The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Chapter 76

ARIA’S POV

My hands would not stop shaking.

…

Even as the taxi sped through the city, my fingers trembled so badly that I had to grip the edge of the seat just to steady myself. My breathing came in short, panicked bursts while my phone buzzed endlessly in my lap.

Notification after notification. Message after message.

My class group chats were in chaos. The hotel staff group was worse. My phone screen was flooded with people asking questions, sending links, gossiping openly like I wasn’t even human.

Some were pretending to be concerned. Others weren’t pretending at all. I felt like I was losing my mind.

Every vibration of my phone made my stomach twist harder. Every new message felt like another knife digging deeper into my chest.

I had never felt this helpless before. Never this exposed. Never this ashamed. By the time the taxi pulled up in front of Vance Corporation, I was barely holding myself together.

The massive glass building towered above me like something out of a nightmare. My stomach twisted violently as I stepped out and stared up at it.

I almost turned around. Almost. But then I remembered Elena’s words. Julian was my only chance. So I forced my trembling legs to move and hurried inside.

The moment I entered the building, the murmuring began. Heads turned instantly. Whispers followed behind me like poison in the air.

“Oh my God, that’s her-”

“Isn’t that the girl from the video?”

“She really came here looking like that?” My chest tightened painfully.

I kept my eyes down and walked faster, pretending I couldn’t hear any of it. My face burned with humiliation as I approached the front desk and quietly asked for Julian’s office.

The receptionist gave me a strange look but eventually pointed me toward the elevators. By the time I reached the seventh floor, my nerves were completely wrecked.

I stepped out and approached the large secretary’s desk outside Julian’s office, trying to calm my breathing.

The woman seated there looked me up and down the second she saw me. And immediately, her lip curled. “Can I help you?” she asked coldly.

“I’m here to see Julian,” I said softly.

AFA

Chapter 76

She raised a brow. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but…”

“Then you can’t see him.”

Panic surged through me instantly. “Please, I really need to talk to him…”

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Her expression hardened. “Mr. Vance does not entertain random women who walk in off the street.”

I froze. “I’m not random,” I said quietly.

She laughed mockingly. “Please. We all know exactly who you are.” My stomach dropped.

Her eyes scanned me with disgust. “Honestly, I should’ve guessed you’d come crawling here eventually. Women like you always do.”

My eyes burned. “That’s not true,” I whispered.

“Oh really?” she snapped. “Because from what I’ve seen online, it looks like you’re exactly the type to sleep your way into whatever you want.”

Tears nearly filled my eyes. “Please stop…”

“And now you’re here trying to seduce your way into the CEO’s office?”

“No!” I cried. “That’s not what this is!”

But she only scoffed. “Leave before security removes you.”

My chest heaved violently. I was seconds away from breaking down right there when suddenly, a voice interrupted her. “What’s going on here?”

Both our heads turned. Blake. He walked toward us, his expression unreadable. The secretary straightened immediately. “Sir, this woman is causing a disturbance…”

“She’s here to see Julian,” Blake interrupted flatly.

Her eyes widened. “But sir…”

“Let her in.” She stiffened but reluctantly nodded.

I exhaled shakily, whispering, “Thank you.” Blake didn’t respond. Didn’t even look at me. He simply turned and walked toward Julian’s office, expecting me to follow.

I hurried after him, my heart pounding wildly. “Blake, please,” I whispered. “I swear that video isn’t real…”

He cut me off without looking back. “Don’t explain it to me.” My chest tightened painfully. He stopped outside the office doors and stepped aside. “He’s inside.”

That was all he said. Then he walked away. Leaving me alone. I stared at the giant wooden doors in front of

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Chapter 76

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me, my pulse roaring in my ears.

This was it. My hands trembled as I knocked softly. No answer. I waited. Knocked again. Still nothing. I swallowed hard.

For a second, I almost turned around. I almost gave up. But I had come too far for that. So with trembling fingers, I reached for the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

The second I stepped inside, a gasp escaped my lips. The office was destroyed. Absolutely destroyed. Broken glass littered the floor. Paper was everywhere.

The desk looked like it had been ripped apart. The monitor was smashed. Everything was in chaos.

My breath caught in my throat. “Oh my God…”

Fear gripped me instantly. Had he done this? Was he that angry? My stomach twisted violently, but I forced myself to move further in. “Julian?” I called softly.

No answer. I looked around frantically until my gaze landed on the slightly opened door to his private suite. My heart began hammering.

Slowly, I approached. Carefully. I pushed the door open wider and stepped inside. Unlike the office, the suite was spotless.

Clean. Perfect. Almost untouched. But then I heard it. Running water. My breath hitched. I followed the sound slowly until I reached the glass bathroom.

And then I saw him.

He stood beneath the running shower, shirtless, his black pants hanging low on his hips, water cascading down every inch of his skin.

My breath caught. Because despite everything, despite the pain, despite the fear, the sight of him still affected me. It still shattered me.

Still made my heart ache. He looked broken.

Destroyed. And somehow, seeing him like that made my chest tighten unbearably.

Then he turned. And the second his eyes met mine, I froze. Every part of me went still. Because the look in his eyes,

there was nothing there.

No warmth. No softness. No love. Just darkness.

Cold. Empty. And hatred so sharp it made my breath catch. He stared at me for one long, terrifying second.

Then slowly stepped out from beneath the water. I swallowed as our eyes locked for what felt like forever.”