CHAPTER 57
Falling Hard
ZAYN CARTER
3 DAYS LATER AT THE GODDESS MATCH
The stadium was packed. The energy was wildâcheering, banners waving, and cameras flashing from every direction. The Goddess match wasn't just any fight; it was one of the biggest underground martial arts events in the city.
Cole and I walked through the crowd, the VIP tickets Ari had given me letting us bypass the long lines. We made our way to the front rows, scanning for familiar faces when I spotted two.
Fay and Blair.
They were standing near the railing, their expressions a little too tense for two people who were supposed to be enjoying the match.
Something was off.
Blair's arms were crossed, her eyes locked onto the match ground like she was worried about something. Fay, on the other hand, kept fidgetingâbiting her lip, shifting on her feet.
"What's up with them?" Cole muttered beside me.
"No idea," I said, narrowing my eyes.
Before I could ask, the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium.
"AND NOWâWELCOME TO THE RING, YOUR UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONâTHE GODDESS!"
The crowd exploded.
The lights dimmed for a dramatic effect, and then a single spotlight hit the entrance. And there she was.
The Goddess.
Dressed in sleek black gear, her face hidden behind the traditional mask, she walked onto the match ground with that same commanding presence as always.
But my eyes didn't go to her mask. They didn't go to the way she walkedâor rather, the way she was trying to walk normally.
They went straight to the limp.
It was subtle, barely noticeable to someone who wasn't looking for it. But I saw it. The way she shifted her weight slightly to one side, the way she adjusted her footing just a fraction slower than usual.
That limpâ
Ari had the same fucking limp.
My hands curled into fists.
No. No fucking way.Ari is at home.
It was just a coincidence, right?
Had to be.
But then, I glanced at Fay and Blair again.
Blair was chewing her lip, anxiety written all over her face. Fay was clutching the railing, her knuckles turning white.
Like they knew something.
Like they knew exactly what I was thinking.
The Goddess stepped onto the ring, and her opponentâKade, a ruthless fighter known for his brutal knockoutsâwas already waiting.
And for the first time in my life, I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this match.
Because if that was Ari...
Then she was about to fight with a fucking injured leg.