As Olympic season begins, Katarina tries to ignore Heath and Bella at the Academy so she can stay focused on winning gold. That proves difficult because they are constantly together, and Katarina is forced to admit they are an excellent team. Heath has become far better than he used to be, and his strength makes Bella even more competitive, while rumors circulate about where he trained during his disappearance.

At the same time, Katarina and Garrett are struggling with their new free dance, a sensual R&B program built around overt chemistry and intimate lifts. Although Katarina and Garrett can perform the technical elements, the program feels strained and artificial. Katarina realizes Heath’s presence is part of the problem, because seeing him again reminds her of what genuine desire feels like and makes her disconnect from Garrett more obvious.

To avoid Heath, Katarina begins doing some off-ice training away from the Academy, especially running brutal canyon stairs near the Lins’ house. The punishing heat and isolation give Katarina a way to channel her frustration. One afternoon in early October, another runner catches up to Katarina on the stairs, nearly forcing her into the railing, and Katarina discovers it is Heath.

The encounter quickly becomes a race, echoing their childhood rivalry. Katarina refuses to let Heath beat her and pushes to pass him near the top, but she catches her foot and falls hard. Heath immediately pulls Katarina up and, despite the tension between them, kneels to rinse the gravel and blood from her scraped legs with water from his belt.

While Heath tends her injuries, Katarina struggles with her attraction to him. When Heath lifts his shirt to wipe away sweat, Katarina sees that his back is covered with old scars and is shocked. Katarina asks what happened, but Heath refuses to answer, and when Katarina reaches toward him, Heath recoils.

The moment turns into a bitter argument about their breakup. Heath accuses Katarina of abandoning him after he overheard her telling Ellis that Heath was holding her back and that she could never win with him. Katarina insists she had not made a final decision and says Heath was the one who truly left by disappearing. Unwilling to continue, Heath walks away, and Katarina is left angry at herself for risking injury over him. She ends the chapter determined not to let Heath derail her Olympic season.