All Chapters of OFF THE ICE, INTO MY HEART : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

“Shh, be quiet, he'll be here any moment.” Lena's voice dropped almost to a whisper.“I can imagine how surprised he will be. Thank God I asked for his spare key before he left for work.”A wide smile spread across her face as she couldn't take her eyes off the decorations.The living room was decorated with ribbons, candles, and fairy lights that gave the entire place a warm glow. The air was filled with the aroma of mouthwatering food, and she made sure only his favorite dishes were prepared. There were mashed potatoes, French fries, barbecue, and cheesecake, which made everyone's stomachs growl. A big white banner was placed on the wall that read: Happy Birthday, Ethan.It was almost time for the surprise, and Ethan hadn't arrived yet.She glanced at the clock: 8 p.m.He should have been here by now. She fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve.She couldn't stay still, pacing back and forth with a heavy sigh, for what felt like the hundredth time.“He isn't back yet." Someone behind h

Ethan was kneeling beneath a canopy full of white roses and petals, decorated in both blue and gold. His grin was impossible to hide—the kind of smile she once believed was meant only for her.Standing before Ethan was Sophie, a diamond ring sparkling on her finger. Her stomach twisted. She couldn't look away from the ring, from Ethan's smile, from the hand that should never be holding that ring.The caption beneath the post read, "She said yes. Our happy life starts now."“Whatever.” Her voice came out barely above a whisper. Her thumb moved before she could stop it, scrolling down the comments. She spotted the first few.“The ring is gorgeous.”“He definitely upgraded.”“Looks like he found the right one.”Every comment seemed to be on Ethan's side. No one asked where she had gone, not even a single person. She stared at the screen in silence.Just then, three sharp knocks echoed through the apartment, cutting through the silence.“Lena," Emma called.She remained silent.“If that's

“Wait… Noah Hayes.” A faint grin tugged at Noah's lips. He gave Emma a small nod, before turning and disappearing down the hallway.Her eyes shifted back to Lena. “What the fuck just happened? That was Noah Hayes, the famous superstar hockey player.” Emma trailed off for a moment before adding, “He’s literally the hottest dude ever. Have you seen his abs?”“Shut the fuck up.” She drew closer to Lena, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Was he asking you out?” Lena tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding Emma's eyes before letting out a quiet giggle. “Let's go, I'm so exhausted.”By the time Lena got home, exhaustion had settled in her bones. All she wanted was a hot shower and a good sleep. She took off her shoes, hung her keys on the hook beside the door, and turned on the light, chasing away the darkness.The chaos at the arena replayed in her mind as the reporters' voices echoed in her head, making her head throb. She slid into the bathroom, letting the hot shower wash

Noah swallowed the lump in his throat, pushing his tension down with it. “You could go now. I'll be right there.” The door slowly closed behind them, and the weight of what awaited him settled over him.“You have to face your fear, Noah.” He gave a slight nod, straightened his rumpled jacket, and headed for the door. Olivia followed him.Cameras flashed the moment he stepped into the press room. Reporters surged toward him, and his name echoed through the room.His security personnel followed closely, keeping the reporters from getting too close. They threw questions at him before he even reached the podium.“Is Lena Carter your girlfriend?”“Are you two in a secret relationship?”“Were you the reason she broke up with the sports reporter?”Noah looked out at the crowd. His eyes found Olivia standing beside the podium.For a moment, he forgot how to speak.He knew there was no turning back. The camera flashes lit up in front of him. He felt the weight of the decision pressing down on

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Lena remained dumbfounded.“It’s so simple. You guys only need to pretend to the public that you are both in a relationship for six months, and that is it.”“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lena and Noah blurted out at the same time.“You two need to do this fucking shit.” Olivia took a breath before continuing. “For your fucking reputation.”The office went still; you could hear a pin drop. Lena threw herself onto the couch, her head facing the ceiling as her finger continued to tap the edge of the desk beside her.And Noah.His face said it all. Definitely, he would be the hardest to convince. Suddenly, his voice echoed through the office. “I'm not going to pretend to date someone in public just because her so-called fucking reputation is at stake.”“And yours is also at stake, so keep your damn voice down,” Olivia said before rubbing a hand down her face. “And if I have to say, you're at fault here. You caused this."“Enough,” he snapped. “I've