All Chapters of The Stand-in wife : Married to my Hockey Ex: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

AvelinaI couldn’t take my eyes off her. My chest tightened so hard I forgot how to breathe.Then Zane’s hand touched mine, warm, steady, pulling me back to the moment. He bent closer, his voice low. “Here, you dropped this.”I blinked and looked down. The ring. He pressed it back into my palm, his fingers lingering just a little. “Are you okay?”My lips trembled. The words scraped out of me, thin and shaky. “Y-yeah… I’m fine.”I forced myself to look back at the crowd, at the spot where she had been.But she was gone.My stomach dropped. Empty rows, curious stares, guests whispering to each other. No trace of her. No trace of Alina.Was I losing my mind?Before I could think too long, my parents came forward. My mother’s voice was tight, worried. “Alina, are you all right?” My father’s hand hovered near my arm, as if he was afraid I might collapse. “Is everything okay?”Heat rushed to my face. Everyone was watching. I shook my head quickly, forcing a small, nervous smile. “No, no, I

AvelinaI sat on the floor, folding my things into the drawer, trying to make this room feel like mine. Zane was by the window, phone pressed to his ear, talking in that sharp, confident tone he always used when it came to hockey.“Yes, coach, I’ll be there… no, don’t worry, I’ll handle it. The tournament’s in two weeks? Good. Send me the new lineup tomorrow. Yeah, I’m ready.”When he hung up, he suddenly burst out laughing. I froze, watching him, then picked up my phone from the bed and waved it at him. “What’s so funny?” I asked.“Nothing,” he said quickly, still grinning.I rolled my eyes and went back to folding clothes. I didn’t care, or at least I pretended I didn’t.But then he leaned against the wall, eyes still on me. “You looked beautiful today,” he said, “but that gown—” he let out a chuckle, “—was a no-no for me.”My head snapped up, my eyes widening. “Why are you bringing this up now? The wedding is already over. People have seen me. People have seen the dress. Everyone

AvelinaI blinked at her, my voice breaking through the tension. “How the hell do you expect me to get money from them? I’m not even close to these people. I just came back. I barely know them—hell, I’ve barely looked them in the eye since I returned.”Alina leaned in, her smirk twisting into something darker. “Then you’ll have to steal. Steal from them, Avelina Costa… or should I say, Avelina Volkov?”Her words struck me like a slap. I recoiled, my pulse pounding in my ears. “No. I can’t do that. That’s not why I’m here.”Alina’s eyes glinted as she folded her arms. “Then you leave me no choice. I’ll go public. I’ll reveal everything—how you’re living as an imposter, wearing my face, married to my husband. Imagine the scandal, Avelina. The great Volkovs humiliated, and Zayne watching his perfect world burn because his bride isn’t who she claims to be.”I froze, staring at her. My chest tightened with rage and fear. She’s the devil. My own twin, and she’s the devil.“So you’re blackma

AvelinaLater that night, I sat in a corner booth of a quiet café, my fingers drumming against the table as I stared at the door. I had been waiting almost twenty minutes for mama, and Kyle. A latte cooled in front of me, untouched except for the steam that had already begun to fade. Every few seconds, I checked the time on my phone, wondering what could possibly be holding them up.Finally, impatience got the better of me. I picked up my phone and dialed her number.She answered on the third ring, her voice soft, almost apologetic. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. We couldn’t make it. Someone came to the house earlier. Zayne sent him… just to help us, you know? It was kind of him, but if we leave now, the help will notice. And if he reports back to Zane—”I slammed my eyes shut, pressing my forehead against my hand. “Damn it.” The curse slipped out before I could stop myself. My stomach twisted as the reality sank in. Zayne’s shadow was already there, watching them. Watching her. Watching Kyl

ZayneThe drive home was quieter than the dinner had been. The laughter and warmth from the restaurant lingered like smoke after a fire, but neither of us seemed willing to fan it back to life. By the time I pulled into the driveway, the air inside the car was thick with unspoken words.Alina reached for the handle, eager to escape the silence, but my hand shot out, catching hers. Her skin was warm beneath my palm, sending a jolt up my arm.“Wait,” I said, my voice lower than I intended.She froze, half-turned toward the door. Slowly, her eyes lifted to mine. The dim glow from the dashboard softened her features, and for a heartbeat, all I saw was her. Just her.I leaned in, closing the space between us inch by inch. My breath mingled with hers, the air charged with something fragile, something dangerous. My lips hovered just a breath away from hers—And then she pulled back, quick and sharp. Her expression hardened as she slipped her hand free. Without a word, she opened the door and