All Chapters of Dear Ex Boyfriend, The Hot Hockey Captain is My New Date.: Chapter 141 - Chapter 150

Hailey’s POVRyan’s schedule was insane.I didn’t realize it until I was halfway through it, running from one place to another with his phone buzzing every five minutes and my shirt sticking to my back from sweat. Pharmacy. Private lab. Secure courier. A doctor’s call I had to reschedule because he was too nauseous to talk. By the time I finished the last errand, my legs felt weak.I sat down hard on a bench outside the building, chest rising fast. Sweat rolled down my temples, dampening my hairline.“Jesus,” I muttered under my breath, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand.I checked the time.My stomach dropped.“The report,” I whispered. “Damn it.”Ryan’s final report for the organization. The one only he handled. The one he trusted no one else to touch. I had promised him I’d file it today.I pushed myself up immediately, legs protesting, and walked fast to my car. The heat hit me full force the moment I opened the door. The steering wheel was hot under my palms as I pulled

Hailey’s POVThe cold bites into my teeth as I take another spoonful, but I don’t slow down. The sweetness helps. Or maybe I just want something to focus on that isn’t the knot sitting in my chest. Roy is halfway through his cone, relaxed now, shoulders loose, one ankle hooked around the leg of the chair.I glance at the counter through the window again.“Wait,” I say suddenly, standing up.Roy looks up, confused. “What—did you drop something?”“No.” I hesitate, then clear my throat. “I want to get some extra.”“For later?” he asks.“For Ryan.”The name lands between us. Roy doesn’t stiffen, but I feel the subtle shift. He leans back, studies my face like he’s reading between lines I haven’t spoken yet.“He still deserves something,” I add quickly. “Even if he’s being… difficult.”Roy exhales slowly, then nods. “Yeah. He does.”Relief loosens my shoulders more than I expect. I go back inside and order another cup, carefully asking for Ryan’s favorite without even thinking about it. My

Hailey’s POVThe library smells like old paper and quiet.It’s the only place in this school that still feels safe to me. No whispers. No eyes cutting into my back. Just rows of books that don’t judge, don’t lie, don’t demand anything. I slip into my usual corner, drop my bag beside the chair, and sit down, closing my eyes for a moment.'Breathe in.Breathe out.' I murmuredMy heart is still racing from earlier, but the silence helps. It always does. Reading, being alone—this has been my coping habit long before boys, mafia houses, or broken trust ever entered my life.Then I hear heavy footsteps. I don’t need to look up to know who it is.“Didn’t expect to find you hiding here,” Brighton says, his voice low and smug.I open my eyes and finally lift my head.He’s standing between two shelves, blocking the exit. No one else is around. The librarian must be on break. Of course he chose now.I don’t react. I don’t shrink back. I just watch him calmly.He grins wider. “Guess no one’s comin

Hailey's pov I glanced over at Roy as he drove us down that quiet back road, the streetlights flickering like distant stars through the windshield. The engine hummed softly, a steady rhythm that matched the quickening beat of my heart. We'd been flirting all evening at the party, his hand brushing mine, his eyes lingering on my lips, and now, with the city lights fading behind us, the air between us crackled with unspoken tension. I shifted in the passenger seat, my thighs pressing together, already feeling that familiar warmth building low in my belly.Roy's hand left the steering wheel and found my knee, his fingers tracing lazy circles up my thigh. "You look incredible tonight," he murmured, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver straight through me. I bit my lip, watching his profile in the dim glow of the dashboard—strong jaw, tousled hair, that smirk that always made my knees weak. God, I wanted him. Badly.He pulled over into a secluded spot, the car nestling under a canopy

Hailey’s POVI was about to turn away from the door when a flicker of movement near Ryan’s bed caught my eye. At first, I thought it was just a nurse adjusting equipment, but something felt wrong immediately. The figure moved too cautiously, too deliberately, as if they didn’t want to be seen.My heart slammed against my ribs.I stepped closer, my pulse roaring in my ears, and that was when I saw the hands. They weren’t checking the monitor or the IV. They were on the breathing tubes, fingers tightening around the clear plastic, subtly twisting one of the valves as if testing how far it could be turned without setting off an alarm.My stomach dropped.“Hey!” I snapped, my voice sharp enough to slice through the room.The person froze.Roy turned around instantly, his body going rigid, while Ryan lifted his head weakly, confusion clouding his face. The figure near the bed straightened too quickly, their hood slipping just enough for me to see panic flash across their eyes.“What are yo