The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 105

Chapter 105 The hospital room was bathed in the sterile, fluorescent glow of overhead lights as | hesitated at the

threshold. Fear gnawed at my insides as | stared at the closed door, beyond which lay the man who had tormented my life for far too long—Bruce.

Visiting him in the hospital had not been an easy decision, and | questioned whether it was the right one. There was a sinking feeling in my chest, a fear that if Bruce survived, he would continue to plague my existence. But there was another part of me, a part that longed for closure and justice, that drove her to confront him one last time.

With a deep breath, | pushed open the door and entered the dimly lit room. The sight before her was both shocking and eerily satisfying. Bruce lay in the hospital bed, still and motionless, his legs encased in casts that snaked up to his hips. The accident that had befallen him had left him incapacitated,

vulnerable, and powerless.

| had expected to feel pity when | saw him in this vulnerable state. After all, he was still a human being beneath all that. But as | stood there, watching him, | was surprised to find that pity was the furthest

thing from my mind.

Instead, there was a strange sense of detachment-a cold and unfeeling numbness. that had settled over me. Perhaps it was the weight of the years of torment he had subjected me to or the revelation of the depths of his cruelty. Whatever the reason, | couldn’t summon an ounce of sympathy for the man lying before me.

| approached his bedside, my heart pounding in my chest. The temptation to walk away, to leave him to his fate, was strong.

But | couldn’t let the opportunity pass without saying what needed to be said. | leaned over Bruce, my voice a low, venomous whisper.

“You know, Bruce,” | began, my words filled with anger and resentment, “I used to be afraid of you. Terrified, even. But now, seeing you like this, | can’t help but think that maybe you're just as weak and pathetic as | imagined.”

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Bruce remained motionless, his eyes sealed shut, giving no indication that he could hear me. But | didn’t care. The anger that had been bubbling within was quickly leaking out.

“| wish Timothy had finished the job,” | continued, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and sadness. “But your still here, still breathing somehow.”

The room seemed to grow colder as | let my threats hang in the air. | knew that my words would never reach Bruce, that they were more for my benefit than his. But for a fleeting moment, it felt like a small victory—a way to exorcise some of the demons that had haunted me for so long.

| reached for the hospital equipment beside Bruce’s bed, my hand inching toward the plug that connected him to life support. | knew that pulling that plug would be a final, irrevocable act, one that would end his days of torturing me, once and for all.

But just as my fingers brushed against the plug, there was a light knock at the door. | didn’t have time to back away before a head popped in and | met the blinking eyes of one of the officers outside the door.

| froze, my hand still hovering over the plug, my heart racing in my chest. The room was silent, save for the steady beeping of the machines that monitored Bruce’s vital signs. His gaze remained fixed on me, unnervingly curious.

The tension was broken when he offered a crooked smile and nodded at Bruce. “Is he behaving?”

| was at a loss for words, my mind racing to make sense of the situation. It was meant to be a joke, but the soft beep of Bruce’s heart meter made it more disconcerting. Even with him in a coma, he still

managed to have a hold over me. “Y—Yeah’ | stammered, forcing a smile at the officer. “Not like he has a choice.”

The officer’s smile remained and he chuckled lightly. “Just checking in. Didn’t expect any visitors.” | nodded. “Sorry. I'll only be a moment,” | told him.

When he closed the door, | released a sigh and turned back to Bruce. | gasped at what awaited me. Bruce’s eyes, previously sealed shut, fluttered open, revealing a cold and

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calculating gaze that sent shivers down my spine.

| froze, my hand still hovering over the plug, my heart racing in my chest. The room was silent, save for the steady beeping of the machines that monitored Bruce’s vital signs. His gaze remained fixed on me, unblinking and unnerving.

| was at a loss for words, my mind racing to make sense of the situation. My anger and desire for revenge had driven me to the brink, but | had underestimated how determined he was, even when close to

death.

With a heavy heart and a sense of impending doom, | turned and left the hospital room, my footsteps echoing down the sterile corridor. | had come to confront Bruce, seeking closure and justice, but now, | was left with a chilling uncertainty. When | arrived home, Aria was waiting in the living room, her expression one of concern. She had a way of reading me, of sensing when something was amiss.

“| haven’t seen you all day!” she exclaimed, tossing her magazine to the side.

| kicked off my shoes and groaned, throwing myself against the door as it shut behind me. She seemed to interpret this as angst more than anything.

“Oh, how did the one-night stand go?” she asked, her eyes narrowing inquisitively. “I didn’t see you come in last night.”

| hesitated, my mind still reeling from the encounter with Bruce. The lie came easily, though it weighed heavily on my conscience. “It went well, Aria. Nothing to worry about.”

“Ooo,” Aria replied, wiggling her eyebrows. “He must have really been something...”

“He was,” | said vaguely, recalling how I’d nearly broken down when Harry touched me. He had been a good sport about it, fortunately, but that did little to case my

worries.

Aria smiled cheekily, tilting her head to the side. “Our little Evie is growing up!”

The laugh that came out of me was breathy and pathetic. “I’m a full-grown adult, last time | checked.” “Yes,” she began, “But you're a severely suppressed adult. It’s about time you got a little wild.”

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“Right.” | grumbled, rolling my eyes. “I’m going to head to bed now.” She blinked wildly. “What? No details?” “Goodnight. Aria!” | called out to her, already exiting the room. Her laugh followed me down the hall.

Retreating to my room. | closed the door behind me and sank onto the bed, my thoughts consumed by the haunting encounter with Bruce. Just his unnerving gaze lingered in my mind like a dark cloud. | had come to confront him, seeking closure, but | had left with everything but.

As | lay on my bed, my eyes fixated on the ceiling. | couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets Bruce held, what schemes he was capable of. The shadow of his presence loomed over me, a reminder that | was still entangled in his web.

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