All Chapters of Breaking Up With The Hottest Man On Ice : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Jake's POVI stared at the bank statements Ana had given us.Margaret Sullivan. Account holder.Liam Hartford. Recipient.Five thousand euros. Eight years ago. Memo: "Consultation services."Then two thousand euros. Every single year after. Like clockwork.The last payment: six months ago.Right before Liam's obsession turned violent."Jake?" Emma's voice pulled me back. "Are you okay?""No."We were in my car. Parked outside Ana's office. Neither of us had moved since we got the documents twenty minutes ago."What are you going to do?" Emma asked quietly."I'm going to talk to my mother.""Jake—""She hired him, Emma. She paid someone to stalk you for eight years. She knew where you were. She knew about Alex. And she said nothing.""Maybe she didn't know Liam would become obsessed.""I don't care. She pointed a stranger at you and paid him to watch you. That's not protection. That's control."I started the car."Where are we going?""To my mother's house. Right now.""Jake, maybe we

Emma's POV 8 Years AgoThe plane touched down in Lisbon on a gray October morning.I was three months pregnant. Alone. Terrified.And holding fifty thousand dollars that felt like blood money.The hostel I found was cheap. Fifteen euros a night. Shared bathroom down the hall. Thin walls where I could hear everything.But it was all I could afford until I figured out what to do next.I lay on the narrow bed staring at the ceiling. My hand on my still-flat stomach.Inside me, Jake's baby was growing. A secret I would carry forever.The nausea hit around noon. I barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up. Again. For the third time that day.Morning sickness was a lie. It was all-day sickness.When I got back to my room, I called the only person who knew where I was."Sarah?""Emma! Oh my god, are you okay? Did you make it?""I'm here. I'm in Portugal.""How are you feeling?""Sick. Scared. Alone.""I'm coming.""What?""I'm coming to Portugal. You're not doing this alone.""Sara

Emma's POV - 6 Years AgoAlex was two years old and obsessed with hockey.I didn't plan it. Didn't mean for it to happen.But one night when he was fussy and wouldn't sleep, I turned on a game. Just for background noise.He stopped crying immediately. Stared at the screen like it was magic."Goal!" the announcer shouted."Goal!" Alex repeated. Clear as day.His second word. After "Mama."From that night on, he wanted to watch hockey constantly. Every game I could find. He'd sit on the couch next to me, eyes glued to the screen.Especially when Jake played.Jake was in the NHL by then. Living his dream. Skating for the Chicago Blackhawks.I told myself I only watched his games for Alex. But that was a lie.I watched because I missed him. Because seeing him on screen was the only connection I had left."Dada?" Alex would point at Jake sometimes.My heart would stop. "No, baby. That's just a hockey player."But he looked so much like Jake already. The same eyes. The same stubborn cowlick

Emma's POV - 1 Year AgoLife was finally stable.Not good. Not comfortable. But stable.I'd been working for the cleaning company for three years. The pay was still terrible, but it was steady. Predictable.We had a safe apartment. Small, but in a decent neighborhood. Alex had his own room. We weren't hungry.For the first time in eight years, I could breathe.Alex was seven. Doing well in school. Excelling at hockey.He played for a local youth team. I bought his equipment secondhand, but he didn't care. He just loved playing.He was so much like Jake. Natural talent. Pure joy when he was on the ice.Watching him play was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.One evening in October, we were having dinner when Alex asked the question I'd been dreading."Mom, why don't I have a dad?"I set down my fork. "You do have a dad, baby.""But where is he?""He's... far away. Living his own life.""Why doesn't he live with us?"How do you explain this to a seven-year-old? How do you tel

Emma's POVMy heart stopped when I saw the police officers at the door."What happened?" I asked, moving to stand beside Jake. "Is Alex okay?""Your son is fine, Ms. Reed," the officer said. "This is about Liam Hartley."Jake stepped aside. "Come in."The two officers entered. A man and a woman. Both looked tired. Like they'd been working all night."Liam Hartley was arrested approximately two hours ago," the male officer said."For what?" Jake asked."Attempted breaking and entering. He tried to break into an apartment on Rua Augusta. The current tenant woke up, saw him trying to force the window open, and called us.""Rua Augusta?" I said slowly. "That's where I used to live. Before I moved here.""We know. Mr. Hartley didn't seem to realize you'd moved. When we arrested him, he kept saying he needed to talk to you. That you'd understand."My skin crawled. "I don't understand anything about Liam.""He violated the restraining order," the female officer added. "He'll likely face jail