Semua Bab Fake Dating My Ex's Favourite Hockey Player: Bab 91 - Bab 100

LIAM“Before you start,” Emilia says, twirling her fingers together, “just know I’m a fan, okay? So if you’re gonna burst my bubble — do it slowly.”I huff a laugh. “You can still be one after. Everyone sees a different Jessica than I do anyway.”She nods, encouraging, so I go on.“You remember what I told you? About how growing up rich just made Julie and me outcasts? Our parents thought having more kids would fix that — like throwing children at loneliness was a cure.”Emilia’s quiet. Listening.“By twelve, I could work a stove, change diapers, burp a baby, pick the kids up from school, help with homework — basically everything but file taxes,” I say, my mouth flattening into something bitter. “My mum didn’t believe in help. Eight kids, and she still thought she had something to prove. She wanted to be the perfect housewife, but she sucked at the house part. And the wife part.”Emilia reaches over and lowers the radio volume, eyes still on me. “Isn’t that basically child abuse?”I t

BECCA“Everything is perfect,” Darcy, my wedding planner, chirps through the speaker. I’ve got the phone wedged between my shoulder and ear as I wrestle with the key card to the suite. It takes three tries before the light finally turns green.The moment I get the door open, I wave Tonia off with a tired smile — bless her, she’s been glued to my side all day — and kick the door shut behind me, letting the exhaustion finally settle in.“I do apologise again for the delay with the flowers,” Darcy continues. “But everything’s in place now. The camera crew arrived about an hour ago. They did a few test shots and everything’s working perfectly.”“That’s a relief, Darcy. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.” I rub at the knot in my shoulder, biting back a sigh. The suite is silent, empty. Zane’s probably still out drinking with his friends.And for once, that’s not the part bothering me.Stone’s abrupt disappearance felt like the first clean breath I’ve had in weeks. With any luck

EMILIA “Diana Vanderbilt. Twenty-two years old. Stanford graduate at twenty, dual degrees in business management and software development. At fifteen, she pitched the integration of predictive AI algorithms into Vanderbilt Holdings’ financial analytics suite — a move that slashed risk margins by 38% and tripled profits in under two years. Only recognised child of Genevieve and Andrew Vanderbilt. Heir to their billion-dollar empire. Spends her time between golf clubs, tech summits, and black-tie galas. Owns six Range Rovers, vacation homes on every continent, and is allegedly already done with her PhD.” I exhale. “All that’s missing is her blood type, coffee order, and the name of her pet snake.” “A positive. Venti iced white mocha, extra caramel drizzle, vanilla sweet cream cold foam, five pumps of white mocha, four toffee nut, two hazelnut, topped with whip and cinnamon dolce sprinkles. Blonde espresso shot. Oat milk. Light ice. And Vixi.” I pull the phone away from my ear and

TESSAI’m halfway through my mascara when my phone buzzes.Lyle: You can find your way to the hotel, right? I can meet you there but I won’t be able to pick you up.I nearly poke my own eye out.Of course he can’t pick me up. Of course.I’m this close to texting Lyle back something that could peel the paint off every wall in Manhattan — but then Theo sends a photo.And just like that, my priorities realign.It’s a Hello Kitty charm dangling from his rearview mirror. But not just any Hello Kitty — she’s decked out in a New York Titans jersey and a matching cap.Theo: Got my niece tickets to their first game of the season. This was her return gift.Me: That’s adorable. But shouldn’t you have kept those tickets for yourself? Pretty sure that’s the closest you’ll ever get to the ice.Theo: Well played, considering you’re taking a man you can clearly do better than as your date to your cousin’s engagement party.Me: I’ll pretend you didn’t say that. How’s it going with the girl?Theo: Horr

TESSAIt takes exactly three seconds for Anastasia to register me. She eyes me lazily, a grin spreading on her face. Lyle jerks away like he’s been tasered and scrambles to cover up what I can never unsee.I just stare. Blank. Numb.Then I slowly back out of the room, pulling the door shut with the same care someone might use to contain a wild animal.I stand there for a moment, breathing.And then I laugh.Unhinged. Quiet. Maybe a little hysterical.Because really — what else is there left to do?So I open the door again.And walk back in.Lyle’s halfway into his boxers, clumsy and red-faced, muttering something no one’s listening to.“Tess, please,” he says, rushing toward me. “It wasn’t—I didn’t think you’d get here this early—”I step back, avoiding his touch by a fraction. “So to kill time you might as well fuck your date’s cousin? Wonderful.”He flinches like he's been slapped. “I’m sorry, Tessie, I—”I raise a hand. He stops mid-sentence like I’ve cast a spell on him.Anastasia