All Chapters of Ex-Hockey Star Regret: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Nicole’s POV“I want you to know that I see right through you.”Her voice cut through the air like a blade, calm but edged with something cold. I blinked, unsure if I heard her right. She had been staring at me for a moment now, those sharp eyes never breaking away, and suddenly I felt like I’d been pinned under something strong.“Excuse me?” My voice cracked, halfway between confusion and fear.Her lips curved—not into a smile, more like a smirk that told me she’d already made up her mind about me. “I understand what you are. Just another broke college girl trying to get her claws into my son.”“Mum… no, that’s not what’s happening here. He’s just—he’s just helping me out,” I stammered, the word mum slipping from my lips without thinking. I hated how my voice sounded, weak and defensive, like I was begging her to believe me when I wasn’t even sure she wanted to listen.She tilted her head, her smirk hardening into something cruel. “Helping you. I’m sure he is.” Her tone dripped with

Sophia’s POV“Oh please!” I snapped at Nicole before she could say another pathetic thing. I loved the way my voice cut through the room, like a mirror slapped across that smug little face.“Anyway, if you care to know, I ended that yesterday. I do not date backup quarterbacks. Brad is the real deal and we both suit each other, you see.” I smiled, leaned forward, and let the words hang. The smile was meant to close the case: the story of us had already been written, in champagne and glossy photos I always imagined in my head and I needed everyone in this room to believe it because it would soon become a reality.Brad’s mum clapped softly, the kind of delighted noise that sounds like money. “Emerald green would suit him,” she said cheerfully. My plan was working,at least she was buying my idea, hook, line and sinker.“So,” I purred, turning my charm toward Brad's mum , “I told your mum that there’s a football banquet tonight and she agreed that I be your date.” I didn’t even say it lik

Nicole’s POVThe drive to the banquet was quiet, at least from my side. Brad hummed along to some song on the car's audio, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel like it was no big deal, but my stomach had been flipping since we got on the way to the banquet. By the time the hall came into view and glowed gold under the night sky with a red carpet rolled out in front, my nerves were all over the place.It didn’t even look like a school banquet. It looked like something you saw in movies—limos parked in a neat line, glittering gowns flashing under the lights, and girls gliding inside like they belonged there.I tugged a little at the edges of my dress, still half-surprised that it was me wearing it. The dress Brad picked out was just too fancy, as it was nothing close to what I would’ve chosen on my own. A deep red, off-shoulder cut that hugged me in the right places but still flowed down to my knees, which made me look so bold and confident. It wasn’t too loud, but the color alone

Nicole’s POVAs I patiently waited for Brad to meet me where I had sat to wait for him, I kept pressing my phone just to keep my hands busy. The banquet hadn’t officially started yet, so most people were still milling around, laughing too loudly, or making sure they got spotted in the right corner of the hall. I, on the other hand, was doing my best to stay invisible, head bent over my screen, pretending like whatever I was scrolling through was more interesting than the glittering chaos around me.Then, before I could refresh my feed for the tenth time, Brad’s familiar voice came right behind me, smooth and teasing, “Baby, I am right back for you.”I turned quickly, and he was already there, standing tall in that perfectly fitted dark navy suit he wore. His bow tie was slightly loosened like he didn’t even try too hard, yet somehow he still looked like he had stepped straight out of a magazine cover. I forgot to say that the suit had that quiet shine that made him look like the defin

Nicole’s POVJust as we were about to step out of the chaos in the main banquet hall, a security guard’s voice cut through the noise.“Everybody!! Everybody! Hey, hey, just remain calm. We’re gonna head to the exit, alright? We’re sorry for the inconvenience.” He moved through the crowd, holding his hands up like he could hold the whole place together.People started murmuring and some guests checked their coats, others scooped up napkins off their tables. Water still dripped down from the chandeliers, turning the polished floor into a treacherous mirror. Behind us a server cursed under his breath because a tray of champagne had overturned near the stage.Brad suddenly tugged his jacket off before I could object. He wrapped it around my shoulders in one smooth motion, his hands were firm and protective. In turn, I buried my cold face into the collar for a second, feeling both ridiculous and lucky at the same time.“C’mon,” he said, voice low. “There’s a space over there. Let’s go.” He