All Chapters of MY HOCKEY HEARTHROB : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

When their eyes met, everything else vanished. The shouting reporters and the loud, thumping music from the event center seemed to fade into complete silence. Julian and Valeria stood frozen, locked in a tense, high-stakes gaze that felt like it lasted forever, even though it was only a few seconds. In that quiet moment, the red carpet around them disappeared. For Julian, seeing Valeria dressed in sharp, aggressive white was overwhelming. Memories flashed through his mind, Valeria at eighteen, wearing a simple sundress that smelled like summer rain, her hair messy and free. Now, she looked incredibly professional and confident. Her sleek outfit and elegant bun were a declaration of independence. He realized he had shaped this version of her by walking away. She didn’t need his protection anymore, yet she was the only person in the world he wanted to protect. Valeria was also drowning in the deep gray of his eyes. Behind his dark sunglasses, she knew a storm was brewing. She remembe

The lobby felt like a vacuum. The muffled roar of the gala, the clinking of glasses, and the polite laughter of people who bought and sold futures over appetizers felt like they belonged to a different planet. Here, in the dim, amber lit corridor outside the lounge, there was only the smell of lilies and the suffocating presence of the man Valeria had spent five years trying to forget. Julian didn't move. He didn't have to. He stood there like a wall of denim and tattoos, leaning against the structure. His eyes, those piercing, stormy gray depths that had once looked at her with such tenderness, were now wide. He stared at her with a look of stunned, almost violent recognition. Valeria's heart didn't just beat, it rebelled. It thrashed against her ribs like a bird in a cage . She stood frozen, her hand still hovering near the heavy wooden door she had just closed. The contrast between them was sharp, she was in her clean, white professional armor, and he looked like a fallen deity

Julian didn't acknowledge Ariel's presence with a look. He simply straightened his jacket, the fabric pulling over his broad shoulders as he forced the ice King persona back into place. He walked past her without a word, his stride long and purposeful, leaving her standing in the corridor. The rest of the afternoon was a blur of flashing bulbs and repetitive questions. Julian moved through the remaining press interviews like a ghost in a machine. He gave the expected answers: noncommittal, bored, and sharp. He talked about his stats, the upcoming championship, and the synergy of the team, but his eyes never stopped moving. Every time a new reporter stepped up, he searched for a white blazer. Every time the doors at the back of the room swung open, he looked for the woman who smelled like lilies. But as the final session went down, the reality settled in. Valeria was gone. He had caught a glimpse of the back of Adrian's charcoal suit disappearing through the main lobby doors nearly t

The roar of the Ducati's engine finally died, replaced by the heavy silence of the city. Julian killed the headlights and kicked down the stand, letting the bike lean against the trunk of an old iroko tree. He was overlooking the old railway tracks. It was a lonely, overgrown place, swallowed by wild elephant grass and shadowed by the ruins of a warehouse. When he was a little boy, this was where he ran whenever he felt lonely. It was a place born of his isolation. And, as his chest tightened at the memory, it was also the exact spot Valeria knew to look for him whenever he vanished from the neighborhood. Julian pulled off his helmet and ran a hand through his damp hair, leaning his back against the cool metal of the bike. He looked out over the rusted tracks, his mind drifting backward, untangling the knots of a childhood that had been anything but easy. He hadn't been born with a silver spoon. He hadn't even been born with a plastic one. Growing up in the rural, unforgiving pa

The heavy mahogany doors opened with a soft click, and Julian walked into the room. The private lounge was filled with soft, warm light. The air smelled like expensive cigars and perfume. Romanus O'Brian sat on a deep leather chair, holding a glass of scotch and laughing at something his daughter had just said. Ariel was sitting on the edge of the nearby sofa. She looked very elegant in her long green silk dress. She looked up as Julian entered, her sharp eyes taking in his black hoodie and jeans. She gave him a small smile. Julian walked past the soft rugs. His heavy boots were quiet on the thick floor. He stopped a few feet away from them, putting on his usual cold, calm face. "Good evening, Romanus. Ariel," Julian said. His voice was low and steady. He did not sit down when Romanus pointed to a chair. Instead, he sat by the fireplace and rested his hand on the shelf. "Ah, the man of the hour!" Romanus said loudly, his voice echoing in the room. He stood up and gave Julian a wel