All Chapters of RIVAL'S TO LOVER'S: My Step Brother Is Now My Roommate : Chapter 181 - Chapter 190

HAYDEN’S POVThe smell of stale sweat and cheap floor wax in the locker room usually cleared my head, but today, it just tasted like fucking copper.I leaned back against my locker, adjusting my shin guards with slow, deliberate tugs, keeping my eyes locked on the far corner of the room. Ryan was there, trying to tie his fucking boots, but his hands were shaking so bad he could barely loop the laces.It was a beautiful fucking sight.The Varsity article had been live for less than twenty-four hours, and the campus was already a goddamn war zone. Everywhere you walked, people were glued to their phones, whispering, pointing, and staring. The whispers followed Ryan like a swarm of fucking flies. Every time he walked past a group of players, the conversation died instantly, replaced by cold, heavy glares."Look at the pathetic piece of shit," I muttered under my breath.Stephen walked up beside me, slamming his locker shut. The loud BANG echoed through the room, making Ryan visibly fl

STEPHEN’S POVThe silence in the room was fucking heavy. Watching Ryan break down and bury his face in his hands should have felt like winning the goddamn lottery, but my chest just felt tight. I sat there, my hands clasped tightly between my knees, listening to the legal counsel read off the final testimonies like a goddamn death sentence."According to the finalized digital forensic report," the camp lawyer read, his voice completely robotic and devoid of any fucking emotion, "the financial links between the offshore account registered under Ryan Miller and the media broker are undeniable. Furthermore, we have recovered a series of encrypted messages from the server. They show direct communication regarding the distribution of the private footage."Every single word felt like a punch to the gut. Not because I felt bad for the piece of shit sitting across from us, but because hearing it out loud just reminded me of how fucked up the whole situation was. This motherfucker had looked

HAYDEN’S POV:My fists were clenching so fucking hard my knuckles were turning white. We had just stepped out of the courthouse, and the blinding glare of the midday sun hit me right in the eyes, immediately followed by the flashing of a thousand goddamn cameras.Reporters were shoving microphones into our faces like fucking vultures, shouting stupid-ass questions about the lawsuit, the leaked tape, and the draft. Eleanor was walking ahead of us, her head held high like the absolute queen she was, ignoring the media circus completely.But then, out of nowhere, a shadow blocked the sun."You fucking bastard!"The scream was high-pitched, and completely unhinged. Before I could even register who it was, a heavyweight slammed directly into my chest.It was Ryan.The motherfucker had been waiting for us outside the courthouse steps, and he looked like a goddamn psychopath. His tie was totally crooked, his eyes were bloodshot and bulging out of his head, and his face was twisted in pure,

STEPHEN’S POV:The office smelled like lavender and expensive leather. It was a huge difference to the familiar scents of sweat, grass, and locker room liniment that usually filled my days.I sat on a plush gray sofa, staring at a small, neat plant on the coffee table. My fingers nervously traced the hem of my soccer shorts.After the courthouse brawl and the media explosion, the soccer camp authority hadn't just released a press statement. They had issued an ultimatum.If I wanted to stay in the running for the upcoming draft, I had to attend mandatory therapy sessions. They needed to see that we were actively fixing the ‘emotional fallout of the tape scandal."You can start whenever you are ready, Stephen," Dr. Evans said gently. She was a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a clipboard resting on her lap. She didn't look at me like the reporters did. She didn't look at me like I was a scandalous headline.I swallowed hard, the back of my throat feeling completely dry. "I don't e

HAYDEN’S POVMy chest was heaving, the burning in my lungs a sharp reminder that I was still fucking alive. I stood in the tunnel of the stadium, the distant roar of the crowd vibrating right through the soles of my cleats. This was it. The final national showcase soccer match. The absolute peak of everything we had bled for since we were kids.But as I looked out toward the bright green pitch, my stomach did a slow, sickening flip.The stands were packed, but I didn't just see soccer fans. I saw the cameras, the flashing lights, the vultures from the sports blogs who had spent the last month writing trash about my private life instead of my stats. Even with the courthouse victory fresh in our pockets and Ryan’s pathetic ass sitting in a jail cell, the fucking stink of that scandal still hung in the air."Hey."A firm hand clamped down on my shoulder. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Stephen. Just the feel of his grip instantly dialed down the static screaming in my hea