Semua Bab Dumped On Live TV, Claimed By The Hockey King: Bab 151 - Bab 160

LIAMThe smell of melted ice, sweat, and stale testosterone hung thick in the air of the university arena, but for the last two hours, the only thing that had kept me sane was the relentless, punishing rhythm of hockey practice. Every slapshot, every heavy check against the boards, every brutal sprint from blue line to blue line was an intentional effort to beat the exhaustion and the lingering static of the past twenty-four hours out of my system.When the coach finally blew the final whistle, calling an end to the brutal drill session, my lungs burned and my muscles ached with a deep, gratifying fatigue. I stripped off my helmet, shaking out my damp hair, and grabbed my stick as I headed toward the tunnel leading to the locker rooms.The transition from the roaring chill of the rink to the concrete corridors usually brought a welcome drop in volume. But today, something was off.As I walked down the concrete hallway, a low, buzzing murmur drifted past my ears. At first, it was just

LIAMHow dare you?!" I snarled, my voice cracking with fury as I pinned him to the floor, my forearm pressed hard across his windpipe. “You thought I wouldn’t find out? Did you think you could hide behind an anonymous proxy? I will break every bone in your hands until you never touch a keyboard again!I expected him to beg. I expected him to cry, to claw at my wrists the way Brittany had, to stammer out pathetic excuses and denials. Instead, a strange, wet sound bubbled up from Nic’s throat.I paused, my fist pulled back, ready to strike again. I looked down at him. His lip was split wide open, blood dripping onto his white shirt, and his left eye was swelling shut. But as he looked up at me through the bruises and the blood, a wide, delirious grin spread across his face.And then, he started laughing.It wasn't a nervous chuckle or a defensive smirk. It was a full-blown, chest-heaving cackle, echoing off the high ceilings of his expensive loft like something out of a nightmare.What

CHAPTER 155EMILYThe alarm clock buzzed with a sharp, aggressive chime that cut right through my morning fog, dragging me out of a deeply uninteresting dream about missing a final exam in sweatpants. I groaned, rolling over to smack the snooze button, realizing with a heavy sigh that the world didn't pause just because the previous twenty-four hours had been an absolute dumpster fire of campus drama.I dragged myself out of bed, went through the mandatory motions of a freezing shower, and pulled on a comfortable oversized cream knit sweater, high-waisted denim, and my favorite worn-out sneakers. After double-checking my bag for notes, I locked up my apartment and headed out into the crisp morning air.By the time my battered sedan pulled into the university's main parking lot, the morning rush was already in full swing. I cut across the paved quad, dodging a couple of undergrads rushing to their eight-ams, when a familiar sleek black sports car pulled up smoothly near the humanities

CHAPTER 157EMILY"Yeah, of course," I finally said, offering a reassuring smile as I pulled my phone out of my bag. "I get it. Here, give me your phone."Stacey's face lit up, a brilliant, radiant smile breaking through her melancholic expression. She practically shoved her phone across the table into my hands. We quickly swapped contacts, pinging each other's lines so our names saved.For the next half hour, the tension completely evaporated. Stacey was surprisingly easy to talk to. She started telling me funny stories about her previous college.....a chaotic little community college three hours away where the drama apparently involved rival theatrical troupes and an unhinged campus raccoon population. We laughed over our drinks, swapping trivial complaints about professors, dorm food, and the unpredictable weather. It felt light, breezy, and entirely normal.Eventually, we finished our drinks, gathered our things, and stepped back out into the crisp afternoon air."I should probabl

CHAPTER 159EMILY The walk back to the downtown penthouse felt entirely too short, my chest practically buzzing with excitement. The stylish paper shopping bag tucked safely in the crook of my arm felt heavy with anticipation, holding the gorgeous leather-bound sketchbook I had picked out for Ava. I couldn't wait to see her face light up when I handed it to her.I rode the private elevator up to the penthouse floor, practically vibrating with positive energy. I didn't even bother knocking; I swiped my keycard, pushed the door open, and stepped inside with a bright, cheerful greeting already forming on my lips."Guess who just braved the chaotic campus winds and survived?" I called out, kicking off my shoes by the entryway and tossing my bag onto the console table.I rounded the corner into the spacious, sunlit living room, the room went dead silent.Ava, Olivia, and Liam were huddled together around the low marble coffee table. They were deep in hushed, intense conversation, leaning