His Dangerous Love On Ice (Olivia and Zane) novel Chapter 63

ZANE’s POV

“How did that happen?”

My voice cut through the room, sharp and controlled, even though every muscle in my body was wound tight enough to snap.

“Fuck.”

I grabbed another glass and tossed it toward the water dispenser, my eyes snapping toward the corner of the room where Walter was standing like he was waiting for me to explode.

“I don’t know, but Zane-you can’t-you can’t believe that video. You really can’t because that’s not my daughter. My daughter wouldn’t do this. She fucking wouldn’t.”

Walter’s voice cracked with desperation. He pressed a button and the screen in the room lit up with that same video, and the woman in it looked exactly like her. I was good at spotting edited images, fake videos, and digital manipulation-it was part of my job to see through bullshit.

But this was too clean. Too real. Too perfect to be fake at first glance.

I watched it again, forcing myself to focus past the rage building in my chest, looking for the smallest error, the tiniest tell that would prove this wasn’t her.

And then I saw it.

In the bedsheets. So subtle, so easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it. A digital seam where the fabric didn’t quite match up with the shadows.

I turned to look at Walter’s face. He looked wrecked. Like a father who’d failed to protect his daughter. Desperate and broken in a way I’d never seen him before.

“Walter, I just watched Olive on that screen, watched by hundreds of people, telling everyone I was easy to get, that she’s a fucking con-”

“You really can’t believe that.” His voice got louder. “You really can’t believe Olive would do that. She was framed. Someone set her up. Come on, Zane. This shit happens to people like us all the time. We’ve done shitty things like this to other people.”

“Do you expect me to just believe that—”

The door slammed open and someone barged in without knocking.

Sophia.

“Oh my god, Zane.” She was breathless, eyes wide and shining like she’d just witnessed something tragic. “I just-I really cannot believe what that Olive girl did. She actually tried to use you like that. And now everyone knows. I’m so happy this came out. God, I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

My sister’s arms wrapped around my neck in a tight hug. I let her stay there for a few seconds before pushing her back, staring down at her face.

“You’re happy?”

I watched her eyes flicker around my face, refusing to meet ming directly.

“Yes, I should be happy. You finally get to see the bitch she is-”

“Bitch?”

She pulled away from me instantly, like I’d burned her.

“You should be relieved that she’s been exposed for who she truly is. She’s been using you from the beginning, and I bet that’s why Cole left her in the first place.”

Her voice was eager. Too eager. Like she needed me to believe this more than I did.

“You don’t believe me.” Her tone shifted, defensive now. “She’s a bitch and you need to let her go. Now. Before this gets worse.”

“I need to do my own research before making any decisions, Sophia.”

I said it slowly, deliberately, watching as her eyes snapped sharp for just a second before she covered it up.

But I caught it. That flash of panic.

“You’re going to believe me over her. Over a stranger.”

I heard Walter shift uncomfortably behind me.

“I’m not choosing anyone yet. This is a delicate matter that involves my personal life.” I kept my voice level. “I believe Father taught you to know your place. And I did well to make sure you understood that lesson.”

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