Fake Dating My Ex's Favourite Hockey Player - Chapter 73: Chapter 73

EMILIA
“So that’s what all of this was about?” I ask, barely recognising my own voice. “Money?”
Everything clicks.
Liam’s weird reactions to everything involving Céline. Lacey’s offhanded comment about her being a gold digger.
How Céline latched onto Tonia’s boyfriend so fast.
Was it really about stealing him away from Tonia? Because he’s some crypto millionaire.
God, I really should have listened to Liam and stayed away from her, but in the face of Irma, his warnings had completely left my mind.
Now, I’ve walked straight into this mess.
And I’m left wondering — how long has Liam known? What exactly did he know?
Céline’s face twists. “You wouldn’t understand anything I go through,” she snaps, like I’ve just insulted her mere existence. “You don’t know what it’s like to have nothing. To wake up every day knowing you’re stuck while someone else gets everything.”
Her voice rises. Her eyes burn.
“To sit there and think: What does she have that I don’t? Why does she get the perfect life? And what can I do to take it away from her?”
For a second, I just stare at her.
Then I laugh. Bitter and loud.
She flinches. “What the hell are you laughing at?!”
“You,” I say. “You’re actually insane.”
I feel something twist in my chest — something sharp and sick. Not because of Céline. But because of Lacey.
God, Lacey.
How heartbroken she’ll be when she realises the one person she trusted… was the one setting her up to fall.
I shut my eyes for a second, try to breathe through the bitterness rising in my throat. When I open them again, I look Céline dead in the eye.
“No,” I say. “You’re right. I don’t understand. Because I’m not a selfish, twisted bitch who takes joy in destroying her best friend.”
She goes still. Her face freezes.
But I’m not done.
“I could never hurt Tessa the way you hurt Lacey.”
I think about Lacey’s constant laughter, the way she lights up every room. The way she drinks too much when she thinks no one’s watching. Her three divorces. The pain beneath the perverted jokes.
Is any of it real?
Is that why Liam worries about her drinking?
Everything feels heavier now.
“You spent all that time blaming Irma for everything, but in the end… you’re exactly what you accused her of being,” I say, voice shaking now. “You tear people down to feel powerful.”
Céline’s lips part like she wants to argue — but nothing comes out.
Because she knows I’m right.
And it finally shows.
My ears are ringing. I feel dizzy, like the hallway is spinning around me. Every memory of Céline starts replaying in my head — but none of them add up. She’s never been this person.
And then Lacey flashes in my mind. Sweet, bubbly, big-hearted Lacey. The girl who’d drop everything for Céline. Who looked out for her when no one else did.
My hands are shaking.
I don’t even realise I’m trembling until I look up and see her again.
Céline. Smiling like she just won something. Like my words moments ago hadn’t cut that deep.
“I think…” she murmurs, eyes glassy and unfocused. “Yes. I’ll do it. That’ll fix everything.”
What is she even talking about? My brain can’t keep up.
Then she snaps. Her tone turns sharp. Cold. “Alright. Time’s up. Tell your parents to wire the money, or I’ll post it.”
The instability in behaviour has me adapting to her moods as well. I calm my anger and follow her lead.
My heart pounds. “Post what?” I take a breath, trying to steady my voice. “You’re the one who’s been leaking everything… right?”
Her expression flickers. Then slowly, she nods.
“Irma,” I say, my voice tight. “That video of her… did you edit it? Did she actually say any of those things?”
Céline scoffs. “Of course not. She was talking to Margot. Some creep broke into her apartment last month. She was scared, that’s all. But who cares? Honestly?” Her smile turns sick again. “He should’ve killed her too. Would’ve saved us all the trouble.”
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. “That thing you want to post, what is it?”
She doesn’t even blink. “I don’t want to do this, okay? But you’re pushing me! You always push me!” Her voice cracks, manic and high-pitched. “Send the money or I’ll post the videos! Did you really think I wasn’t recording? I’ve got pictures, videos — everything! Once they’re out, everyone will know you’re just a whore. I’m protecting you! Don’t make me do this!”
It doesn’t take long for me to put two and two together. “You have evidence that Stone assaulted me.”
Céline tilts her head, narrowing her eyes and for once she seems clear-headed. “You’re only half as daft as I thought you were. You still don’t know, do you?”
She slowly intrudes my personal space, her lips curling. “How do you think he knew where to find you? Who do you think led him right to you?” She must see the horror on my face because she actually lets out a laugh. “You didn’t notice how hard it was to run away? You were on more than just some alcohol, so I was hoping he’d do more bu—”
One second, my hands are clenched into fists at my side, the next they connect with Céline’s face. Once. Twice. Thrice. Until both her cheeks are scorching red and her head is jerked to the side.
I’m fuming, unable to contain my rage. My palms sting, but with each second that ticks I’m closer to murder. “How— How could you?!”
“Oh, spare me the sob story,” she runs a thumb over her bruising lip. “I bet the only reason you called your brother that day was to get rid of competition for inheritance, right? Did you pay the truck driver, too? You’re a sneakier bitch than I thought.”
“How…” I can’t understand a thing that’s going on. No, I won’t. Because if I do, something tells me it’ll be worse than I expect. “How do you know what happened to my brother?”
Her eyes narrow and from the look on her face, I know she takes me for a fool. “Didn’t I say it already? Boss told me all about it. And besides,” she sneers, “bad things happen to bad people, Emily.”
My whole body recoils at the sound of that name in her mouth. I want to scream. But my confusion holds me from murdering her.
What the hell is going on here?
Then, a voice breaks through the madness.
“What about you?”
Céline spins around.
Standing at the end of the hallway — right at the edge of the deck — are Lacey and Liam.
Lacey’s face is streaked with tears. Her chest rises and falls like she can barely breathe, and Liam’s making his way over to me.
He grabs my hands, inspecting my palms. “You didn’t hit hard enough for it to be this red,” he whispers.
Somehow, in the midst of my confusion and anger, he finds a way to make me scowl, until I see the stormy look in his eyes. “You…?”
“Yeah.”
Céline goes pale.
Lacey steps forward, her voice trembling with rage and heartbreak. “If bad things happen to bad people,” she says, voice cracking, “then what the fuck should happen to you?”