Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Hope’s POV

It felt like I shouldn’t have started this call.

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Even with just those few words, I wanted to check on him. I wanted to know if he was okay. I wanted to hear his voice one last time, even if doing so only made leaving him hurt so much more.

I swallowed the lump in my throat so I wouldn’t sound too emotional.

“Why?”

That was the first word that I said.

“Why did you do it?”

He sighed.

“Hope, please tell me where you are. No one knows where you are right now, and I’m losing my mind.”

“Answer my question first, Levi,” I said, even though all I wanted to do was tell him where I was.

“If I answer, will you tell me where you are?”

I didn’t answer, and it seemed he already knew that I wouldn’t. He let out a deep breath before finally answering my question.

“He deserved it,” he said in a strained tone.

“After everything he did to you, this is less than what he deserves. He keeps looking down on you and thinking you’re still head over heels for him, Hope.”

“You shouldn’t have done that, Levi,” I whispered.

“Not for me.”

“Why not? I can do it because it’s you, Hope. So, please tell me where you are.”

“I can’t do that.”

He was silent for a while before I heard him inhale deeply, holding his breath as though he was trying to stop himself from saying something he knew I wouldn’t want to hear.

“Hope,” he muttered. “Did I do something wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I assured him right away, tears pricking at the back of my eyes.

“You’re doing the right thing by continuing to play, Levi. I can see that you’re enjoying it so much, so please, don’t do any of these things anymore. Just play well for the next games. That is all I ask of you… for the last time.”

“For the last time?”

His voice cracked ever so slightly.

“Do you even know what those words feel like, Hope? It can’t be the last time.”

“It has to be,” I said firmly despite it going against everything I truly wanted. Every word felt like I was forcing a knife deeper

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Chapter 119

into my own heart.

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“Levi, you have to forget about me from now on. We live in different worlds. We were only meant to pass by each other to serve as a lesson. I hope you continue to become happy.”

“Do you even know why I’m happy playing these days?”

“It doesn’t matter, Levi. It means that you’ve finally learned how to play again with a smile, and for that, I am really happy.”

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to keep my voice from breaking.

“Now, please promise me you’ll continue to play happily.”

There was another pause on the other end of the line.

The silence felt endless.

“I don’t think I can do that, Hope.”

His voice was quieter but somehow more serious.

“Tell me where you are.”

“Levi,” I said desperately. “You’re making this really difficult for me.”

I couldn’t help it this time.

A tear slipped from my eyes, followed by another. They rolled silently down my cheeks, warm against my cold skin. I was sure they also showed in my voice.

“This is also so difficult for me, Hope.”

His words came out like a whisper.

“Are you going to stay where you are and continue living your life… forgetting everything that happened between us?”

“If it means keeping you in the sport you love, then yes,” I told him.

The answer tasted bitter.

It hurt more than I thought it would.

“Please forget about me, Levi.”

“I can’t do that,” he stubbornly said.

“Are you doing this because of Margaret?”

My breath hitched for only a split second, and I hoped he wouldn’t notice.

I quickly denied it.

“It’s not because of anyone, Levi.”

“You’ll forget about me soon,” I muttered softly, although even the thought of that sent a sharp ache through my chest.

No.

I didn’t think I would ever forget him.

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