The Stand-in wife : Married to my Hockey Ex

Avelina’s POV 

Zayne's warm breath brushed against my neck as I lay curled up in his arms, the morning sunlight gently peeking through the curtains. His fingers lazily traced circles on my bare back while I rested my head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was one of those slow mornings where the world outside didn’t matter, where it was just him and me—our own little bubble of warmth and laughter.

"You're so clingy in the mornings," he teased, nudging my nose with his.

"You love it," I murmured, smiling as I kissed his jaw.

He laughed, that deep, husky laugh that always made my stomach flutter. "You're right. I do."

We rolled around in the sheets for a while, play-fighting, tickling, kissing. He pinned me down gently, his face hovering over mine. "Say you're mine."

"I’m yours," I whispered, giggling.

"Forever?"

"Forever."

He kissed me again, slower this time, like he wanted to memorize the moment. I was so lost in him that I almost forgot about time.

“Hey,” I said, poking his side. “When are you leaving for that hockey tournament?”

His eyes lit up instantly. “This weekend. I’m flying out this Saturday. Mikhail and I have to meet up with the rest of the team for training.”

My smile faded a little. “So soon?”

“Yeah,” he said, sitting up and stretching. “It’s a big deal, babe. Scouts will be there, media, sponsors. I have to be in top form.”

I nodded slowly, trying to hide my disappointment.

He looked at me, and his smile softened. “Come with me.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Come with me. I need someone to cheer me up, to keep me sane through all the madness. That someone’s you, Avelina.”

I bit my lip. “I can’t. I have to stay with my mom. She’s still not fully recovered.”

Zayne groaned, throwing himself back onto the bed. “Avelina, I can get her a caregiver. A really good one. Did you forget who you’re dating? Son of a billionaire? Richest hockey player in the world?”

I laughed, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “I didn’t forget. Trust me, I know exactly who I’m dating.”

He blushed slightly, something I found incredibly adorable. He always tried to act confident, but little things like that gave him away.

“I appreciate you caring, Zayne. I really do,” I said, brushing his hair out of his face. “But I have to stay. Not just for my mom… there’s something else.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What?”

I took a deep breath. “Yesterday… my mom told me something. Something huge. She said… she’s not my biological mom.”

Zayne’s expression changed instantly. “Wait—what?”

“She gave me a photo of a girl my age. Said she’s my twin sister, but not identical. She asked me to find her.”

He sat up straighter, his eyes wide. “That’s… that’s crazy. Didn’t she tell you how she got the photo, or where to find her?”

I shook my head. “She didn’t explain much. Just said it was time I knew the truth. She said I have to find her. My real family. But… I don’t even know where to start.”

Zayne placed his hand gently on mine. “If you want help, I’ll help you. I mean, damn, I could probably find them in a week with the right resources.”

I gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks, but I’m not even sure I’m ready to meet them. I didn’t grow up with them. They’re strangers to me.”

“You’ll get used to them,” he said softly, “Just like you got used to me.”

I laughed. “You were impossible at first.”

“And you were irresistible.”

We kissed again, and for a moment, the world felt right. But then, I started to feel… strange. A wave of weakness hit me, and my stomach turned.

"Not again," I muttered, pressing a hand to my forehead.

Zayne sat up quickly. “What do you mean ‘again’? Avelina?”

“I don’t know… I’ve been feeling this way a lot lately. Nauseous. Dizzy.”

He didn’t waste a second. “Get dressed. We’re going to the hospital.”

---

The hospital was cold and too white. After a few tests, the doctor came in with a gentle smile.

“Congratulations,” she said. “You’re pregnant.”

Time stopped.

I turned to Zayne, expecting a smile, shock—anything. But his face was unreadable. He didn’t say a word the entire ride back home. I kept stealing glances at him, but his jaw was clenched, eyes on the road.

When we got home, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t look at me. “You have to get rid of it.”

My heart dropped. “What?”

He turned to face me now, voice louder. “I can’t marry you, Avelina. My parents would never approve of you. They’d be disappointed in me.”

I backed away, stunned. “How…but… I thought you loved me.”

He walked up to me slowly, held my arms gently, looked into my eyes. “I do. But we don’t have a future Avelina. Not even with this baby.”

I looked down at my stomach, my voice trembling as I whispered, “Why, Zayne? Why don’t we have a future together?”

He sighed, not meeting my eyes. “Even if I told you… you wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” I snapped, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I deserve to know!”

He looked at me, his jaw clenched, eyes stormy—but then he turned away again, shaking his head. “Just do what I said, Avelina. Abort the baby please!.”

I took a shaky step forward, my hands cradling my stomach. “Our baby,” I said, voice breaking. “You talk about our child like it’s a mistake.”

“It is,” he said. “That baby has no future. Neither do we if you keep it.”

Tears streamed down my face. “I can’t, Zayne. I can’t have an abortion.”

His eyes darkened. “Then you have to choose. Me, or the baby.”

I couldn’t breathe. “You’re serious?”

He nodded. “If you want me, you’ll get rid of it. If not, this—us—is over.”

I sobbed, shaking my head. “Don’t do this to me…”

He raised his voice. “Five seconds. Make a choice.”

“Zayne, please!”

“Four.”

“I can’t kill my baby!”

“Three.”

“I love you…”

“Two.”

“…but I won’t do it.”

“One.”

His hands dropped from me like I was nothing. “Then we’re done. And when you give birth to that thing, keep it away from me.”

He stormed out, slammed the door, and I ran after him, barefoot, crying. “Zayne, wait!”

My heart felt like it had been torn in two. I ran into the street without thinking, lost in the storm inside me. Cars honked. People shouted. But I couldn't hear anything beyond the scream in my chest.

I reached the middle of the road when headlights came blazing toward me—bright, blinding, and fast.

Screech.

Crash.

The car slammed into my side with brutal force. My body flew through the air like a rag doll, twisting midair before crashing onto the asphalt with a sickening thud.

CRACK.

Pain exploded through me—my ribs felt crushed, my leg twisted at an unnatural angle, and something warm gushed from my head. I could feel my own blood soaking into the road beneath me.

People were screaming. Tires skidded to a halt. Somewhere, someone yelled to call an ambulance.

I couldn’t move. My arms were numb. My lips trembled. Every breath burned like fire.

A single tear slipped from the corner of my eye, rolling down my bloodied cheek.

I opened my mouth, tasting metal and regret.

“Zayn…” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I love you… Don’t do this…”

And then—

Darkness.

Everything faded. The noise. The pain. The world.

Gone.