not messed everything up back then.”The words landed hard in my chest.For a moment, I only looked at her. At the woman I had carried with me in every quiet hour, every flight, every hotel room where sleep would not come. The woman who had haunted me without knowing it.“Samantha,” I said carefully. “You misunderstood.”Her brows pulled together, defensive instinct rising like a wall. “I did not.”“You did.”She shook her head. “I heard you.”The certainty in her voice hurt more than anger would have. I took

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    157

    Anthony’s POV The words settled between us, fragile and honest. I heard her inhale sharply, a quiet sound she probably did not realize she made. It tightened something in my chest.I finally looked at her then.Her eyes were wide, reflecting the lights from the fountain, her lips parted just slightly as if she had been caught mid-thought. For a second, she looked exactly like she had eight years ago, surprised by something she had not expected to hear.“I do not understand,” she said quietly.And that was the truth, I realized. She really did not. Neither did I. That was the problem.I had spent eight years convincing myself that what I felt for Samantha was gone. Buried under competition, resentment, pride, and time. I told myself it had burned out the day she walked away without looking back. I told myself it was easier that way.But lately, I noticed her everywhere.The way my focus shifted when she entered a room. The way my chest tightened when she looked tired. The way my body

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    156.

    Anthony’s POVWe did not go far.That was the first thing I noticed as we slipped out through the quieter side exit, leaving the noise and lights behind. The music from the ballroom faded into a distant hum, replaced by the soft night air and the low murmur of the city beyond the venue. Paris at night felt different when you were not performing for it. Quieter. More honest.The last time I had been here, I barely remembered the streets. Everything had blurred together into airports, practice rinks, hotel corridors, and endless schedules taped to the inside of my head. I had seen Paris through tinted car windows and reflected stage lights, never through my own tired eyes. There had been no time to slow down, no space to breathe. Every hour had been accounted for, every step measured by what came next.And Celeste had not helped.She had loved the attention. Thrived on it, really. Every gala, every after party, every public appearance turned into a performance of its own. She floate

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    155.

    Samantha’s POVThe Paris team arrived at our table. They approached together, their presence warm and polite, and I sat up straighter.Camille spoke first, a bright smile on her lips. “Hello again. We wanted to check if you both settled in well. I hope everything was resolved.”“Yes,” I said softly. “Thank you again for helping us earlier.”She waved a hand. “It was the least we could do. The event should treat all athletes well. Not only the favorites.”Her eyes flicked toward Anthony when she said that. Slowly. Intentionally.He smiled back at her. And my stomach twisted again.Camille was beautiful, elegant, and one of the most well known skaters in Europe. Tall, graceful, with dark curls pinned into a perfect updo. Her partner, Julien, stood beside her, equally charming in a classic black suit.“You look refreshing tonight,” Julien said courteously.“Ah, but not as striking as your partner,” Camille added smoothly, her smile turning warmer in a way that was no longer subtle. “Anth

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    154.

    Samantha's POVThe ballroom was glittering gold and ice. Chandeliers hung in shimmering clusters, each one brighter than the one before. The ceiling reflected the lights like a frozen lake, and the room buzzed with photographers, guests, and athletes dressed in tailored suits and gowns that looked like they belonged on magazine covers. Everything smelled expensive. Perfume layered over polished wood and champagne. Laughter floated everywhere, light and practiced.Anthony and I had barely taken our seats when I realized two things at once.One, the women here loved him.Two, I hated how much it bothered me.I shifted slightly in my chair, smoothing my hands over the emerald fabric of my dress. The material felt cool beneath my fingers, grounding and unfamiliar. I still could not believe I was wearing something like this. That I was here. That I had almost kissed Anthony Vale less than an hour ago.My mind betrayed me, replaying the moment in the boutique. His breath close. His eyes

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    153.

    Samantha’s POV“Anthony,” I whispered.His lips curved into the faintest smile. “Do not worry, Sam. I am not going to say anything else right now.” He muttered.Relief washed through me. And disappointment. A strange mix I could not untangle. I looked away quickly, pretending to study the dress again.He reached out slowly, and for a moment I thought he was going to touch my arm. His hand hovered, just a breath away from my skin, close enough that I felt the ghost of warmth. Then he stopped. His fingers curled, and he lowered his hand as if he had just remembered where we were.The air in the boutique shifted.It was too quiet around us. Too still. Too charged.I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.We were standing closer than anyone should. Close enough that I could smell his cologne, something warm and clean, something that fit him too well. Close enough that I felt the heat rising off his body.His gaze lifted from the dress to my face. Then lower.To my lips.My breath caught. My

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