LOGINJulian walked over to her, his footsteps echoing softly on the pristine marble floor. He stopped just a few inches away, his shadow completely enveloping her. The time for hiding was over. The penthouse was dead quiet, the world was locked outside, and the truth was finally ready to be told. He reached out, gently capturing her hands again. "Valeria," Julian urged, his voice heavy with a desperate need for answers. "Continue with what you were saying earlier on in the locker room. My mother... what did she do? What did she say to you?" Valeria looked up at him, her heart twisting painfully. After pondering for a while in silence, staring at his intense grey eyes, she slowly shook her head and disagreed. She pulled her hands back slightly. "No. You go first, Julian. Explain to me why you abandoned me in the first place. Tell me why you left without a word five years ago, before we talk about your mother." Julian was incredibly quick to cut her off, his jaw clenching as a wave of
The hum of the engine was the only sound inside the luxurious sports car as it sliced through the city streets. The scene had shifted completely away from the chaotic stadium to Julian and Valeria. Outside, the night was alive with the roaring celebrations of fans honking their horns, but inside the vehicle, it felt like an entirely different world.Julian was driving with intense concentration, his sharp grey eyes focused on the road ahead. Yet, even with the high speed of the car, his right hand was completely occupied, he was holding on tightly to Valeria's hand with his free hand, his grip firm and possessive. Indeed, they had a whole lot to talk about, and he couldn't wait another second to get to the bottom of it. The truth about their five missing years was unraveling, and his hunger for answers was the exact reason why he had escaped the arena even before taking the grand prize, leaving his teammates and the trophyAs he drove through the bright streetlights, Julian slowly adj
The announcement hung in the air, echoing over the stadium loudspeakers. The tournament director stood with the massive, glittering gold trophy lifted high, his eyes scanning the ice expectantly. But the captain's spot remained completely empty. A wave of confusion washed over the entire arena. The thunderous cheers of the fans gradually slowed down, turning into a low, puzzled murmur. The Hawks players looked at each other, their bright smiles fading into blank stares. Michael and the rest of the boys turned around completely, looking toward the dugout, the benches, and the entrance of the dark tunnel. "Where is Julian?" Michael whispered, blinking in confusion. Everyone in the stadium began to scan the area frantically, looking around for Vane. The thousands of spectators in the stands leaned over the railings, and the media cameras began to pan wildly across the arena floor, trying to locate the star player. No one had any idea how he could simply vanish into thin air right a
The chaos on the ice was absolute. The stadium security guards were straining with all their might, their boots slipping on the slick surface as they held Julian back. Julian didn't struggle against their grip. He stood tall, his expression completely calm but incredibly cold, staring down at the giant man who was still on his knees on the bloody ice. Seeing his player on the ground, the Canadian head coach immediately sprinted onto the ice. Fearing that his own involvement in the plot might be uncovered, he pointed a shaking finger at the officials and roared, "This is an absolute outrage! Julian Vane just brutally assaulted my player for no reason! I demand that you suspend him immediately! Disqualify the Hawks! He should be thrown out of professional hockey!" The stadium security chief looked toward Julian, waiting for an explanation. But Julian didn't shout, nor did he explain. Instead, he pulled off his heavy hockey gloves and tossed them onto the ice. He looked directly at the
It was him! It was the huge Russian guy who had threatened him yesterday after they had knocked Russia out of the tournament. But how was that even humanly possible? He was a Russian citizen. The Russian national team had been officially eliminated from the championship yesterday. Yet, here he was, wearing a Canadian jersey, playing under a false identity for the Canadian team. It was completely illegal, highly fraudulent, and a severely punishable offense in professional sports. In that single, clear minute, a realization hit Julian like a lightning bolt. Everything suddenly made perfect sense now. The brutal, targeted attack on Ken’s leg. The violent hit that almost ended Marcus. The crack on the ice. And finally, the poisoning of his private water bottle in the locker room, the very crime Valeria had witnessed. It wasn't just a rough game of hockey. It was a massive, illegal criminal conspiracy orchestrated by the eliminated Russian guy using the Canadian team as a front to ruin t
Julian kept his grey eyes fixed completely on the black rubber puck resting between his skates. His mind was incredibly quiet. He didn’t hear the deafening screams of the ten thousand fans filling the arena, nor did he care about the flashing lights of the media cameras. His entire soul was consumed by a single, burning purpose, he had to end this game once and for all, right now, before Valeria could change her mind and leave the building. Every second spent on this frozen rink was a second away from the woman he loved and the truth he desperately needed to hear Because he was so completely engrossed in looking at the puck, Julian failed to notice the incredibly tense and terrified stares passing between Barrett and the Canadian captain across the center circle. The two players were completely destabilized. Their eyes darted from Julian's perfectly stable frame back to their own dugout in utter confusion. They wondered what on earth might have gone wrong. Did Julian not drink his
Mrs. Clara’s face turned bright red with pure disbelief. She could not believe her own ears. Her son, whom she had raised was standing there telling her to leave his office. She became absolutely furious, her chest heaving with deep anger as she stared at him. "You are asking us to leave, Julian?
Julian took the elevator back up to the top floor, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. The raw frustration inside him was burning hot. When he pushed the heavy mahogany doors of his executive office open, the tense silence in the room was suffocating.He walked in and immediately saw Ariel sta
The sudden sound of the door clicking open cut through the quiet room like a knife. The moment Julian noticed the two figures standing at the entrance, he pulled out of the kiss instantly. He was completely startled, his heart pounding hard against his ribs. As he looked at his mother and Ariel, hi
Valeria stood before the doors. Her hand hovered over the gold handle, her fingers trembling slightly. She took one deep, ragged breath, forcing her face into a mask of pure, icy professionalism. She gripped her recorder like a weapon, steeled her heart against the memories of her first love, and p







