Off‑Ice Victory

Nina Walsh spent six years loving hockey celebrity Payton Sterling. Behind his championship triumphs, she served only as his casual pre‑game comfort. Hurt by his dismissive words, she quits and joins a top‑tier AI research program in Paris. Deprived of her expertise, Payton suffers crushing losses and drowns in regret. Nina meets Elliot Reed, who truly values her gifts. She turns down Payton’s belated apologies, building a remarkable new life far away from him.