Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 41 - Chapitre 50

KILLIAN'S POVI spent most of the evening trapped inside one of the arena’s glass conference rooms, staring down at my charity banquet speech.It should have been an easy task, but my father’s commanding request to publicly thank Victoria kept making it impossible. Every time I tried to type out a paragraph, the words felt like ash in my mouth."Hey, cap," JD said, strolling into the room with a protein shake in his hand. He stopped by the table, looking down at me with a smirk. "You've been staring at that exact same sentence for nearly ten minutes. I've seen you face down a line of two-hundred-pound defensemen without blinking, but a microphone makes you look like you're about to faint.""I'm just trying to get the phrasing right," I muttered, rubbing my tired eyes. "Go away, JD.""Let me see this masterpiece," he joked, lunging forward and snatching the printed draft right off the table. He cleared his throat dramatically and struck a ridiculous pose. "Ladies and gentlemen, as cap

KILLIAN'S POVI stopped dead in my tracks, my fingers tightening around the heavy strap of my hockey bag until my knuckles turned white.My heart hammered against my ribs as I looked at Maya. She was standing by the couch, her emerald eyes completely locked onto mine, demanding an answer. I was painfully aware that my father and her mother were sitting only a few feet away, watching us both with curious expressions.I forced my face to remain completely blank, swallowing the sudden panic rising in my throat. I let out a dry, forced chuckle and set my hockey bag down on the floor."I'm sorry, Maya," I said, forcing a confused expression. "What are you talking about?"Maya didn't blink. She held my gaze for a long, agonizing second, her eyes swimming with a mixture of disappointment and silent warning. But she knew as well as I did that we couldn't have this conversation in front of our parents."The rivalry game announcements," Maya claimed smoothly, her voice steady but incredibly co

KILLIAN'S POVI watched Maya's eyes scan the glowing screen of my phone, and for several agonizing seconds, neither of us said a single word. The ambient rustle of the wind outside the glass panes seemed to fade, leaving the silence inside the old greenhouse feeling infinitely heavier now that every single secret was finally sitting out in the open between us.Maya slowly handed the phone back to me, her fingers brushing mine with a fleeting, icy touch. "When did you get this, Killian?"I swallowed the dry lump in my throat, refusing to look away. "Two days ago."A sharp, bitter laugh escaped her lips, and she stepped back, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Two days ago. You were furious, absolutely furious because Carter knew about my internship before you did. You stood in the kitchen and demanded honesty from me, all while you carried an invitation from international scouts right in your pocket. You're unbelievable."I didn't defend myself. There w

KILLIAN'S POVApplause spread quickly through the massive banquet hall as I publicly thanked Victoria and the Sterling Group for their contribution to the fundraiser.I kept my words completely professional, recognizing the company's financial sponsorship and their support for the hospital outreach programme. I didn't add anything extra, but the guests in the room reacted differently. Several people at the front tables turned toward Victoria with knowing, teasing smiles. One photographer immediately pointed his heavy camera in her direction, the lens catching her every move. Victoria laughed softly when the bright stage spotlight briefly found her table. She placed a delicate hand against her chest and mouthed a playful "thank you" toward me. From the stage, I caught Maya's face for only a fleeting second. She didn't look angry. She didn't look hurt. She simply applauded politely with the other fashion students, her face smooth and calm, before turning to say something quiet to Ch

KILLIAN'S POVI did not want to dance.I had spent the last twenty minutes standing like a statue, watching Carter's hand rest casually against Maya's waist while she laughed at something he said. My blood was boiling, and the absolute last thing I wanted was to step onto that same wooden floor and pretend nothing was wrong.Victoria, however, did not notice my hesitation. She gave my hand a firm pull, her smile bright for the surrounding cameras. "You never answered me earlier when I asked you to save me a dance, Killian," she reminded me, her tone playful but loud enough for everyone near us to hear. "Publicly thanking me in your speech is nice, but it doesn't excuse you from an old promise." Several wealthy sponsors around us laughed, nodding their heads and encouraging me to go."Go on, captain," one of the older university trustees chimed in. "Don't keep the lady waiting."There was no graceful way to refuse. If I pulled away or said no, I would turn an innocent request into so