All Chapters of Accidentally Yours, Hockey Captain: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Alex’s POV The comments were everywhere. I stood in the locker room after practice, sweat still cooling on my skin, staring at the screenshot Julian had shoved into my hands. Each word felt like a punch to the gut. “20 years old and already acting like a slut.” 
“Lucas is too nice. That bitch probably cheated and is forcing him to take responsibility.” 
“Cheap girl. Thought she was smart.” My jaw clenched so tight it hurt. I scrolled down further, the vicious words blurring together. People who didn’t even know Emily were tearing her apart like it was entertainment. “Shit!” Julian slammed his locker shut. “This must be that bastard’s doing. He must have spread this rumor on purpose after Emily dumped him.” I handed the phone back to him, keeping my face neutral even though anger was burning through my veins. “How many people have seen this?” “Half the campus by now,” Julian muttered, pacing. “I want to find Lucas and beat the hell out of him. My sister doesn’t

Alex’s POV The coach’s office smelled like old coffee and leather. I sat across from him, legs stretched out, trying to look like I was paying attention. “Alex, you have to decide,” Coach said, leaning forward with his hands clasped on the desk. “You’re the captain now, not Julian. The sponsors want you. The documentary team wants you. We can’t keep stalling.”I rubbed the back of my neck, forcing my voice to stay steady. “I’m just filling in for him temporarily. That was always the plan. I still see him as the real captain.”Coach sighed, the kind of sigh that meant he was losing patience. “Come on. We both know Julian’s performance hasn’t been the same since his injury. We can’t let the team fall apart because of friendship. You’re the one leading them on the ice now. Own it.”I looked down at my hands. They were still bruised from punching Lucas yesterday. The memory of his face when I told him to stay away from Emily flashed through my mind. I had done that for her. “It’s no

Emily’s POV I had just left the studio when I saw my brother’s hockey team exiting the practice area. The sight of them in their gear, laughing and shoving each other, made my steps slow. And then I saw Alex. He was walking beside Julian, saying something that made my brother nod seriously. The moment Julian spotted me, his face lit up. “Emily!” he called, waving enthusiastically. Alex stopped mid-sentence and turned. Our eyes met for a brief second. I looked away quickly, focusing only on Julian as he jogged over. His teammates waved at me with friendly smiles before heading off, but Alex stayed behind, watching. “How are you?” Julian asked, pulling me into a quick hug. “I was going to stop by your dorm, but I ran into you here instead.” I forced a smile, trying to ignore the way Alex’s presence made the air feel heavier. “I’m okay. It’s just rumors. I don’t care about them.” “That’s good,” Julian said, relief clear in his voice. “I don’t believe any of that garbage either. Lu

Emily’s POVI couldn’t concentrate during dinner.All I wanted was to understand why Alex had defended me in front of Lucas and beaten him up. But instead, I heard about his engagement party in two days, about Sophia calling him constantly, and about how he had no choice but to go through with it. Every word felt like a quiet punch. By the time Julian dropped me off at the dorm, my head was spinning and my chest felt tight.I walked down the hallway slowly, keys jingling in my hand. The rumors from earlier still echoed in my mind — the whispers, the stares, the cruel comments online. I stopped my step when I saw a box in front of my door, with my name on it there, I just picked that box and pushed the door open to my room, hoping for some quiet.Kara was already inside, sitting cross-legged on her bed with her laptop balanced on her knees, typing away. She looked up when I entered.“I’m home,” I said, dropping my bag by the door and flopping onto my bed face-first.“Where have yo

Emily’s POV I should have kept my mouth shut. I should never have come here. The engagement party was everything I expected it to be — glittering, cold, and full of people who didn’t care about anything except power and appearances. I stood near the edge of the ballroom, clutching a glass of sparkling water, feeling completely out of place in my simple black dress. Julian had insisted I come with him. “It’ll be good for you to get out,” he had said. But now, watching Alex stand on the stage beside Sophia, smiling for the cameras like the perfect groom, I regretted every decision that had led me to this moment. Why was I here? To torture myself? To see the man who had kissed me days ago promise his life to someone else? I didn’t know. Something inside me — some stupid, stubborn part — had wanted to witness it. Maybe to finally accept that whatever had happened between us was over. Maybe to remind myself that I had no claim on him. I slipped away from the crowd, telling Julian I