Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

MELISSA'S POV “Brown! MOVE YOUR FEET!” Coach’s voice split through the ice. I didn’t flinch. Skate. Pass. Drop shoulder. Cut left. Blow past number fourteen. “Oh my gosh!,” someone from the French bench muttered as I slipped through their defense like a damn shadow. “Melissa!” Xavier barked. I ignored him. Of course he was yelling again. That guy never shut up. “Back right!” he shouted. I already knew. I flicked the puck backwards without looking. His stick caught it with a loud clack, and a second later, the crowd screamed. Goal. I didn’t celebrate. I never did. Instead, I skated back to center ice and waited for the puck drop. Xavier coasted over to me, grinning like a devil. “You’re welcome,” he said, smirking. I didn’t look at him. “You mean I passed you the puck.” “Teamwork, baby.” I glared at him. “Don’t call me baby.” He laughed. “You’re so grumpy when we’re winning.” “I’m always grumpy.” He winked. “Hmm, right.” I didn’t respond. The whistle

MELISSA'S POV“Mel?” I looked up from my half-zipped duffel to see Katrina leaning against the doorway, phone clutched in her hand. “Hey,” she said, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Just wanted to say… you were good out there. Like, really good.” I blinked. “Thanks.” She gave a half-shrug, then smiled. Or tried to. It looked forced. “You okay?” I asked, straightening up. “Me?” Her voice shot up an octave. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” I tilted my head. “You’ve got bags under your eyes.” Katrina scoffed, dragging her fingers under her lids like it was nothing. “Just tired. You try screaming for two hours straight and looking cute after.” I crossed my arms. “Nightmares?” She hesitated. That pause was all I needed. “They started again?” I asked, quieter. “It’s fine.” “Katrina.” “I said it’s fine.” I stepped forward. “You should talk to someone. Maybe Dr. Rami again.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need a therapist.” “You said that last time. Then you stoppe

MELISSA'S POV I stepped out of the cab and pulled my hoodie tighter. The cold bit at my cheeks as I walked up the stairs to my place. Third floor. Quiet street. A corner unit with big windows and soft yellow curtains. Not huge. Not fancy. Just plain, normal for the kind of life I'm living. But it was mine and that's all that matters. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Warm air greeted me. Wooden floors. A bookshelf filled with old hockey medals, pageant crowns, and folded workout towels. One side of the living room was all weights and resistance bands. Gotta stay fit. The other? A full-length mirror and a lighted vanity table. It didn’t look like it should work. But somehow, it did. I kicked off my sneakers and tossed my duffel down. I placed my phone on the couch and took in a deep breath. It's been a long day. Finally. I sighed, my legs ached but there's this peace that comes when I stare at all my medals and remember all my achievements. It's worth every painful j

MELISSA'S POV “No. No. No.”That was not—“Xavier?!” I said before I could stop myself.He turned around like this was normal.Like I wasn’t standing here with my mouth open.Like I hadn’t just signed a modeling contract, only to see him standing at the center of the studio — in front of the lights, dressed in all black, hair pushed back, arms crossed like this was his set.My blood ran cold.“Hey,” he said casually.Marco stepped up beside me, smiling. “Don’t look so shocked! You two do know each other. Half the internet thinks you’re dating already.”I blinked. “What?”“Oh, come on,” Marco laughed. “That one video of you two at the fundraiser? That clip has like three million views. People are obsessed. Honestly, I thought the tension was part of the appeal.”“Tension?” I repeated.Xavier shrugged, like this wasn’t weird. “We’ve met.”Marco grinned. “Iconic.”“We’re on the same team,” I said tightly.“Exactly! It’s perfect. The chemistry, the backstory, the looks—this campaign is go

XAVIER'S POV I stepped out onto the balcony, closing the glass door behind me. The cold air hit my skin, but it helped. I needed something to snap me out of my own head.I stared down at the street below and answered the call.“Katrina.”Her voice came through soft, tired. “Hey, babe.”I ran a hand through my hair. “Everything okay?”“Yeah. Just wanted to hear your voice.”I paused. “…It’s late.”“I know. I couldn’t sleep.”There was something off in her voice. “Did something happen?”“No. I’ve just… been overthinking.”“About what?”She laughed a little, but it didn’t sound happy. “Everything. Life. The press. My career. Us.”I leaned against the railing. “Don’t spiral, Kat.”“I’m trying not to. I just—sometimes I feel like you don’t talk to me anymore.”I blinked. “I’m talking to you now.”“That’s not what I mean.”I stayed quiet.She continued. “Like... I know you’re busy. But I don’t feel close to you lately.”Guilt tugged at my chest.Was she wrong? No.Was I ready to admit that?