Chapter 4 A fresh start

BAILEY

FIVE YEARS LATER

So... I had that baby.

And she turned out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. Honestly speaking.

I know I was terrified the day I found out I was pregnant with her. I even had thoughts about getting an abortion, but I changed my mind after I relocated to a different state.

So, I’m just going to debrief everything that happened in the last five years.

After Alice helped with Dad’s surgery, I moved out of Wilmington Town as per our agreement. Although she gave me some start-up money, I rejected it.

Alice had already done enough, and I didn’t want to take anything else from her. It was like dealing with the devil—you don’t get anything for free.

I disappeared on Jace without telling him I was pregnant. I just left without a trace and severed all contact with him.

It was tough for the first year—not seeing him again, not talking to him, touching him, kissing him, or even making love to him.

But I managed.

It was really hard, but I survived that phase.

Before I completely severed all ties with him, I watched him from the shadows.

I watched him chase his hockey career after our breakup. I rooted for him in secret.

He was successful.

He was all over the news. He became really popular only a few months after joining the NZ Arctic Wolves.

He gathered a great deal of fans, worshippers, and, well... puck bunnies.

To cut a long story short, Jace is renowned as one of the best centers in the country. Some called him a ruthless beast on the ice.

But the name he became best known by was The Arctic Wolves Ice King.

He was a king in NZ City.

I was happy for him. I wish I was with him during his achievements. But that's not an option.

After giving birth to our daughter, I knew I had to stop following his career and lifestyle so closely if I wanted to completely heal and move on.

And I did just that.

I removed him from all my social media.

I stopped stalking him.

I stopped replaying all the different ways our relationship could have ended.

I stopped crying and wishing the universe could make our paths cross again.

It was hard, but I forced myself to stop thinking about him constantly.

However, what I couldn’t stop was how my heart kept beating and calling for him.

It’s painful to admit I’m still not completely healed, even after all these years. But I know I’m getting there.

Healing isn’t linear, like they say.

Either way, I focused on myself too.

After relocating to Los Casa, I transferred schools and finished with a degree in Kinesiology. Two years later, I landed a job as a physical therapist for a professional hockey team—the Los Casa Blizzards.

Before then, I gave birth to my princess.

The bane of my existence.

Her name is Nyla, and she’s four years old. Sharp-tongued, smart, and kind like her mother, but every other trait was inherited from you-know-who.

Especially her stubbornness.

“Nyla, come on out! We don’t want to be late for your first day of school,” I shout across the hallway, frowning when I check the time on my gold wristwatch.

I raise my head again, wondering what’s taking her so long.

She should be coming out by now.

“Nyla?!” I call again, but there’s no response.

I’m compelled to scurry to her room to find out the reason for the delay.

Surprise courses through me when I find my daughter sitting in a dejected posture. Her head is lowered, and she’s fumbling with her fingers.

I’ve noticed this is something she does whenever she’s upset.

My heart doesn’t appreciate her current state.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” I ask softly as I approach her, her mood swiftly contaminating mine.

“Talk to me, baby. Why are you sad?” I crouch in front of her, taking her hand in mine.

Her grey eyes are brimming with tears when she stares up at me.

A sharp ache pierces through me.

Not just because of the sight of her tears, but because they remind me of that rainy night five years ago.

The night I broke up with Jace.

The night he begged me to stay. And I rejected him.

What I did still haunts me to this day.

That's because Nyla is an exact replica of Jace.

She’s got his eyes, hair color, and facial features.

So when I mentioned earlier that I’ve struggled to heal from my ex, this is the reason why.

Every morning I wake up to a smaller version of him who painfully reminds me of him every single day.

“Mommy...?”

I jerk back to reality.

“Yes, sweetheart?” I stroke her hand gently, encouraging her to open up.

She asks in a small voice, “Where’s Daddy? Why isn’t he with us?”

Her question is unexpected this morning but not out of the ordinary.

Since she came of age, she’s been curious about who her real father is.

She initially thought Lucas was her daddy because he was always around, but I had to clear up the misconception before it was too late.

Now that she knows the truth, she wants answers.

At age four, you’d think this would be the least of her concerns, but my daughter is curious and inquisitive.

I deflect, trying to cook up another quick and convenient lie—like I always do.

I’ve never told her the truth about the whereabouts of her father. I’m always making up these lame excuses, and Nyla is obviously not buying my bullshit anymore.

“B-baby...” I start gently, cupping her cheek as tears stream down her face.

Guilt constricts my chest.

I’m just realizing I’m actually very selfish.

I made my fallout with her father affect any potential relationship they might have had.

It’s not fair to my daughter, what I did.

It’s not fair to Jace either.

I know.

But some things just needed to be done to ensure her safety.

And now, I guess I’m just making up excuses to justify my actions.

I expel a long sigh of frustration, licking my parched lips.

My mouth moves to speak, but no words come out because I’m genuinely tired of lying to my daughter’s face all the time.

Instead, I close my eyes and offer remorsefully, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”

She doesn’t deserve any of this.

“Why are you sorry, Mommy? Did you do something to Daddy?”

I reopen my eyes, shaking my head. “No, baby. It’s not that. It’s just that it’s complicated.” I caress her cheek, wiping away her tears. “You’re too young to understand, but I wish I could explain it better to you.”

“Did Daddy leave us, Mommy?” She sniffles. “He doesn’t want us?”

An ache radiates inside me at her inquiry.

I don’t even know what to say.

God, I hate seeing her like this.

She is never like this. She’s usually bubbly, happy, and funny.

I pause for a beat, pondering my thoughts.

I’m starting to get emotional too, and I hate it. Revisiting the past isn't in my agenda this morning.

Moving closer to her, I cup both her cheeks and reassure her, “No, you’ve misunderstood, my love. Your daddy... wants you.”

“Then why isn’t he here?” She protests. “My classmates have daddies. Amery said a daddy is the head of the family. Our family does not have a head. Why, Mommy?”

I barely stop myself from laughing because what the fuck.

Yet, I read the room.

I answer softly, “Baby, I can’t explain right now because we’re late for school, but I promise I’ll explain later tonight. How about that? I’ll tell you everything you need to know about your daddy.”

She hesitates, staring at me skeptically. “You promise?”

I raise my pinky finger and nod. “Promise.”

“Mommy never breaks her promise,” she says.

I smile. “You already know that, baby. So, do you believe Mommy will do as she said?”

She nods once with a sniffle.

I can’t explain the wave of relief that surges through me at her compliance.

Thank God.

Finally.

“Smart girl,” I commend with a grin before gently pinching her cheek.

She chuckles at that.

“Now come on, let's get you to school. Aren't you excited to see your friends?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“Good. Now come on. Take my hand.”

After helping her clean her tears, I pick her up into my arms and grab her backpack from the bed before heading out of her room.

My heart skips several beats when I walk into the living room and catch the time on the wall clock.

God, I’m so fucking late.

Sasha is definitely going to bite my head off.

Sasha is the team's manager and also my strict superior.

I quickly hurry out of the house, taking my daughter to school before heading to work.

“You’re late,” Sasha says with a scowl as I scurry into her office.

I’m panting heavily as I stand before her desk. “I’m sorry. I had to take care of an emergency.”

She waves a hand dismissively. “Whatever. Don’t care.”

Expected response.

Sorting through some files, she continues without glancing at me. “We have a new target.”

Exhaling sharply, I express my surprise. “A new player is joining the team?”

How come I didn’t know about this?

Sasha sighs with resignation before lifting her head.

She says uncertainly, “Well, not exactly. We’re trying to sign him away from the NZ Arctic Wolves. As the physical therapist, Coach needs your help with that.”

“M-my help?” I ask skeptically. “Um, okay. I’m in. Anything I need to know about this new player? Perhaps his name, if he’s someone I’m already familiar with?”

Sasha straightens up, stating firmly, “The only thing you should know is that he’s very important. I can’t emphasize that enough. Getting him onto our roster is our number one priority at the moment. I don’t care what you have to do. You must assist Coach in convincing him why he should leave the Arctic Wolves and join the Los Casa Blizzards.”

I don’t quite understand this assignment from my HR manager, but I simply nod.

“Okay.”

“Do you understand, Bailey?”

“Yes, I do,” I say calmly, but she’s not convinced.

She shakes her head. “I don’t think you do, and because of that, I’m putting your job on the line.”

“What?” I exclaim with bewilderment.

“Think of it as an insurance policy. Just to secure your seriousness about this.” She smiles.

But I’m frustrated.

Why does she have to resort to this?

And who the hell is this new player?

Why the hell do they even need him on the team?

The L.C Blizzards already have pretty good professional players.

I’m confused, but Sasha isn’t open to hearing me out. If anything, she dismisses me instead.

“Now hurry to meet them. Coach is giving him a tour of the arena.”

I swallow, perplexed, but nod obediently before walking out, closing the door behind me.

I’m fuming as I rush down to the arena like my life depends on it because it actually does.

I ignore some of the players who greet me along the way.

My sole focus is getting to Coach and this so-called important player, with one goal in mind: to do whatever it takes to win him over.

After running for what feels like a mile, I finally spot Coach discussing something with an unfamiliar man in front of the ice rink.

Both their backs are turned to me, but I’m guessing that’s the new player. The one whom my fate lies with.

I stop running and start walking.

I’m out of breath, so I’m panting again as I approach them.

“Coach, sorry I’m late,” I call out eagerly, capturing their attention.

“Oh, Bailey. Finally.” Coach is the first to turn around.

Before the other man does.

Nothing prepares me for the unexpected sight of this 6'4" familiar man with long black hair.

My legs freeze on the spot as I gasp.

I blink.

I blink again.

Then I shake my head to clear my haze.

But he’s still there.

Standing with the same imposing aura I remember from five years ago. The same intimidating glare from when we first met.

No.

It can’t be.

I’m so shocked that I have to stagger back, my mouth falling open in disbelief.

At first, I think it’s a figment of my imagination.

Maybe I’m hallucinating.

But I’m certain I’m not on any kind of hard drug.

What I’m seeing is definitely real.

Those stormy grey eyes that once made my heart flutter.

How could I forget?

“J-Jace,” I mutter with disbelief, staring at my ex-boyfriend.

The man whose heart I brutally destroyed five years ago.

The man who has no doubt come to resent me.

He...

He is the player the Blizzards are trying to sign?!

I'm not done processing before Coach confirms my worst fears.

“Bailey, I want you to meet the nation’s Ice King, Jace Hartley. I’m sure you’ve heard of him since he's quite popular. Jace, this is Bailey, the team’s physical therapist. She’s here to assist you with the tour.”