LOGINThe 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
The heavy silence in the room was so thick it felt hard to breathe. Valeria stood completely frozen, her mind spinning around in circles as Julian’s words echoed in her ears. Her eyes were wide with a mixture of shock and deep confusion. "What do you mean my mother wrote to you?" Valeria asked, her voice shaking as she stepped forward, her painful tears momentarily drying up. "My mother never wrote any letter to you, she isn't even literate" Julian’s face twisted into an expression of absolute bewilderment. He looked at her as if she were speaking a foreign language. He shook his heavy head, his massive shoulders tensing beneath his jersey. "That is completely impossible, Valeria. I wrote to you every single week during my first year away. When I didn't get any reply, I sent a special package containing three long letters and a custom silver bracelet directly to your place. A few weeks later, I received a physical letter from your mother's official mailing address. It stated clear
The game instantly exploded into action the very second the black rubber puck hit the ice. The speed of the match was absolutely terrifying. From the very first second, the Canadians showed everyone in the packed stadium exactly why they were the most feared team in the tournament. They were far to
The heavy team bus rumbled to life in the private parking lot of the hotel, its massive engine vibrating through the asphalt. Ken and Julian didn't waste another single second. They immediately walked downstairs together, carrying their heavy gear bags, and boarded the bus waiting for them. The doo
Back in his luxury penthouse suite, Julian was already getting prepared for the biggest night of his career. He had just taken a long, steaming bath to ease the tension in his muscles, and he was about to start getting ready for the stadium. However, even as he dried off, his grey eyes were still g
The echoes of Mrs. Clara and Ariel’s clicking high heels slowly faded into the distance, leaving the lobby of the Daily Blitz in absolute, suffocating silence. Valeria remained collapsed on the hard, cold floor, surrounded by her shattered dreams and scattered belongings. Her chest heaved as she so







