Semua Bab BORROWED LOVE ON ICE : Bab 61 - Bab 70

MELISSA’S POVThe house felt too big. Too quiet. Too empty.I wandered from the couch to the minibar in the corner of my living room, the sound of my own footsteps echoing like I was a stranger in my own space. My cheeks were still damp, my eyes swollen from crying, and my chest ached in that dull, suffocating way that only comes after hours of holding back sobs you couldn’t contain anymore.I stood there for a moment, staring at the bottles lined up neatly like soldiers ready for duty. My fingers hovered over them before settling on one with a label I didn’t even bother reading. All I knew was that it was strong—65% alcohol. The kind of burn that doesn’t just warm your throat, it sears its way down, demanding to be felt.I grabbed a clean glass from the shelf, my hands trembling, and poured it. The smell alone was sharp enough to make my eyes sting again. I lifted it halfway, hesitating.“You know, Mel,” I muttered under my breath, my voice raspy from crying, “you’re a strong girl. Y

XAVIER'S POV I sat in the driver’s seat for what felt like hours, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned pale. Melissa’s voice was still ringing in my head, raw and sharp like a blade.Get out. Get the fuck out of my house, Xavier.Those words replayed on a loop, each repetition cutting deeper. I didn’t even know about her disqualification from the Miss England pageant until she’d thrown it in my face. And now… knowing it was indirectly because of me—it was like someone had punched me in the gut and refused to let go.I’d never seen Melissa like that before. Broken. Shaking. Eyes swollen from crying, her voice trembling with fury. She’s one of the strongest women I know, and for her to crumble like that… it meant the damage was worse than I’d realized.The engine was still running, but I wasn’t going anywhere. My thoughts were tangled, knotted so tight I couldn’t pull them apart.What the hell am I supposed to do now?I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to thi

MELISSA’S POVMy life was in a big mess.Everything I had worked for felt like it was slipping away, one thread at a time. The pageant was gone, my reputation was under attack, and every time I tried to breathe, it felt like the walls were caving in on me. To make things worse, Kat would be going back to place, and with her gone, I’d lose the only sense of comfort I had left. I couldn’t afford to keep pretending everything was fine.I needed answers. And I needed them from Marco.The problem was… he hadn’t sent me the terms of leaving. No notice, no conditions, no explanation. Just silence. I didn’t know if his silence was strategy or punishment. But one thing was clear—if I didn’t face him, I’d drown in uncertainty.So, with my chest tight and my mind restless, I made my way to the studio.The familiar smell of freshly polished floors and perfume lingered in the air, but before I could even get to Marco’s office, I nearly collided with someone at the corridor.Venessa.Of course.Sh

MELISSA’S POVThe ride back to my apartment felt endless, the city lights blurring into streaks of white and amber against the tinted glass. My head leaned against the cool window, but there was no comfort in it. My mind was a carousel spinning too fast, pulling me from one thought to the next until I felt dizzy.Louis.The name itself made my chest tighten. It had been years since we’d broken things off—years since I told myself I’d moved on. After he left the country, it was easier to believe that. Out of sight, out of mind… or so I’d thought. But seeing him again, even briefly, entering Marco’s office had cracked something wide open inside me.It didn’t make sense. Or maybe it did, and I was just the last to know. The thought alone made me feel foolish, like I was always standing at the edge of everyone else’s truth.I exhaled sharply, forcing my shoulders to drop. “Let it go, Melissa,” I muttered under my breath, pressing my palm against my temple. “You’ll ask Marco tomorrow. You’

XAVIER’S POVThe night air bit against my skin as I staggered toward my car, the heavy smell of whiskey and gin still clinging to my breath. I leaned against the driver’s door, fumbling with my keys as my vision swam. My head felt heavy, my thoughts even heavier. I could barely focus, and yet, some stubborn part of me believed I was still in control.I had drunk far more than I should have. Too much. My cushion of logic was blurred, my senses dulled, but in the haze, I convinced myself that I could still handle it. I could drive home. I didn’t need anyone’s help.Sliding into the driver’s seat, I gripped the steering wheel with trembling hands. The leather felt colder than usual, or maybe my palms were simply clammy from the alcohol running through my system. My reflection in the rearview mirror was unrecognizable—red eyes, pale cheeks, and a haunted look I couldn’t shake.Melissa’s face kept flashing before me. Her tear-stained eyes, the tremble in her lips, the way she always tried