INICIAR SESIÓNPOV: JefferyI stood in the middle of the dark, secluded lot, my heart pounding like a trapped bird against my ribs. The cold night air stung my skin, but inside, I was burning with pure fear. Marcus and the hired men in dark coats stood by the rusty metal fence, watching me like wolves circling helpless prey. But it was Damien who stepped right into my personal space, his face shadowed beneath the flickering streetlamp.The fake, friendly expression he usually wore at the rink was gone. In its place was a sharp, dangerous glare that made my blood run cold.“How much of that did you hear, Jeffery?” Damien asked, his voice dropping to a low, icy whisper that sent a shiver down my spine.I forced myself to stand tall. My whole body was shaking from the shock of learning about Lucien’s car crash and Roland’s silence, but I knew I couldn’t show any weakness now. If I let them see how terrified I was, they’d take me out right here in the dark behind the hospital building.“I didn’t he
POV: JefferyI held my breath, pressing myself as flat as I could against the cold brick wall of the generator building. The footsteps inside the empty lot stopped for a moment, then eased as Marcus assumed the sound was just a stray animal scurrying over the dry gravel.“Check the corner later,” Marcus muttered, his voice cold and impatient. “Right now, I need to know every detail about the car. I can’t have the police finding anything suspicious when they inspect the wreckage.”I kept my hand clamped over my mouth, my heart pounding like thunder in my chest. Tears of sheer terror burned in my eyes as I strained to listen. I needed to know if my brother Lucien was still alive, but what I heard next shattered my world into a million sharp pieces.Damien stepped forward into the dim light of the lone streetlamp. He let out a low, arrogant chuckle and shook his head with a chilling calm that made my skin crawl.“You don’t have to worry about your hired men making a mess on the highw
POV: JefferyI stayed completely still against the cold brick wall of the hospital alley. My eyes were fixed on the dark gray car parked near the street corner. Damien was still in the driver’s seat, staring straight at the emergency room’s sliding glass doors. He didn’t look like someone who cared about an injured teammate. He looked like a hunter watching a trap, waiting for his prize to fall into place.A sharp wave of suspicion ran through me, completely wiping away the lingering numbness from my tears. Why was Damien sitting out here in the dark? He’d threatened me at the sports complex earlier today, telling me to watch my back and stay out of family business. He’d talked about Marcus setting a trap for my brother, Lucien. Seeing him here, right outside the hospital where Roland was fighting for his life, made my blood run cold.Damien suddenly turned his head, looking left and right down the quiet street to make sure no one was watching him. He checked his side mirrors twice,
POV: JefferyThe horrifying image of Roland’s body collapsing onto the cold ice kept replaying in my mind. I stood by the arena boards, completely paralyzed with fear, as the medical team strapped Roland onto a stretcher and rushed him out through the dark tunnel. The entire arena had fallen silent, but my heart was screaming in my chest.All the anger I’d been holding onto since that terrible afternoon at the bar vanished in an instant. I didn’t care about the woman in the booth anymore. I didn’t care about the secret phone calls, the paparazzi photos, or the ugly headlines spreading across the internet. None of that mattered now. The only thing that mattered in the entire world was whether Roland would survive.I didn’t even bother changing out of my black practice clothes. I threw my heavy coat over my shoulders, ran out of the arena, and got into my car. My hands shook so violently on the steering wheel that I could barely turn the ignition key. Tears blurred my vision as I slam
POV: RolandThe day of the final championship event had finally arrived, but I couldn’t focus at all. The bright lights inside the huge arena were shining down on the ice, and the loud noise of thousands of fans filled the building. People were cheering, waving banners, and waiting to see who would win the gold medal today. On any other day in my career, this kind of high-stakes pressure would make me feel sharp, strong, and ready to dominate the ice. Today, I just felt completely empty inside.I sat on the wooden bench in our private locker room, staring down at my boots. My head was spinning with endless thoughts, and my heart was heavy. I hadn’t been myself ever since Jeffery walked out of my life and moved back to his own apartment. The penthouse felt cold, huge, and hauntingly quiet without him around. Every time I walked past the living room sofa or looked at the empty kitchen counter, I remembered his loud voice, his bright brown eyes, and his fiery spirit.My mind kept racin
POV: Jeffery The bright camera flashes kept popping right in front of my eyes like blinding bursts of light. Reporters shoved their microphones towards my face, shouting questions loudly, but their voices sounded like loud static in my ears. “Jeffery! Look this way! Did Roland lie to you?!” “Roland! Is your ice dance career over before the finals?!” I stood frozen in the middle of the crowded bar, my heart pounding so fast I could barely breathe. Roland stepped in front of me, his tall body blocking the heavy camera lenses. He grabbed my forearm firmly, trying to pull me toward the back exit to get us away from the flashing lights. “Come on, Jeffery,” Roland urged, his low voice tight with urgency. “We need to leave right now. We can’t do this here.” I yanked my arm out of his grip, stepping back into the sea of cameras. I didn’t care that people were filming us on their phones. I didn’t care that reporter microphones were catching every breath I took. I needed him to give me an answ
My fist hit the locker door before I could stop myself. The loud thud echoed down the empty hallway like a gunshot, bouncing off the concrete walls and metal benches. My fists stung immediately, but I barely felt it. The anger was too loud inside my head. "You think this is a game?" I snapped, tur
I stood frozen in the dim concrete hallway, my back pressed against the cold wall like it could somehow save me. The silence pressed down, thick and heavy. My pulse hammered so fiercely I could feel it in my teeth. Every part of me screamed to run, but my legs refused to move. Roland did not rush.
I hated every second of this new life. I hated waking up early for interviews I did not care about. I hated people staring at me everywhere I went like I belonged to them now. I hated the cameras outside Northcrest Academy and the way students suddenly moved aside whenever I walked past. Most of
I lingered in front of the mirror longer than I should have. The reflection staring back at me felt wrong. My black hair replaced the usual silver. Lucien's face looked back instead of my own. It was like a life not meant for me was staring through the glass. I adjusted the collar of my Northcrest







