All Chapters of Fake Dating The Hockey Star: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

​"Hello, son," the woman greeted him smoothly.​ My brain immediately registered who she was his mother. She looked striking, impossibly young, and radiated an air of effortless wealth and poise.​"Hello, Mom," Ethan greeted in a low, reluctant tone.​ She walked over and wrapped her arms around him in a brief hug. As she pulled back, her sharp eyes suddenly turned toward me.​"Good morning, ma'am," I greeted, quickly standing up from my stool as her gaze assessed me from head to toe.​"Please, call me Eleanor," she said smoothly, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm not that old. How do you do, young lady?"​"Very well, ma'am....sorry, Eleanor," I corrected, wishing in that split second that the tiled floor would open up and swallow me whole.​"Who?" she asked, pointing a manicured index finger in my direction as she turned to Ethan.​"She's my girlfriend, Mom," Ethan said.​"Girlfriend?" Eleanor echoed, her eyebrows arching in visible shock. "Since when do you date girls?"​"I guess I'm s

​"Hi, baby," Ethan said, standing up and drawing me into a warm hug.​"Hi," I breathed into the crook of his neck, smiling up at him. "What a pleasant surprise."​"Well, I missed you, and I brought us lunch," he said, gesturing toward the food bags resting on the glass table. But right beside them, something else caught my attention,a massive, elegantly wrapped gift box.​"What's that, babe?" I asked, eyeing the box with curiosity.​"It's my mom's gift to you. She had it delivered to me a few hours ago," he explained, lacing his fingers through mine.​"Aww, she's so sweet," I smiled as we headed into my room.​Ethan made himself comfortable on the sofa. "Open it. I'm dying to see what's inside," he chuckled. "She wouldn't stop bragging about it over the phone."​I smiled, stepping up to the box and slowly untying the silk ribbon. Lifting the heavy lid, I gasped. Inside lay a rich burgundy Louis Vuitton handbag paired with a matching luxury car key holder. Tucked inside was a small, el

"Hi, Eleanor," I greeted with a warm smile as she made her way down the stairs of the VIP box to sit with us. ​"How are you, darling?" she asked, pulling me into an elegant, motherly hug. ​"Very well, thank you," I replied as she settled into the plush seat beside me. ​Felix immediately bowed his head in respect. "Hi, Eleanor." ​"And who is this?" she asked, smiling warmly at the gorgeous girl sitting beside him. ​"This is my girlfriend, and Katherine's best friend, Janice," Felix introduced proudly. ​Janice smiled and greeted her, and the two of them exchanged polite pleasantries. "You girls look exceptionally stylish tonight," Eleanor complimented, taking in our outfits. ​"Thank you," we chorused with bright smiles. ​The game kicked off in no time, the icy arena echoing with the sharp scrape of skates and the thunderous roar of the crowd. Both teams moved with incredible speed, fighting fiercely to take the lead, but my man was simply in a league of his own. Ethan gli

It had been two weeks since I broke up with Ethan, but the news remained strictly between us, Felix, and Janice.Felix had practically begged me not to take down our pictures from social media, stressing that Ethan's public image and corporate standing depended on maintaining the illusion of our relationship. My parents were away on another extended business trip anyway, assuming Ethan was simply tied up with hockey and his family's obligations. Janice, on the other hand, had been my anchor. Felix had laid everything out for her—the syndicate, the rivalries, the immense danger—and ever since, she had been gently trying to talk me into taking him back. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it.It was just another quiet school day as I pulled up to campus, meeting Janice by my locker."Hi, girl," she greeted softly, pulling me into a warm, supportive hug."Hi," I responded lightly, offering a faint smile as we turned toward our first period.After morning classes wrapped up, we retreat

​"Go ahead," I told him, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat.​"Are we back together?" he asked in a low, quiet whisper meant strictly for my ears.​"No," I told him bluntly.​I watched as the hopeful flicker in his dark eyes instantly extinguished, replaced by a subtle shadow of disappointment.​"But I really love you, Katherine," he said softly, leaning forward and searching my eyes. "I love you so much."​"I know you do... but let's just be friends for now," I replied, keeping my voice firm despite the ache in my chest.​Ethan turned his head, staring silently at the wall for a few agonizing seconds before turning back to face me. "It's okay. I understand." He took a slow breath and offered a weak, humble smile. "Thank you for being here, Kat. It means the world to me."​I nodded gently.​"But just so you know," he added, his signature faint smirk making a fleeting appearance, "I'm not going to stop trying to win you back."​I remained silent, completely at a loss for wor