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22.

Author: Justina
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-30 21:13:34

Samantha’s POV

The moment Celeste cornered me, I knew this wasn’t going to be a friendly conversation that I would like. Hell, I wasn’t even in the mood to be having any kind of conversation with anyone.

Her smile was too sharp, her eyes too watchful, and the way she folded her arms across her chest screamed bitterness. It was as if she had come to mock me and for some reason, it hurt more than I wanted it to.

“So,” Celeste began, her tone wrapped in honey but dripping with acid, “you took my spot.”

I blinked, pretending not to understand. I never took her spot. That wasn’t fair. Maybe my only crime was stepping into the empty space she left behind. She had been injured, her leg in no shape to skate. Anthony needed a partner, and I needed one too. It was survival, not theft. A deal that worked for both of us.

“Your spot?” I repeated softly, almost like a question.

“Don’t act coy, Samantha.” Her lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. She stepped closer, her perfume shar
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  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    36.

    Anthony’s POV I clenched my jaw, trying not to snap. She always knew how to twist the knife. “You don’t get it, Samantha.” I muttered.“Then explain it,” she challenged, leaning forward now, meeting me eye to eye. “Because all I see is you covering his mess while I’m the one stuck paying the price.”For a second, I couldn’t look away from her. The fire in her voice, the way her eyes blazed, it pulled something out of me I didn’t want to admit.I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. I could feel the tension rolling off her like static, her distrust wrapping around us both. But I had to be honest.“If Isaac asked you to sign it, Sam… then I believe he had good intentions. He doesn’t do things without reason.”She gave me a look, flat, skeptical, bitter. “Good intentions? He tied me down with legal chains, Anthony. For what? To stop me from betraying you? I wasn’t even going to say anything about your eyesight in the first place. So why the hell did he need to corner me with paperwork?”

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    35.

    Anthony’s POVShe caught me staring once, snapping her gaze up. Her eyes narrowed into sharp slits. “What?” she said sharply, flicking her eyes to Jaden to check if he heard her.I smirked, leaning back in my chair like I had all the time in the world. “You keep checking the time like Graham’s some prince riding in on a white horse. Should I be jealous?” I muttered.Her scoff was immediate, her laugh sharp enough to cut. “You?” She tilted her head, mocking. “Not even close.”“Good,” I said smoothly, lifting another spoonful toward Jaden, who was practically vibrating with sugar and excitement. “Because you’d look terrible in shining armor.”Jaden snorted through a mouthful of ice cream, nearly spilling half of it down his shirt. “Uncle Ant’s right! You’d look funny in armor.” He said.Samantha rolled her eyes so hard I thought they’d get stuck. “You’re both impossible.” She fired at us.But her lips twitched, barely, quick as a blink, and I caught it. A crack in the armor she worked s

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    34.

    Anthony’s POVI never thought I’d find myself in a café, spoon-feeding a kid ice cream while Samantha Cross sat across from me, arms folded like she was one second away from stabbing me with the straw in her drink.At the moment, I really didn’t want to be anywhere near Samantha. She was pissed at me and it was clear that my presence only annoyed her further, but hell, we’re stuck together, waiting for our different rides.Babysitting Jaden was easy. I’d been doing that long before Samantha came into the picture. Sometimes Isaac’s meetings ran late, and I’d be the one stuck at home with Jaden, reading him stories, making sure he brushed his teeth, tucking him into bed. It wasn’t a chore. It never had been. He was family.Now, in this cramped little café booth, it didn’t feel much different, except there was Samantha across from me, arms folded tight, glaring like I’d personally dragged her into a prison cell.Jaden swung his legs under the table, sneakers kicking rhythmically against

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    33.

    Samantha's POVI swallowed hard, forcing my expression to stay neutral. The cameras were still flashing, the children were still laughing, and if I gave away even an inch of what I was feeling, the world would have it plastered across headlines by morning.So I smiled. I smiled until my cheeks hurt, until I thought my teeth would crack, and I focused on the little girl in front of me who needed her helmet adjusted. I pushed down the twisting knot in my chest, shoved aside the sting of betrayal and curiosity and everything else I didn’t want to name, and forced myself to care about chin straps and laces.Professional. I was a professional. That’s all that mattered.It had worked for about five minutes.Then chaos broke loose.It happened in the space of a heartbeat.From the corner of my eye, I caught the smallest blur of movement, a boy on my side, Max, I think his name was. He’d been clinging to the railing with shaky determination just moments ago, lips pressed tight in concentrat

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    32.

    Samantha’s POV A boy with wide brown eyes and a toothy grin clung nervously to the rail. He looked younger than the rest, maybe Seven or eight, or even younger, with the way his helmet was too big for his head. His knees knocked together as he tried to balance, but his gaze never wavered from Anthony.“Really?” I asked, crouching down so I could meet his eyes. “You want to be like Anthony?”“Yeah.” He nodded so hard his helmet nearly slipped off.I swallowed. If you only knew, I thought bitterly. If you only knew what it was like behind the curtain. The arrogance. The secrets. The NDA I hadn’t wanted but signed anyway. You wouldn’t want to be like him then.Out loud, I asked gently, “What’s your name?”“Jaden.” The kid responded.“Well, Jaden,” I said, forcing warmth into my tone, “why do you want to be like Anthony?”His face lit up even more, and for a second, it was like the whole rink glowed with it. “Because he’s the best. He’s so fast, and he makes the jumps look like flying. M

  • SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal    31.

    Samantha’s POVI pasted on the biggest smile I could manage and waved, walking toward the group like I hadn’t just been sulking in the car minutes ago. Cameras clicked immediately, shutters firing in bursts, reporters circling along the edge of the boards to get the perfect shot. Their lenses followed me like hawks. I could practically hear the headlines already: Golden Pair Brings Skating to the Next Generation.“Hi, everyone!” I said brightly, crouching down a little so I wasn’t towering over the kids. My voice was cheery enough, but I could hear the faint edge of strain in it. “You ready to skate today?”“Yes!” they shouted in unison, the sound bouncing off the arena walls.I laughed, though it sounded a little forced to my ears, and clapped my hands together. “Good! That’s the spirit. Then let’s get on the ice.” I muttered.Anthony was already beside me, kneeling down with effortless ease to help a boy tighten his laces. His cap was pushed back, his focus entirely on the child’s

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