Playing To Win || paused might be continued soon ||

Emery Valenti, captain of Hawthorne Valley College's figure skating team, is no stranger to competition. With her sharp edges and even sharper tongue, she's built walls high enough to keep everyone out. But behind her fierce determination lies a dark past, one that keeps her grounded in a life of perfection and control-especially when it comes to the ice.

Landon Kingston, captain of the college's hockey team, has been Emery's fiercest rival since freshman year. Their rivalry is notorious-fueled by tension, biting sarcasm, and an unspoken connection they both refuse to acknowledge. While Emery views him as nothing more than an arrogant nuisance, Landon's possessiveness over her has been growing, leaving him torn between his desire to protect her and the need to push her away.

As both captains balance intense pressure from their teams, an unexpected bond begins to form, complicating their already fraught relationship. But when Emery's past resurfaces, threatening to destroy her hard-earned control, Landon steps in. What begins as protection soon turns into something deeper, something neither of them is prepared for.

In a world where rivalry and passion collide, Emery and Landon must navigate their complicated feelings, their teams, and the darkness that shadows Emery's life. With the ice melting beneath them, the line between love and hate blurs, leaving them to question what's real and what's just part of the game.