Chapter 70 Payoff

Chapter 70 Payoff

The heavy wooden doors of the lecture hall swung shut behind me with a loud thud.

The sound echoed in the quiet hallway, marking the end of my life as the Perfect Vance Daughter. I stood there for a second, my chest heaving, my hands shaking so hard I had to clench them into fists.

Leo was right there. He didn't say anything at first. He just wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked me toward the elevators. He knew that if I stayed in that hallway for one more minute, I might collapse.

"You were incredible, El," Leo whispered as the elevator doors closed, shielding us from the curious eyes of the other students. "I’ve never seen Dad look like that. You actually made him speechless."

"I think I just threw away my entire future, Leo," I said, my voice cracking. "The tuition for next semester is due in two weeks. The apartment lease is in his name. The car in the parking lot... it’s all his."

Leo looked at me, his expression softening. He reached out and pushed the button for the ground floor. "It’s just stuff, Elena. You still have your brain. You still have your credits. And you have us. We’ll figure out the money. I’ve been saving my stipends from the team, and Jaxson has been working extra shifts at the gym."

"I can't take your money, Leo," I said, wiping a tear from my cheek.

"It’s not taking if it’s family," he said firmly.

We walked out of the building and into the parking lot. I looked at the sleek, black SUV that my father had bought for my twenty-first birthday. It was a beautiful car, but now, looking at it, all I saw were the chains that had kept me tied to his rules.

"I’m not driving it," I said, stopping in front of the door.

"What?" Leo asked, confused.

"If I’m done with him, I’m done with all of it. I’m leaving the keys at the front desk. I’ll take the bus to the rink."

Leo smiled, a real, proud brother smile. "That’s my sister. Come on, the bus stop is just around the corner."

The bus ride was long and loud. It was crowded with students talking about their exams and their weekend plans. For the first time, I didn't feel like I was watching them from behind a glass wall.

I was one of them. I was a student with a backpack, a messy future, and a lot of heart.
When we finally reached the arena, the energy was electric. It was the night of the championship game against our biggest rivals, the North Tech Huskies.

Huge banners were hanging from the ceiling, and the sound of the marching band practicing in the distance made the air vibrate.

"I have to go to the locker room," Leo said, checking his watch. "Coach wants us on the ice for the final meeting in ten minutes. Are you going to be okay?"

"I’m going to find Jaxson," I said. "I need to see him before the game starts."

"Go," Leo said, giving me a quick hug. "I’ll see you in the stands. Wear something warm, it’s going to be a long night."

I hurried through the back hallways of the arena. I knew the way to the quiet corner, a small equipment room near the back exit where Jaxson usually went to sharpen his skates and clear his head before a big game.

As I turned the corner, I heard voices. One was deep and calm, that was Jaxson. The other was sharp and mocking.

Julian.

I stopped behind a stack of giant hockey pads, my heart leaping into my throat.

"It’s a simple deal, Miller," Julian was saying. I could hear the smirk in his voice. "My father talked to the scouts today. They’re looking for a new defenseman for the semi-pro league in the city. If you play smart tonight, maybe miss a few blocks, let a few pucks slide past, you’ll have a contract signed by midnight."

"I don't throw games, Vane," Jaxson snapped. I could hear the metallic shink of his skate sharpener. He was trying to stay busy so he wouldn't punch Julian.

"Be realistic," Julian continued. "Elena’s father is going to destroy her after that stunt she pulled this morning. She’s going to be broke. She’s going to have nothing. Do you really think you can take care of a girl like her on a student's budget? With a semi-pro contract, you could actually give her a life. You could pay for her school. You could be the hero."

There was a long silence. My breath caught in my chest. I wanted to run out and scream, but I stayed frozen.

"Is that what you think love is?" Jaxson asked. His voice was quiet now, but it was dangerous. "You think it’s a transaction? You think I’d betray my team and my Captain just to put some money in a bank account?"

"I think you’re a guy from a trailer park who is about to lose the only good thing that ever happened to him because you're too proud to be smart," Julian said. "Think about it, Miller. If the Vipers win tonight, you get a trophy. If you take my deal, you get a future."

"I already have a future," Jaxson said. I heard him stand up. The heavy sound of his skates hitting the floor echoed in the small room. "And it doesn't involve you. Get out of my face, Julian. Before I decide that the accident on the ice tonight starts early."

Julian let out a cold laugh. "Fine. Have it your way. But don't come crying to me when you're both eating ramen in a basement next month. You had your chance to be part of the winning side."

I heard Julian’s footsteps walking away. I waited until the sound faded before I stepped out from behind the pads.

Jaxson was leaning against the workbench, his head down. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the whole building on his shoulders.

"Jax," I whispered.

He looked up, and the tension in his face immediately vanished. He dropped his skate and hurried over to me, wrapping his arms around me so tight I could barely breathe.

"You heard that?" he asked into my hair.

"Every word," I said.

He pulled back, looking into my eyes. "Elena, I would never—"

"I know," I interrupted, reaching up to touch his face. "I know you wouldn't. Julian doesn't understand people like us. He thinks everyone has a price. He doesn't realize that the things that matter are free."

Jaxson sighed, resting his forehead against mine. "He was right about one thing, though. Your dad. Leo told me what happened at the presentation. Are you really okay? Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

"I don't care about the apartment, Jax. I don't care about any of it. I felt so alive today. For the first time, I wasn't scared of him. I looked him in the eye and I told him the truth. It was the best feeling in the world."