บททั้งหมดของ The Hockey Star And The Widow He Shouldn't Love: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

ANNRunning in those heels was a very bad mistake. The thin soles kept slipping against the rough ground, and the sharp pain shooting up my legs made it harder to move fast enough.They were catching up. I could hear them clearly now.I won’t go back to that house, nor will I get married to Judge’s brother.Even in his death, Judge, my late husband, still wanted to possess me like an object, just like he had done for fourteen years of my life. He didn’t see me as a person then, and clearly, nothing had changed now.He willed me to his brother as if I were something that could be passed down.I saw a young man open the back door of a car ahead, and without thinking, I rushed forward. Before he could even react, I slipped in after him and slammed the door shut, locking it immediately.“Drive,” I said quickly, my voice unsteady. “They are coming.”“Excuse me, who are you? What are you doing in my car? Are you a crazy fan?” he said, his tone sharp with confusion.I didn’t even turn fully

DUKEI don’t know why I’m drawn to her like this.It doesn’t make sense.I’ve met women before. A lot of them. Beautiful, confident women who knew exactly what they were doing. None of them ever made me feel like this.But Ann, it’s different.There’s this pull I can’t explain. Like something in me has already decided she needs to be protected.And I hate that I don’t understand it.Taking her in like this, bringing a stranger into my space, into my life, it’s reckless. It could mess with my career if things go wrong. But I still did it.“Welcome to New York,” I said as we stepped into the house. “This is my place.”She paused slightly, like she wasn’t used to spaces this open.“This is Luna,” I added, nodding toward the woman standing by the stairs. “Head housekeeper. Luna, this is Ann. She’ll be staying with us.”Ann lowered her head immediately.I noticed it again. That habit.Without thinking, I reached out and gently lifted her chin.“Look up,” I said quietly.Her eyes met mine f

ANN“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.”“It’s okay,” I cut him off gently, forcing a small smile. “Second year of our marriage, Judge started getting worried that I couldn’t conceive. We went to the hospital, ran some tests, and the doctor confirmed that my tubes were blocked. Two different doctors, actually. So yeah…”I let out a quiet breath.“I’ve made peace with it.”At least, that was what I told people.What I told myself. But I still remembered that night.How I cried until my chest hurt. How I buried my face in the pillow so no one would hear me. And how, from that moment on, Judge never let me forget it.Barren, that was the word he used. Over and over again.I glanced at Duke. His expression had shifted slightly. It seems like he had more questions, but wasn’t sure if he should ask them.“You can ask me anything,” I said. “The least I can do is be honest. I won’t be upset.”He tapped his foot lightly. I noticed he did that a lot when he was thinking.“I was wondering…” he started

DUKEBecause my heart won’t stop acting up whenever I’m around you.That was what I should have said.But instead, “it’s nothing,” I said. “A little kindness won’t hurt.”She let out a soft laugh, trying so hard not to cry. I watched as she kept fanning her eyes with her palms, like she was fighting the tears back.“Thank you so much, Duke,” she said. “You’re my SOS.”Before I could react, she stepped forward and hugged me.For a second, my heart stopped.Then it started again, beating very fast.I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I had never felt anything like this before.By the time I gathered myself enough to return the hug, she had already pulled away.“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “Everything is just happening so fast. I can finally breathe and actually live.”When she smiled, her dimples showed.And just like that, my mind betrayed me. The kiss from that night, the way she pressed her lips against mine. I looked away immediately.“It’s okay,” I said, forcing myself

ANNMy heart wouldn’t slow down.It kept racing, fast and uneven, as if it were trying to break out of my chest.I can’t be on the news.What if Judge’s family sees me?I don’t even know what’s happening on their side, how far they’ve gone searching for me, what they’re planning.Duke didn’t give me time to think.He lifted me into his arms in a bridal style, my face pressed into his jacket as he shielded me from the flashing cameras.Voices, phones clicking, everything felt too loud.He moved quickly, placing me into the car before slamming the door and driving off without hesitation.“You can raise your head now,” he said after a while. “It’s just the two of us.”I slowly lifted my face.The first thing I saw was a smile on his lips.“Huh?” I frowned slightly. “What’s funny?”He didn’t answer immediately. The smile only deepened as he glanced at me.“You should’ve seen yourself,” he said. “Your whole body was shaking. Are you that scared of cameras?”He clicked his tongue lightly. “