Semua Bab MY HOCKEY HEARTHROB : Bab 41 - Bab 50

The next morning, the bright sun streamed through the windows of the small apartment Valeria shared with her best friend, Tara. Valeria sat on the cozy sofa, a warm mug of tea between her hands, but she wasn't drinking it. She was just staring blankly at the wall, her mind totally exhausted from all the chaos with Julian, his mother, and Ariel.Tara walked out of the kitchen, holding her own mug. She took one look at her best friend's pale face and heavy sighs, and her heart ached with pity. Tara sat down right next to Valeria, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder."Val, you can't keep doing this to yourself," Tara said softly, her voice filled with care. "You are letting Julian Vane destroy your peace of mind over and over again. Look at how much you've cried because of him and his toxic family."Valeria looked down at her tea, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "I just wanted to do my job, Tara. But every time he comes near me, everything breaks into pieces.""That is exact

Two days later, the evening finally arrived. The sky was a deep, velvety blue, and the entire area outside the grandest hotel in the city was buzzing with intense excitement. This hotel was a massive, ultra luxury skyscraper, famous for its grand architecture. Its open courtyard and entrance space were so vast and wide that it felt large enough to contain a million people without anyone feeling crowded. One after another, flash cars, sleek sports vehicles, and long luxury limousines began to pack into the massive parking lot. The bright headlights reflected off the polished glass of the hotel’s grand entrance, creating a glittering sea of lights. International hockey players from different parts of the world, rich foreigners with heavy accents, and powerful business men and women from in and out of the country were all arriving in large groups. Everyone was coming together for this grand celebration. The highly anticipated championship finals were scheduled to begin the very next

Valeria stepped out of the silver car, and for a moment, the busy world around the hotel seemed to stand completely still. She was wearing a short, fiery red dinner dress that was the definition of glamorous. The rich fabric caught the golden spotlights perfectly, glowing like embers. The dress was tailored expertly, hugging her body tightly and greatly accentuating her perfect curves and stunning hourglass shape. It cut off just above her knees, showing off her smooth, slender legs. Her hair was styled in silky, straight, long strands that cascaded down her back like a waterfall of dark satin, moving softly with every step she took. She possessed an unearthly beauty that night, a radiant and blinding charm that left people breathless. She didn't look like she was there as a simple reporter at all, instead, she looked like a high society princess or a top supermodel walking the runway. Down in the ballroom, Julian was standing near a group of wealthy sponsors, but the very moment his

Julian watched helplessly as Valeria and Shawn turned around and walked away, blending back into the crowded ballroom. As they took their first few steps, Shawn slightly turned his head and cast a glance back over his shoulder. A victorious, mocking smile was smeared across his lips. It was a look that clearly said, “I won this round, and she is with me now.” As soon as they left his line of sight, Julian slowly closed his eyes in deep, agonizing frustration. He felt a heavy weight press down on his chest. Right now, he didn't even have the strength or the energy to get angry at Ariel for the dirty, manipulative game she had just played. He was just too exhausted. Currently, he just hated the world. He hated the world and the people whom it was using as cheap minions to constantly create rifts and walls between him and his love. It felt like every single time he took one step closer to Valeria, the universe would deploy someone to push her two steps further away. Julian’s eyes slowl

Finally, by the time the Canadian sports personality ended his long winded conversation, Julian felt like he had been sitting on pins and needles for a whole century. The moment Mr. Harrison shook his hand one last time and turned away, Julian immediately lunged forward to stand up from the plush sofa. But unfortunately for Julian, his timing was absolutely terrible. He cast his sharp grey eyes toward the beverage table, and his heart dropped heavily into his stomach. Shawn was already back from his private phone call. This time, Shawn didn't even sit down or hand Valeria another drink. Instead, he smoothly took her wine glass, set it down on a nearby waiter's tray, and gently helped Valeria up from her seat by the arm. With a confident, protective posture, Shawn began directing her away from the crowded ballroom and guiding her straight toward the grand stairs leading upstairs. Julian at this point was greatly alarmed. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead, and a dark panic s