All Chapters of Rejected By The Hockey Captain, Now He Begs for me: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

~~ARIA~~The doorbell rang loudly, through the silence of my apartment. I was still in my robe, with my hair messy, staring at my reflection in the mirror with tired eyes. I hadn’t planned on going out tonight. After the hospital drama and everything with Ward, I just wanted to stay home, curl up on the couch, and forget the world.But the doorbell rang again, more insistently this time.I walked to the door and opened it.Lena stood there, already dressed to kill. She wore a short red dress that hugged her figure perfectly, her hair styled in loose waves, and makeup that made her eyes pop. She looked amazing, confident, energetic, and ready for anything.“Surprise!” she shrieked, grinning widely, holding up a small bag. “Girls’ night is happening whether you like it or not. You have been too stressed lately so you need this.”I blinked at her confused, “Lena, I am not really in the mood…”“Nope!” She pushed past me into the apartment, closing the door behind her. “I already picked

~~ARIA~~I stirred awake slowly, a sharp ache throbbing through my head as though a hammer was striking against my skull. The room was silent, save for the gentle hum of the air conditioner. I blinked several times, struggling to gather my thoughts and figure out where I was.This wasn’t my apartment. The sheets felt too soft, the pillows too plush, and the faint scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air.I sat up quickly, my heart racing. I was in a large, luxurious bedroom. The bed was massive, with dark wood furniture and soft lighting from the windows. My eyes widened in shock as it trailed to the center table near the bed, there was a beautiful breakfast spread, a fresh fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries, and mango slices stacked Next to it was a note in neat handwriting: “Eat something. You will feel better…. W”My stomach twisted at once, Ward.I looked down at myself and froze. I was only in my bralette and matching tight shorts. A new set of outfits was folde

~~WARD~~I sat in my car outside Aria’s apartment building, the engine off, darkness wrapped around me like a blanket. My eyes burned from lack of sleep, but I couldn’t leave, not after the latest message. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my bruised knuckles aching, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the fear twisting in my gut.What if someone were inside right now? What if the threats weren’t empty?I rubbed my face with both hands, pressing my palms hard against my eyes. The bruise on my cheek from her slap still stung, but it was a reminder of how badly I had hurt her. I deserved every bit of her anger. Yet here I was, parked like a shadow, refusing to go home because the thought of leaving her unprotected made me sick.Headlights flashed behind me. Blue and red lights.. I didn't need anyone to tell me these were cops.Why the heck were they here? I stayed still as two officers approached my car cautiously. One of them held a flashlight, the beam shining on my f

~~ARIA~~My heart was pounding as I ran through the hospital corridors. The assistant trainer’s words kept repeating in my head.I clutched my medical bag tighter, my legs moving fast despite the exhaustion still lingering from the weekend.Why did he have to do this? Why refuse Dr. Matthews and demand me after I had made it clear I didn’t want to treat him anymore?I reached the private wing and pushed open the door to his room. The sight inside stopped me cold.Ward was sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless, his face pale and twisted in pain. Sweat glistened on his forehead. His right hand was pressed against his lower back, and he was breathing heavily. Dr. Matthews stood nearby looking frustrated, while Mr. Reynolds paced the room with his phone to his ear.The moment Ward saw me, his eyes softened with relief. “Aria…”Mr. Reynolds hung up quickly and turned to me. “Dr. Vance, thank God. He won’t let anyone touch him. His waist injury flared up badly during rehearsal. We need

~~WARD~~I was still sitting on the hospital bed, trying to process the pain in my waist when the door opened again. Before I could react, someone pushed past Aria in the doorway and rushed straight to me. She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly, her body pressing against mine.“Ward… I was so worried about you,” she whispered, her voice trembling like a child’s. “What happened? When the heck did you even leave the house? I needed to get the information from Marcus…”Shock hit me like a slap. I froze for a second, then gently but firmly pushed her away from me. My hands were shaking as I held her at arm’s length. This was not the time, the place, and definitely not the way.I looked toward the door, my heart dropping. Aria was gone. The space where she had been standing was empty. She must have seen this and left. The thought made my chest tighten painfully.I turned back to the girl, recognizing her instantly. Sophia, my younger cousin, had always acted more like a c