Elena's POV

They were the Glaciers' sworn enemies.

Their captain, Noah Blackwood, was the complete opposite of Liam. If Liam was the golden "Ice Prince," Noah was the "Dark Knight." Brutal, efficient, and notoriously difficult to work with. He had fired three team doctors in the last two seasons.

Rumor had it he hated incompetence.

I opened my email. My fingers hovered over the keyboard. I didn't need a resume; my reputation in the league spoke for itself. I typed a simple subject line:

Subject: Dr. Elena Vance - Availability.

I sent it to the general manager of the Titans. I expected a reply in maybe a few days, or a week.

I closed the laptop and went to the kitchen to make coffee, then remembered the pregnancy. I poured a glass of water instead.

Buzz.

My phone lit up on the counter.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

[Unknown: "Teterboro Airport. Private Hangar 4. Be there in an hour."]

I frowned. Who was this?

Another text followed immediately.

Unknown: "Bring your passport. - N. Blackwood."

My breath hitched. Noah Blackwood? He had my personal number? And he was in New York?

It was insane. It was dangerous. If anyone saw me meeting the captain of the rival team, it would be considered treason.

Perfect.

I grabbed my purse, my passport, and the medical bag I always kept ready.

Forty-five minutes later, I parked my Audi in the shadow of Hangar 4.

A sleek, black Gulfstream jet sat on the tarmac, its engines idling with a low whine. A man stood at the bottom of the stairs, flanked by two bodyguards in suits.

Even from a distance, Noah Blackwood was intimidating. He was taller than Liam, broader in the shoulders. He wore a charcoal suit that cost more than my car, no tie, the top button of his shirt undone to reveal a hint of tan skin. His dark hair was swept back, sharp and severe.

I got out of the car and walked toward him. The wind whipped my hair across my face, but I didn't flinch.

As I got closer, his eyes locked onto mine. They were a piercing shade of grey, like storm clouds over the ocean. They didn't scan my body like Liam often did; they stared straight into my soul.

"Dr. Vance," his voice was deep, a baritone that vibrated in the air. "You're punctual. I like that."

"Mr. Blackwood," I nodded, clutching my bag. "I sent an email to your GM twenty minutes ago. How..."

"I have alerts set for your name," he interrupted simply. "We've been trying to poach you for two years, Elena. Can I call you Elena?"

The intimacy of my first name on his lips made me shiver, but not from the cold.

"Elena is fine," I said. "But I think there's a misunderstanding. I'm still under contract with the Glaciers."

"A contract that is contingent on a visa sponsorship," Noah said, his gaze dropping to the ring on my finger. "And rumors say Marcus Kane is threatening to pull the plug if you don't play nice."

My eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

Noah smirked, a dangerous curve of his lips. "I know everything that happens in this league. I know Liam is a fool. I know Kane is a snake. And I know you are the only reason Liam's knees haven't shattered into dust yet."

He gestured toward the open door of the jet. "Come inside. It's freezing out here, and you look... pale."

I hesitated. "I have an appointment at 2 PM. I can't leave the city."

Noah paused. He looked at me, really looked at me. His gaze softened for a fraction of a second, as if he sensed the turmoil swirling inside me.

"We won't leave the tarmac," he promised. "Just a talk."

I followed him up the stairs.

The interior of the jet was pure luxury, cream leather, mahogany wood, the scent of espresso and expensive cologne. He motioned for me to sit, and he sat opposite me.

"Cut to the chase," I said, my hands trembling slightly on my lap. "I need a job. I need a visa sponsor. If you hire me, I can bring all my research, my rehabilitation protocols, everything. But I need it done fast. My status is... complicated."

Noah leaned back, crossing his long legs. "I don't just want your protocols, Elena. I want you. My team is strong, but they break easily. We need the best mechanic in the world."

"So, you'll hire me?"

"I can do better than that."

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a velvet box. He placed it on the table between us.

I stared at it. "What is that?"

"A solution," Noah said calmly. "A work visa takes months to process, especially if Kane tries to block it. He has connections in immigration. He can drag your application out until you're forced to leave."

He was right. Marcus had threatened exactly that.

"There is only one way to bypass the wait times and make you untouchable," Noah continued. He opened the box.

Inside sat a ring. It wasn't like the modest diamond Liam had given me. This was a massive, radiant-cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds. It looked heavy. It looked like royalty.

"Marry me," Noah said.

Elena's POV

I choked on air. "Excuse me?"

"Not a fake marriage," he clarified, his eyes darkening. "A legal, binding union. You become Mrs. Blackwood. As the spouse of a US citizen, your status is secured immediately. Kane can't touch you. Liam can't threaten you."

"You're insane," I whispered. "You barely know me."

"I know you're the best at what you do. I know you're loyal to a fault, until you're betrayed. And I know you need protection." He leaned forward, his intensity suffocating me in the best way possible. "I need a wife to stop my board of directors from pushing matchmakers on me. You need a shield. It's a business transaction."

A business transaction. Just like Liam and Sophia.

"I can't," I said, my hand instinctively covering my stomach again. The weight of my secret pressed down on me. "Noah, my life is a mess right now. You don't know the half of it. I... I might have medical issues to deal with."

I thought of the appointment. The termination.

Noah's eyes dropped to my hand covering my belly. His gaze lingered there for a second too long. Did he suspect? No, that was impossible.

"Whatever baggage you have," Noah said firmly, looking back into my eyes, "I can handle it. I don't care about Liam. I don't care about your past. I'm offering you a future."

He pushed the box closer.

"Marry me. Join the Titans. And watch Liam Sterling regret the day he was born."

My heart hammered against my ribs. Revenge. Safety. A way out.

But could I drag this man into my mess? And what about the baby? If I married Noah, I wouldn't have to worry about money or safety. Maybe... maybe I didn't have to go to that clinic at 2 PM?

The thought was a tiny spark of light in the darkness.

"I..." I started, but my phone buzzed again.

It was a notification from the clinic. Reminder: Your appointment is in 4 hours.

The reality crashed back in. I couldn't marry Noah Blackwood while carrying Liam's child. It was a deception as bad as Liam's.

I stood up abruptly. "I need time. I can't give you an answer right now."

Noah didn't look disappointed. He looked patient. Like a predator waiting for the prey to realize there was nowhere else to run.

"You have until midnight," he said. "Take the ring."

"I can't, "

"Take it," he commanded softly. "Just in case you change your mind. If you don't wear it by midnight, I'll assume the answer is no."

I hesitated, then grabbed the velvet box. It felt burning hot in my hand.

"Thank you," I whispered.

As I turned to leave, Noah spoke one last time.

"Elena?"

I looked back.

"Whatever appointment you have at 2 PM," he said, his voice dropping to a gravelly murmur, "make sure it's what you want. Not what fear is dictating."

I froze. He knew. I didn't know how, but he knew.

I fled the jet, my heart racing faster than it ever had for Liam.

Then 2 PM. I was sitting in the waiting room of the Eastside Women's Clinic. The room smelled of antiseptic and lavender air freshener. It was a scent designed to be calming, but to me, it smelled like despair.

I sat in the corner, my sunglasses still on, clutching a crumpled intake form.

Reason for termination: The line was blank.

How could I explain? My husband is a bigamist. His mistress is carrying his child. I am a pawn in a PR stunt.

"Elena Vance?"

A nurse called my name softly. I flinched.

I stood up, my legs feeling like lead. I walked toward the door, my hand hovering over my flat stomach.

Make sure it's what you want. Not what fear is dictating.

Noah Blackwood's deep voice echoed in my mind, drowning out the clinic's hum.

I stopped in the doorway.

What did I want?

I wanted Liam to hurt. I wanted Sophia to pay. But did I want to erase the life growing inside me? This baby was half Liam, yes. But it was also half me. It was the family I had prayed for during those lonely nights while Liam was "away on business."

If I walked through this door, I was letting Liam win. I was letting his betrayal dictate my body, my future, my motherhood.

I wasn't a coward. I was a fighter.

I looked at the nurse, my breath trembling.

"I... I can't," I whispered.

The nurse looked sympathetic. "It's okay to be scared, honey. We can reschedule."

"No," I said, my voice gaining strength. I crumbled the form in my hand. "No rescheduling. I'm keeping it."

I turned around and walked out. I walked fast, bursting through the clinic doors into the blinding afternoon sun.

I was keeping my baby. And I was going to make sure Liam Sterling never, ever got his hands on it.

Two hours later, I was standing in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom, staring at a stranger.

Liam had sent a dress. Of course he had. He wanted his "wife" to look perfect for the surprise party he thought I didn't know about.

It was a floor-length gown in emerald green, the Glaciers' team color. It was tight, backless, and stunning. It was a uniform.

I zipped it up. It fit like a glove, hiding the secret bump that wasn't showing yet.

I applied my makeup with surgical precision. Sharp eyeliner. Blood-red lipstick. I wasn't dressing for a party; I was dressing for war.

Elena's POV

My eyes drifted to the velvet box sitting on my vanity. Noah's ring.

The sapphire glittered dangerously under the lights. You have until midnight.

I couldn't wear it. Not yet. But I couldn't leave it here either. If Liam found it...

I snapped the box shut and slipped it into my clutch purse. It felt heavy, a solid anchor in a sea of lies. It was my exit strategy. My nuclear option.

"Babe? Are you ready?"

Liam's voice came from the hallway. I stiffened.

"Just a second!" I called back, forcing a lightness into my tone that made me nauseous.

I opened the door. Liam stood there in a tuxedo, looking every inch the charming superstar. When he saw me, his eyes lit up. Not with love, but with possession.

"Wow," he breathed, reaching out to grab my waist. "You look incredible, El. The press is going to eat this up."

The press. Always the press.

He pulled me in for a kiss. I turned my head slightly so his lips landed on my cheek. I couldn't bear to taste him.

"Careful," I teased, "you'll smudge my lipstick."

Liam laughed, oblivious. "Let's go. I have a surprise for you downstairs."

The backyard of our Hampton estate had been transformed. Fairy lights draped over the trees, a live jazz band played near the pool, and waiters circulated with champagne.

It was extravagant. It was expensive. It was disgusting.

"Surprise!"

A chorus of voices erupted as we stepped onto the patio. Teammates, wives, sponsors, reporters. Flashes went off, blinding me.

I smiled. My face hurt from how fake it was.

"Oh, Liam!" I exclaimed, playing the part of the doting, surprised wife. "You shouldn't have!"

"Anything for my queen," Liam announced loudly, making sure the reporters heard.

I accepted a glass of champagne but didn't drink it. I held it like a prop.

"Elena! You look gorgeous!"

The voice grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

Sophia Cruz emerged from the crowd. She was wearing a white cocktail dress that looked suspiciously bridal. Her hand rested on Liam's arm with a familiarity that made my stomach churn.

"Happy anniversary, sweetie," Sophia cooed, leaning in to air-kiss my cheek. "Liam has been planning this for weeks. He's such a romantic."

I looked at her. I looked at her stomach, hidden under the draped fabric of her dress.

"He certainly is full of surprises," I said, my voice icy.

Sophia's smile faltered for a second, but she recovered quickly. "Well, enjoy the night. Marcus is here, by the way. He wants to say hi."

She steered Liam away toward the bar, leaving me alone. I watched them go. They looked like a couple. I was just the accessory.

I mingled, dodging questions about when we were going to start a family. Every time someone asked, "Any baby news?", I felt a twist of irony so sharp it felt like a knife.

Yes, I wanted to scream. I'm pregnant. And so is his mistress.

Halfway through the night, the music stopped. Liam tapped a spoon against his glass.

"Everyone, if I could have your attention," he bellowed, his charisma on full display.

The crowd hushed. Liam stood on the raised platform near the pool, with Sophia standing just a few feet away, beaming.

"Tonight isn't just about celebrating my beautiful wife," Liam said, gesturing to me. The spotlight hit me, and I squinted. "It's about family. As you know, the Glaciers are a family."

Applause.

"But Elena and I... we've been thinking about expanding our own family," Liam continued, his voice dropping to a somber, practiced tone. "We have so much love to give. And recently, we lost a dear friend. A brother in arms. Mike."

My blood ran cold. He was doing it. He was doing it now.

"Mike left behind a legacy," Liam said, wiping a fake tear. "And Elena and I... we are looking into adoption. To give a home to those who need it most."

The crowd "awwed" in unison. Cameras flashed wildly.

I stood frozen. He hadn't even asked me. He was announcing it to the world to force my hand. He was using a dead man's name to cover up his bastard child.

Sophia looked at me from the stage, a smug, triumphant smirk playing on her lips. Checkmate, her eyes seemed to say.

I gripped my clutch so hard my knuckles turned white. I could feel the hard edges of the velvet box through the leather.

I wasn't going to let them win.

I walked toward the stage.

The crowd parted for me. "Look, she's so touched," someone whispered.

I climbed the steps. Liam reached out his hand, expecting me to take it and play the weeping, grateful wife.

I took his hand. His palm was sweaty.

"Liam," I said into the microphone, my voice steady and clear. "That is... such a surprise."

I looked at Sophia. Her smirk faltered.

"But," I continued, turning to the crowd, "adoption is a long process. And honestly..." I placed a hand on my stomach. "I think we should focus on the blessings we already have."

The crowd went silent. Confusion rippled through the guests.

Liam's smile froze. His grip on my hand tightened painfully. "Elena, what are you saying?" he hissed through his teeth, away from the mic.

I pulled my hand away.

"I'm saying," I said, loud enough for only him and Sophia to hear, "that secrets have a way of coming out, Liam. Don't make promises you can't keep."

Before he could react, a loud crash echoed from the side of the stage.