Mag-log inThe silence that followed inside the luxurious penthouse was so heavy it felt suffocating. Julian stood completely paralyzed, his heart hammering against his ribs as he stared down at the girl he had spent five years hating. The very next words that came out from Valeria's mouth made Julian's broad shoulders drop in absolute surprise and shock. "I never received anything, Julian," Valeria said, her voice shaking but full of a fierce, desperate certainty. She raised her hand to her chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of her hoodie. "I swear to you, on everything I hold holy, I never received a single letter from you, from your mother, or from any person. Not one." Julian felt the ground beneath his feet tilt. His mind was spinning, trying to process the sheer weight of what she was saying. "That can't be," he whispered, though his voice lacked conviction now. "She never gave them to me!" Valeria cried out, the dam finally breaking as tears began to stream down her pale cheeks.
Julian 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
Adrian drove through the busy city streets in a heavy, tensed silence, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he glanced occasionally at the quiet woman in the passenger seat. Upon getting home, Valeria stepped into her small, lonely apartment. The moment the front door clicked shut, the fake str
The violent impact echoed loudly across the quiet office floor. Valeria’s head snapped violently to the side, her papers scattering everywhere as her ceramic mug rattled on the desk. The entire office instantly fell into a dead, terrified silence. Dozens of coworkers stopped typing, their mouths fa
In a dark, lonely, and completely deserted corner of an alleyway far from the city center, the dim light of a flickering streetlamp cut through the shadows. A man stood completely hidden under a black hood, his posture tense and secretive. He was having a fluent conversation with a huge, bulky guy.
The moment the heavy suite doors clicked shut and Ariel finally left the room, the temporary tension dissolved, leaving Julian alone with the suffocating silence once again. He walked out of the walk in closet, the dim afternoon shadows of the bedroom wrapping around his large frame. Julian marche







