All Chapters of Ice Between Rivals : Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

I stepped into the house and savored the profound quiet that wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. It was the best part of my day—returning from the chaos of campus and the infirmary without Liam’s presence looming over everything. He irritated the fuck out of me now, his very existence a constant source of tension. I sighed heavily and sank onto the edge of my bed. The room was a complete disaster. Clothes lay scattered across the floor, the bed unmade, books and notes piled haphazardly on every surface. “Wow, I can be careless sometimes,” I muttered to myself.Despite the sharp ache still pulsing through my lip and the general weakness in my body, I forced myself to start cleaning. I folded scattered shirts, organized my notes, and straightened the bed. Each movement tugged uncomfortably at my wounds, but the act of reclaiming my space felt oddly therapeutic. As I cleared out a small drawer, a faded photograph caught my eye—one of me and Ava, smiling brightly in better times.

I stared out the bus window as the mountain road wound higher, the trees blurring into a green haze. Days had blurred into a tense silence since that night with Serene. She had disappeared completely afterward, like smoke after a fire. Good riddance. But the real weight I carried wasn’t her—it was him. Noah.When I first learned the truth about Ava—that she had been playing me the entire time, pretending to be Noah’s twin brother in some twisted game—I felt something inside me shatter. The betrayal cut deep, in ways I still couldn’t fully articulate. Why hadn’t Noah told me? At least a simple message: I’m not here. Don’t wait. Instead, he left me in the dark, like our childhood closeness, all those years of shared secrets and unwavering support, meant nothing. Even when he returned from Europe, my texts went unanswered. That silence confirmed everything. The boy I had grown up with, the one I would’ve done anything for, had erased me without a second thought.That pain twisted into so

I carried Noah through the last stretch of bushes, his quiet snores still brushing against my neck. The camp lights appeared ahead like beacons, and the moment we stepped into the clearing, I felt every eye on us. Blake, the lecturer, and several students stood clustered together, faces etched with worry. They had clearly been waiting a long time. Relief and questions flooded their expressions as they moved toward us. I raised a hand to my lips, signaling silence. One thing I knew about Noah—he hated noise when he was sleeping. The group paused, understanding dawning as they saw him resting peacefully on my back. I carried him straight to his tent, where Blake held the flap open. Carefully, I lowered Noah onto his sleeping bag. He didn’t stir. Jeez, what kind of person sleeps this deeply? I thought, a reluctant fondness mixing with concern. I stepped back out. The lecturer stood with arms crossed, looking stern. “Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” “I didn’t want to cause a sc

The next morning, I woke up slowly, sunlight filtering through the tent fabric. Liam was already sitting beside me, watching me intently. I startled, heart jumping.“I’m sorry. I got you scared,” he said quietly. “I was just checking if you were still alive.”I smiled awkwardly. “Here’s your breakfast. I’m coming back.” He stood and left before I could respond, acting strangely gentle. I didn’t understand why.I looked at the tray and felt a flicker of irritation—it wasn’t what I usually preferred. Before I could dwell on it, Blake entered the tent.“Noah,” he said, concern clear in his voice.“Yes, Blake. Are you okay?” I nodded. He could be a bit much sometimes, but I didn’t mind.Before he could say more, the lecturer and camp organizers blew the whistle outside. Everyone was heading out for the day’s hike. Blake sighed. “I wish you hadn’t gone back for your phone last night. Now you don’t even have it.” He gave me one last worried look and left.I sighed, glancing around the empty

:By the time Blake and the other students returned, the atmosphere between Liam and me had completely changed.I couldn’t even bring myself to meet his gaze anymore. Every time I looked at him, guilt twisted painfully inside my chest. All this time, it had been such a simple misunderstanding between us.“Do you want some water? Juice?” Liam asked as we returned to the tent.I offered him an awkward smile.“Yeah,” I replied quickly.Honestly, anything that got him away from my side for a few minutes sounded good.He nodded and stood up before disappearing outside.A moment later, Blake stumbled into the tent looking completely exhausted. He dropped down beside me, panting heavily.“That was horrible,” he groaned. “Thank God you didn’t come. Honestly, I wish we could just go home tomorrow. I’m tired.”Then he turned toward me.“And you? How are you?”“I’m okay.”His eyes narrowed.“Wait.”He leaned closer.“Your eyes are red.”My heart skipped.“And your hand—”He grabbed my injured wr