Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 61 - Chapitre 70

CHAPTER SIXTY One – The Reason She LeftJaxon’s POVI stayed in the hallway long after Stella disappeared.I could still hear her voice.You really don’t know why I can’t look at you the same way anymore.Those words kept repeating in my head.I had expected anger.I had expected her to blame me.But what I did not expect was the sadness in her eyes.Stella was not fighting with me.She was tired.And somehow, that felt worse.I had seen Stella angry before.I had seen her frustrated during training.I had seen her annoyed when things did not go the way she wanted.But this was different.She looked like someone who had already accepted that something was broken.I ran my hand through my hair and looked toward the empty hallway.“What did I do?”The question left my mouth quietly.I honestly did not know.I had spent the entire day trying to understand her.I had searched for her when she left.I had gone to the hostel because I was worried.I had tried to talk to her.But every time

CHAPTER SIXTY three – A Storm Is ComingStella’s POVThe sharp sound of Coach’s whistle echoed across the rink.“That’s enough for today.”His voice carried across the ice, and almost immediately the tension that had filled the arena began to fade. Players laughed as they skated toward the benches. Some complained about how demanding the drills had been, while others joked about barely being able to feel their legs anymore.I slowly skated toward the exit.The moment my skates touched the rubber flooring, every part of my body reminded me how hard we had trained.My legs felt heavy.My shoulders ached.Even my hands were sore from gripping my stick for hours.Yet despite all of that…I smiled.Not because training had been easy.Because it hadn’t.It had pushed me to my limits.But for the first time in weeks, I felt exhausted for the right reason.Not because I had spent the entire day carrying pain.Not because I had been running from memories.Not because I had allowed myself to d

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE – The Smile He MissedStella’s POVBy the time training ended, every muscle in my body ached.Coach’s whistle echoed across the rink one final time, signaling the end of another demanding session as the players slowly skated toward the benches. Some complained about how intense the drills had been, while others laughed as they teased each other about missed passes and sloppy shots.I pulled off my helmet and wiped the sweat from my forehead.I was exhausted, but for the first time in weeks, it was the satisfying kind of exhaustion. It reminded me that I was improving and that every extra hour I had spent on the ice was finally beginning to show.As I packed my gloves into my hockey bag, I replayed the training session in my mind.There had been mistakes, as there always were, but this time they no longer felt like failures. They felt like lessons. My timing had improved, my skating felt lighter, and even Coach had nodded in approval more than once.A small smile fo

CHAPTER SIXTY Six – The First CrackJaxon’s POVThe file had been sitting on the passenger seat ever since my assistant called that morning.I hadn’t opened it.Not because I wasn’t curious.Because I wasn’t sure I was ready for whatever it contained.The conversation with Stella in the canteen refused to leave my mind.Her words echoed over and over again.“Which part of that contract have you been honoring?”I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.No matter how many times I replayed the conversation, I couldn’t find an answer that justified my actions.When I reached the office building, my assistant was already waiting for me.He stood as soon as I stepped inside.“Good afternoon, Captain.”I gave him a brief nod.“You sounded concerned on the phone.”“I am.”He gestured toward the conference room.“I thought it would be better to discuss this in private.”Without another word, I followed him inside.The room was quiet.A thick folder rested neatly in the middle of the table.He

CHAPTER SIXTY Nine – The Rain Between UsJaxon’s POVThe rain started before I left the office.At first, it was nothing more than a light drizzle against the windows.Then, within minutes, the sky darkened, and the quiet sound turned into a heavy downpour.I stood near the window, watching the rain cover the city below.Normally, I wouldn’t have cared.Rain was just rain.But today, everything seemed different.Maybe because lately, everything I thought I knew had started to fall apart.The report from my assistant remained on my desk.The photograph of Stella standing behind her family.The medical records.The school reports.The things people had overlooked for years.I had spent so much time believing I knew Stella.Yet the truth was that I only knew the version of her that everyone else allowed me to see.My phone vibrated.I glanced at the screen.A message from my assistant.The investigation is continuing. I will update you as soon as I find more information.I locked my phon