تسجيل الدخولCHAPTER FORTY Six – The ExhibitionStella’s POVI barely slept.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my mother’s face.Then I saw the necklace resting around her neck.Then I heard my father’s voice telling me it would be displayed at the exhibition.By the time the first rays of sunlight slipped through my bedroom window, I was already awake.I sat on the edge of my bed for a long time, holding the old photograph in my hands.My thumb gently brushed over my mother’s smiling face.“I’ll bring it home.”The words left my lips quietly.“I don’t know what I have to do.”“I don’t know how much it will cost.”“But I’ll bring it home.”I carefully placed the photograph back inside the small wooden box where I kept the few memories I still had of her.After taking a shower, I got dressed much earlier than usual.The house was still quiet.Most people were still asleep.I walked downstairs as quietly as I could.The kitchen lights were off.The dining table was empty.Even the servants had not
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT – I’ll Get It Back MyselfStella’s POVThe journey back to the pack house felt longer than usual.I sat quietly in the back seat of the taxi, staring through the window as the city passed by.People walked along the sidewalks without a care in the world.Children laughed outside small shops.Cars moved slowly through the afternoon traffic.Everything looked normal.Everything except my life.I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes for a moment.No matter how hard I tried to think about hocke, no matter how hard I tried to focus on training…My mind always returned to the same thing, my mother’s necklace.Amber had it, she had known where it was all these years, she had watched me search for it without saying a word.A sharp pain settled inside my chest.I slowly reached into my pocket and took out the small photograph I always carried with me, It was old.The corners were beginning to fade, It was the only picture I had of my mother.She was smiling
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN – What Happened?Jaxon’s POVThe meeting with one of our sponsors ended earlier than I expected.As I walked through the hallway of the arena, I glanced at my watch.Training had finished almost thirty minutes ago.Normally, Stella would have been waiting outside or talking with a few teammates before heading home.Today, I had not seen her anywhere.After everything that had happened over the past few days, I could not stop thinking about her.She had been quiet.She had been avoiding me.She smiled whenever I asked if she was alright, but her smile never reached her eyes.Something was wrong.I simply did not know what it was.I turned the corner and saw one of the arena coordinators arranging some files on a small desk “Excuse me.”The man looked up immediately. “Captain Jaxon.”“Have you seen Stella?”He nodded. “Yes, sir, she was called to one of the conference rooms a while ago.”I frowned. “The conference room?”“Yes.”“Who called her?”“The Commissioner.”I
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX – Your Favorite DaughterStella’s POVTraining had just ended.The players slowly left the ice one after another, laughing as they talked about the next match.I stayed behind for a few extra minutes, hoping the empty rink would quiet the storm inside my heart, It didn’t.No matter how hard I trained, my thoughts always found their way back to Jaxon… to Amber… and to Chase’s warning.I finally placed my hockey stick inside my equipment bag and walked toward the exit.I had barely reached the hallway when one of the arena coordinators hurried toward me.n“Stella.”I stopped walking.n“Yes?”“The Commissioner is here.”My heart sank.n“My father?”The coordinator nodded.n“He’s waiting for you in the conference room.”I frowned.My father had never come looking for me before, not once, not when I was injured, not when I won,bnot when I left his house.So why now?“Thank you,” I said quietly before making my way toward the conference room.Every step felt heavier than the l
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE – A Promise I Can’t KeepStella’s POVSleep refused to come.I lay on my bed with my eyes fixed on the ceiling, but every time I closed them, Amber’s voice echoed inside my head.“If you keep trying to turn Jaxon against me… you’ll never see your mother’s necklace again.”I slowly turned onto my side and pulled the blanket closer, hoping the warmth would somehow calm my restless heart, It didn’t.Instead, another memory appeared, I was only six years old.My mother sat in front of the mirror, gently brushing her long hair while I sat on the bed behind her.She smiled at me through the reflection. “Come here, Stella.”I climbed onto her lap without hesitation.She wrapped one arm around me while I played with the silver necklace resting around her neck.The moon-shaped pendant swung gently between my fingers.“It is pretty,” I had whispered.She laughed softly. “When you grow up, I’ll let you wear it.”“Really?”She nodded. “But not yet.”“Why?”“Because some things
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR – A Mother’s Last MemoryStella’s POVI stood at the top of the staircase for a long time.The conversation with Jaxon kept replaying in my mind.He had believed that I was worried.He had thanked me for telling him.But he still believed Amber deserved the benefit of the doubt.I could not blame him.He had no proof, neither did I.I let out a quiet sigh and turned toward my bedroom.Maybe I needed a shower, maybe I needed sleep.Maybe tomorrow would somehow feel easier than today.I had barely taken two steps when I heard a voice behind me.n“Stella.”I stopped immediately.For a brief moment, I thought it was Jaxon.When I turned around…nIt wasn’t.Amber stood at the end of the hallway.She had changed into comfortable clothes, and the sweet smile she always wore in front of everyone rested on her face.She slowly walked toward me.n“Can we talk?”I looked at her without answering. “There is nothing for us to talk about.”She smiled..“You always say that.”“I mean







