جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 120

By seven eighteen that evening, Romy’s body had begun to count the day in places that hurt.Her shoulders had tightened during the afternoon strength session. The skin beneath her goggles still carried two faint red curves, and every step down the hotel corridor reminded her of the repeated kick sets Miller had added before recovery.The rest of the squad looked no better.Several swimmers had arrived in team tracksuits with damp hair. One of the distance swimmers was rolling a massage ball beneath his foot as he walked. Anny had changed into black trousers and an oversized team sweatshirt, but the loose sleeves did not hide the way she kept stretching one shoulder.She had also started talking again.“If this hotel intends to call six pieces of grilled chicken a recovery dinner,” she announced as the lift doors opened, “I want the person responsible to explain the mathematics.”A few swimmers laughed.The sound suited her better than the silence she had carried through breakfast. Eve

Romy stood out.“I don't agree either,” She said.Caroline turned toward her.Romy nodded at the blank screen, “I am not appearing in that campaign.”The media director frowned. “All of the competition footage is publicly licensed.”“I’m not disputing the race footage. I’m refusing the campaign built from it.” Romy’s tone was calm and composed.“Romy,” Caroline said, “this amount of attention could help your return.”“I haven’t qualified for Sheffield. I have one valid assessment time and one morning in a long-course pool. You cannot advertise me as the returning champion before I have earned a place at the meet.” Romy continued before anyone could interpret her refusal as modesty,“Anny is the strongest female freestyler on this team. She reached an Olympic final. You gave her less than two seconds because you thought my old medal and Liam’s face would attract more attention. That may be useful advertising, but it is not an honest presentation of the team.”A few heads turned toward

The door closed behind Caroline. The tension broke just enough for several swimmers to laugh.Miller checked the clock again.“Twenty-eight minutes,” he said. “Eight more than promised. Dinner. Then bed.”Chairs moved. The team began filing into the corridor, still arguing quietly about the campaign.Anny left before the women’s sprint group.Liam picked up his folder and followed her.“Anny.”She kept walking.“Wait.”She stopped near the lift and turned. “If you want to check whether Romy is upset, she’s still inside.”“I came to ask about you.” The direct answer appeared to catch her off guard.Liam stopped several feet away.“You should have been given more than two seconds,” he said. “You are the strongest woman on the current team. I should have objected before you had to do it yourself.”Anny’s lips parted, but the anger returned before she answered. “You didn’t object. Because you were looking at Romy.”“I was angry about the way Caroline used our past.” Liam didn't get the re

"Move." There was already a clear note of annoyance in her voice.Caroline tried to push him away and stepped toward the lift. Yanxi remained in front of her, his arms held rigidly at his sides so he would not grab her again."Not until you answer."Caroline lifted her chin. "If it is yours, what changes? If it is not, what changes? It is my pregnancy and my decision. It has nothing to do with you."Anger tightened Yanxi's face. For once, he made no effort to soften it with charm. "If I am the father, it has a great deal to do with me. At the very least, you should know whose child you are carrying.""I do not need to know. The child cannot be born."The answer stopped him.Caroline saw the exact moment suspicion became certainty. His gaze moved over her face as though he were fitting together details she had believed safely separated."You already know," he said.She looked away.Yanxi gave a disbelieving laugh, but there was no humor in it. "You know it can only be mine. You are afr

By 8:20, the women's sprint group had separated into individual programs.Miller moved between the lanes, dividing his attention among Anny, Sophia, Maya, and Romy. He stopped Anny after an opening fifty, changed Maya's recovery, and sent Sophia back to repeat a turn. Romy received no more attention from him than the others.Liam was different.He completed his own session and came to Romy's lane with a stopwatch, a resistance cord, and the careful expression of a man determined to prove he could stand near her without creating another story.He kept nearly an arm's length between them while he explained Miller's short rhythm exercise.Romy watched him for several seconds. "Are you going to speak like that all morning?"Liam glanced at her. "Like what?""Like an association official reading a safety notice."The corner of his mouth moved. "I am trying to be professional.""You have counted my strokes since I was fourteen. If you suddenly need a formal voice to do it, you are going to