All Chapters of SHATTERED ICE:One rink, bound by betrayal : Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

Samantha’s POV We followed the headset man down the hall. His steps were sharp and impatient. Mine were heavy with dread. Anthony muttered curses the entire way until we finally reached the entrance to the rink.The blast of cold air hit us first, so sharp it stung my cheeks. Skaters and dancers moved across the ice practicing different routines while staff hurried around with clipboards and earpieces.The headset man pointed toward a short man in an oversized scarf who was yelling instructions at a group of performers. “That is the director. Go stand there.”I rolled my eyes as we both walked over.My head felt heavy, like every step was powered by frustration instead of actual strength. I could feel Anthony beside me, tense, irritated, vibrating with the kind of anger he usually kept tightly measured.The director didn’t even look at us before barking, “Wear your skates. You will join the next rotation.”Anthony let out a small bitter laugh that made several nearby performers glanc

Samantha’s POVI kept my chin up as I stepped onto the cold surface of the rink. My legs felt stiff inside the borrowed skates and my entire mind buzzed with irritation. The fluorescent lights above hummed quietly, the empty rows of seats echoed every tiny sound, and the bitter scent of the ice hit my throat as I breathed in. Everything about this moment felt wrong. Too rushed. Too unprepared. Too humiliating.Anthony skated beside me, one hand brushing my waist just like we agreed. The moment his fingers touched me, I felt the familiar reassurance that always came with him, but today it was fragile. His jaw was tight, and I could tell he was still furious about the director’s attitude and the fact that he could barely see without his contacts. I squeezed his hand gently, reminding him that we could get through this stupid rehearsal together.The director stood at the edge of the rink with his arms crossed. His expression remained fixed in an unimpressed scowl, as if we were alrea

Anthony’s POVI was still fuming when we stepped outside the event center and realized there was no van, no car, no ride waiting for us. The entire place had emptied out so fast it looked like the building had spat everyone out and slammed the doors behind them. Samantha glanced around too, rubbing her arms as the Paris evening breeze brushed against us.I took a breath, checked my phone, and groaned the second the notification popped up. Of course Cole had texted. Of course it was bad news. I turned the screen toward the nearest light and read it twice just to confirm I was not hallucinating from exhaustion.Running late. Still in the meeting. You two should walk. Hotel is only a twelve minute walk from the center.I stared at the message, letting the irritation sink slowly under my skin like heat from a stove. Then I turned the screen toward Samantha.“Look at this. Look at what this genius just sent.”She leaned in, squinting at the phone. “Oh.”“Oh?” I muttered, sliding the phon

Anthony’s POVCole continued, clearly pacing. “I have been in the meeting with the event chairs. They are understaffed, stressed, and frankly incompetent. I am trying to keep things from falling apart. Isaac should be landing in about an hour. Once he gets here, he will take charge of everything. He already told me to make sure you two rest.”I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Rest? In a single room? With one key? After skating blind in front of a man who thinks he invented pressure?”Cole exhaled sharply, and I imagined him rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I know. I know. I am pissed too. But please. Just go upstairs. Try to rest. Things will be corrected by tomorrow morning. The organizers owe us. Isaac will handle it.”I pressed my tongue against my teeth. “Cole, we did not even have training gear. No one informed us. The director tore into us like we were preschoolers learning how to glide.”“I heard,” he said. His tone darkened. “And trust me, I already told the board. It will

Isaac’s POV I knew it was only going to take little for Anthony to burst out. He had been holding back his irritation and anger at the airport before departure. Anthony had a short fuse and had little tolerance for rubbish and insults. If he felt he was being cornered, he would reply accordingly. So I wasn’t surprised there.“Oh he is pissed,” Cole added. “The man called me five minutes later. Claims Anthony disrespected him and that he is considering pulling them off the lineup. That is how I found out about all of this.”I pressed a hand to my forehead, torn between rage, exhaustion, and a petty kind of satisfaction. “So he insulted them first, forced a dangerous performance, provided no equipment, then gets offended when the athlete he endangers talks back. Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. This entire event sounds like a clown festival.”Cole snorted. “You have no idea.”My jaw tightened as I resumed walking through the terminal.The director picking a fight with Anthony was reck