Lahat ng Kabanata ng Fake Dating My Ex's Favourite Hockey Player: Kabanata 151 - Kabanata 160

EMILIABy the time Lacey and Julie drop us off at the hotel, I’m running on fumes. My feet ache, my legs are screaming, and even pressing the elevator button feels like a full-body workout.Somewhere between the lobby and the elevator, Tessa vanishes — probably off charming the front desk clerk — and texts me to “go warm up the room.” Which is her code for “make sure no serial killer is hiding in the closet.”Ever since we watched that one true crime documentary back in college, she’s refused to stay in a hotel room alone. We ended up booking a suite big enough for the both of us.Not that I mind. Sharing means she pays half — and I get someone to scream at the creepy hallway noises with.When I step into the elevator, Liam’s name flashing across my screen lights me up like a kid on Christmas morning.“Hey, love,” he says the moment I answer, and I can hear the smile in his voice. Mine matches it instantly.“Hi. Are you at the hotel already?”“Yeah, rooming with Wolfe,” he sighs. “I h

EMILIAIt all happens so fast. One second, Liam’s in the doorway—chest heaving, eyes locked on Zane like he’s about to commit a felony—and the next, he’s in front of me. His hands land gently on my shoulders, steady but trembling.“Are you okay?”His voice is tight, careful, like he’s forcing the rage down just to focus on me. His gaze sweeps over me, checking every inch he can see, and I can tell he’s barely holding it together.It takes me a moment to catch up. “I—I’m fine,” I manage, though my voice shakes. “I just…”Then I set my phone on the table, the screen still cracked, and it hits me. I must have called him first—my emergency contact.When I look back at him, dishevelled, flushed, and out of breath, something in me breaks a little. He must’ve driven like a maniac to get here. My throat tightens, and before I can stop it, my eyes blur with tears.Liam pulls me into his arms before the first tear falls. His hand moves in slow, steady circles on my back.“What happened, love? T

LIAMGetting torn a new one twice in one day does nothing for my mood. The only reason Coach doesn’t bench half the roster and redesign tomorrow’s lineup from scratch is because Chicago played just as badly as we did. Which isn’t comforting—it just means even while we tied in mediocrity, they won.After another round of video reviews and going over our formations for the umpteenth time, Coach finally lets us off the hook. Slightly. He literally orders us to head straight back to our hotels.He doesn’t have to. No one’s in the mood for drinks. No one’s in the mood for anything.We just want to disappear, shower, and pretend this game never happened.Not that Cam would ever let us stew in misery. By the time I’m out of the shower, towel over my head, he’s already suited up. Being the only one Coach doesn’t currently want to strangle means he got to shower early while the rest of us sat through review hell.Cam claps his hands once, loud, like he’s starting a team-building exercise nobod

EMILIASEVEN MONTHS LATER“Don’t push my lattes — they’re steaming, you fucker!” Tessa snarls at the guy in the red Bullhawks jersey shoving past us, and I have to bite back my smile.We’re not even inside the arena yet. Just outside Centre Bell and already it feels like we’re standing in the middle of a national emergency. Montreal fans are everywhere — face paint, flags, megaphones, and chants that sound half like French and half like threats.Julie’s clutching her bullhorn-blue scarf like it’s a life vest. “Okay… this is actually terrifying.”“That’s because Montreal actually cares about hockey,” Tessa mutters, still burning holes into Red Jersey’s spine. I’m genuinely convinced she’s memorising his face for later revenge. “Also because you look like Liam’s sister. They can smell it.”Julie snorts. “Please. They’re booing at everyone wearing blue.”“No,” Tessa says, pointing dramatically at me, “they booed directly at Emilia’s face. That was targeted.”“I’m wearing Liam’s jersey,”

EMILIA“Do you think it’s hot in Italy?”Tessa groans like the question has personally wronged her. I pull back from our hug, adjusting the tote on her shoulder — her gift, which she’s sworn not to open until she lands in Amalfi. Her actual handbag is hanging miserably off Aaron’s arm like he’s her overworked personal assistant. Not that he seems to mind, he barely takes his eyes off her, like he’s only half listening to Liam.I bite back a smile. Cute.“Do you want the truth or comfort?” I ask.“Comfort,” she says instantly, eyes wide and doomed.“It’s freezing,” I lie smoothly. “Pack a duvet.”She narrows her eyes. “So it’s bad.”“It’s… warm.”“It’s hell, isn’t it?” she whispers. “This man is trying to kill me.”He’s trying to marry you, but I swallow that whole secret down before it spills like an emotional crime scene across the airport floor.Honestly? Liam was right not to tell me. Because looking at Tessa now — so in love, so shiny, so stressed about the weather — it takes ever