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We all had dinner together and then Vince and I went up to our rooms to sleep. I thought I should sleep in my own room. We both stopped at the top of the stairs and he turned to me. He waited for my parents to close the door and then moved closer to me, towering over me.

"Goodnight," I sang, taking a step back but he grabbed my waist and pulled me forward, picking me up and walking to his room. I laughed, rocking my legs back and forth as he pushed the door with his back and then kicked it shut, taking me to the bathroom and setting me on the counter. We brushed our teeth and then filed into bed. I shuffled closer to him, throwing an arm over his torso and resting my head on his bare chest, closing my eyes.

"Demi."

"Hmm?"

"Please ask your parents to stay till Christmas."

I lifted my head to look at him. "To stay here till Christmas?"

He nodded.

My parents told us earlier that they only planned to stay with me for a few days. They booked a hotel for themselves from the seventeenth onwards up until New Years.

"Why?"

"I want them to come to my last game. I already talked to your Dad about it, but just tell me what they say."

My brows furrowed. "You talked to him about what?"

"About them attending that game. Your dad seemed happy but he said he'll have to see with the hotel bookings and whatnot. But I want them there at the game with you."

I nodded slowly, "Okay. We'll all be there. So will your dad, right?"

He hummed in response.

"How are you feeling about that?" I whispered, tracing his jaw.

"Weird. We'll see. Despite everything he's done, I... I can't help it. I want to give him a shot to fix things. I shouldn't, right?"

"I think you should do what feels right. Because you can't control what other people do, but you can control your actions. Do what you want, hmm?" I whispered, kissing his cheek.

He chuckled softly, turning to kiss me. "Have you bought me a Christmas gift?" he smirked.

"Maybe," I grinned, "did you buy me anything?"

He paused, grinning, "Maybe."

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

The days leading up to the game were both stressful and enjoyable. My parents are in love with Vince and support him and our relationship so much. Vince and I have both been trying to think of what to do for tonight's game but he kept telling me to trust him and leave it up to him. I have faith in him, so I did. I left it up to him.

We were all getting ready right now. I pulled a full-sleeve black t-shirt on and then pulled on a sweater over that along with a heavy jacket for the cold. I let my hair down, kept it straight, and pulled on a pair of boots. I was putting on some makeup while Vince got dressed. I went and sat on the bag while he packed the duffel bag and let out a breath, turning to me.

"Shall we, Ms. Tiffany?"

I laughed, standing up and taking his hand. "It's been a while since you called me that."

"There's a good reason I'm calling Ms. Tiffany tonight." I frowned in confusion, watching him through suspicious eyes but he laughed it off and kissed me. "Let's go."

We left, my parents joining us in the car, and we arrived at the stadium, not ours, in time. I settled my parents in the stands while Vince went to get ready before waiting by the locker room for the team to come out while the stands filled up with the crowd. The team filed out and I wished all the guys good luck.

Amelia was standing with me today. Michael almost stepped on the ice when she called his name. "Michael!"

He turned back around, his helmet still tucked under his arm. "Yeah?"

"Good luck," she nodded softly before flashing him a smile.

He chuckled and then stepped on the ice.

Vince came out last, stopping in front of me, and let out a nervous breath. He's nervous. I wonder why because I know it's not the game. Maybe it's his mom's upcoming interview or whatever he's planned to do tonight.

I knocked slowly three times while smiling. "Good luck," I whispered, sneaking in a kiss before he pulled his helmet on.

"I love you," he said, sounding more serious than usual.

"You know I love you," I smiled, blowing him a kiss in the air before letting him get on the ice and play the game. I went and sat with my parents, watching the game.

The game was surprisingly smooth sailing. The team won with ease, despite a few attempts from the opponents to score through penalties. But all penalties were granted and we had the upper hand throughout the game.

For the final games, the winning team's announcement is usually different. The players get to rest first, the audience has to wait a little longer, and at the end, when the players come back on the ice for the results, they're rewarded with the announcement, trophy, and the winning sum. Usually, the scoreboard gives away the winner though and it's just a formal announcement.

With the echo of the buzzer, everybody shot up and cheered for the Royal Riders, including my parents and me. I was taking a look around at all the fans when I noticed Mr. Graham in the stands.

He sat in a corner, watching the game silently. He seemed emotionless but the pride was there on his face. He was proud of his son. He noticed me, sending me a small nod and I smiled in response, turning back to the audience.

I ran down as the team skated out. Vince took his helmet off, shaking his head out while grinning as he spotted me. I ran over, throwing my arms and legs around him.

"Shit," he laughed, almost stumbling in his skates but caught himself, moving back onto the ice rink, stopping in the middle. The audience cheered louder as we were the last two people on the empty ice rink. He spun around a couple of times while I squeezed him tighter, smiling so hard that my cheeks began to ache. He set me down slowly, holding me in place so I wouldn't slip on the ice.

"You won!" I yelled. "I'm so happy, Vince, I'm so proud of you!" I went up on my toes and he leaned down, kissing me quickly. He didn't kiss me for too long though, we had too big of an audience to do that.

"Now, while we wait for the official announcement, Mr. Hunter here made a special request before the game," one of the anchors announced.

I lifted my brows but tried keeping the confusion off my face while he shook his head softly, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"This relationship that the public has been going wild for, the couple the world has come to love, has all been a lie! A fake relationship!"

I stared at him in disbelief. "Vince."

"Shh," he mumbled, still smiling while the anchors talked in detail about the contract, the motive, everything, and spilled the truth out, throwing his career and reputation for a toss. Again.

I wanted to cry thinking about the backlash he'd receive at the end of this. He could lose everything. And I could lose him.

"But there's a twist in the story!"

I blinked in confusion while he leaned by my ear. "Close your eyes," he whispered.

"What?"

"Just close your eyes," he insisted.

I groaned softly, doing just that. I heard him skate away from me and then come back.

"And we'll let you see this twist unfold for yourself!"

I gnawed on my bottom lip nervously while my knees felt weak. "Vince..." I mumbled nervously.

"Demi?"

"Can I look?"

"Yeah," he chuckled.

I hesitated, pulling my hands down and looking down.

Down.

Where he knelt with a ring in a box. For me.

"As it turns out, what started for the public has now become real!"

I stared at him, my lips parting in shock while my vision blurred with tears I didn't know would come up.

"I love you," he laughed softly. "I really do."

"And Vince Hunter is ready to tie the knot after a romance that became public this year, but has been brewing in their hearts for the last two years!"

"And I know it's soon, maybe too soon, but two years is a long time to want someone. I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, there's no doubt in my mind that's it you, it's... always been you."

"Vince," I croaked out, covering my mouth with one hand.

"Demi Tiffany Vaughn... No, Ms. Tiffany."

I blinked, tears rolling out.

"Will you marry me? Someday?"

I stared at him, falling quiet.

The entire stadium was chanting, "Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!"

I nodded quickly, letting out a laugh, "Yes!" His grin widened as he took out the ring and slipped it onto my finger. "Yes!" I repeated as he stood up, putting his arms around me and picking me back up. I tightened my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist while he squeezed me. I don't know when I began sobbing or when the crowd began going crazy and cheering louder than I've ever heard them before.

The rest of the players and the other team skated back on. "And to add to this happy moment, we have our winners for this season! Royal Riders!"

Vince still hadn't put me down and didn't bother to even while the team hugged and shouted in excitement. He just moved aside, skating towards the exit. He set me down there and climbed out, leaving the team on the ice.

"Aren't you going to celebrate with them?" I sniffled, wiping my cheeks with my sleeve.

"I'm going to celebrate with you," he smiled, kissing me multiple times before giving me one long kiss. "Let me change," he mumbled against my lips, "and we'll go home." I waited while he went and changed. He came out and spotted his dad who was just about to leave. They exchanged a nod and then we left.

As soon as we left the stadium, my mom drowned me in her hug and suffocated me while my dad waited for his turn to do the exact same thing. Dad drove us back while Vince and I sat in the backseat together.

Once we got home, we all made and had dinner together, celebrating the win and the proposal. We were eating in the living room when I turned to Vince. "You should have told me you were going to do that," I said, putting my empty plate away.

"If I told you, then it wouldn't have made you this happy or been such a surprise."

My parents had already retired for the night, so it was just us in the living room.

"And I want you to know," he sighed, pulling me into his lap. "There's no pressure for marriage. We can get married tomorrow or ten years later, I don't care. As long as it's me you're marrying. I leave the date up to you, yeah?"

I smiled, nodding, "Yeah." I stared at him for a moment.

"What?" he chuckled.

"I still have your gift."

"Which is...?"

"Let's go upstairs."

"Oh?" he teased.

"Shut up," I laughed. We went upstairs and I brought out the Cartier box I had hidden in the closet. I walked over to him on the bed and opened it for him. "Ta-da!"

He stared at it then looked up at me.

"Do you like it? It has your name on the front and my initials on the back."

"Why on the back?" he asked, lifting a brow.

"So that I'm... closer to your... heart?"

He laughed at my confusion before, nodding. "I love it, Demi. And I love you."

I felt the heat in my cheeks while I took it out of the box and clasped it together around his neck. "There you go." I put the box on his desk.

He pulled me back into his lap so I straddled him and he paused, his eyes roaming across my face. "I fucking love you, Demi Tiffany Vaughn."

"I love you, Vince Hunter," I grinned before he kissed me.

"You're my fiancé now," he said into the kiss.

"I sure am. Demi Tiffany Hunter. How does that sound?" I lifted a brow.

"Fucking perfect. It sounds perfect. Now I can really say you're mine. Until forever."

I glanced at the time and smiled wider against his lips. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, babe."

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