All Chapters of How To Deal with a Hockey Star : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Derek Thompson's POV"Perfect. Absolutely perfect."I leaned back in my leather chair, watching the news coverage of Landon Hayes' spectacular downfall with the satisfaction of a chess master who had just achieved checkmate. The flat-screen television in my penthouse apartment displayed Channel 7's breaking news story, and I couldn't help but smile at how beautifully my plan was unfolding.For those who didn't know me – and most people in the hockey world knew me only as Derek Thompson, star center for the Chicago Storm – I was much more than just another NHL player. I was a strategist, a manipulator, and most importantly, I was the man who was going to destroy Landon Hayes' career before it could eclipse my own.The reporter on screen was reading from what appeared to be an official statement: "Landon Hayes, recent MVP winner, has allegedly exposed a conspiracy within the Sterling Hawks organization involving his estranged wife and insider trading of player information."I reached fo

Coach Bradley's POV"Turn that garbage off."I grabbed the remote from my desk and switched off the television that had been playing nonstop coverage of the "Sterling Hawks Conspiracy" for the past hour. The sight of Richard Sterling's smug face defending his precious organization made my stomach turn, but it was the mention of his daughter that really caught my attention.Ophelia Sterling. The mystery woman who had been hiding in plain sight for three years.I'd been coaching the Chicago Storm for fifteen years, and in all that time, there was one thing that had driven me to the edge of madness: watching the Sterling Hawks win championship after championship while my team struggled to even make the playoffs. Richard Sterling had built a dynasty that seemed untouchable, and every year I watched his team celebrate while mine went home empty-handed.But now, for the first time in my career, I was seeing cracks in the Sterling empire. And I intended to make those cracks into chasms.My p

Landon's POVThe Sterling Hawks headquarters building rose forty stories into the Manhattan sky, its glass and steel facade reflecting the morning sun like a beacon of everything I had ever dreamed of achieving in hockey. As I stood on the sidewalk looking up at the gleaming corporate logo, I felt the familiar surge of excitement that came with big opportunities.This was it. This was the meeting that would change my life forever.I had barely slept the night before, spending hours researching the team's history, their current roster, and their championship prospects. The Sterling Hawks weren't just any NHL team – they were hockey royalty, the organization that every player dreamed of joining. Their players commanded the highest salaries, received the best endorsement deals, and competed for Stanley Cups on a regular basis.And somehow, despite all the chaos in my personal life, they still wanted to meet with me.My phone buzzed with a text from my agent: "Good luck today, Landon. Thi

Ophelia's POV"Finally. I'm free."I stood in my father's study, holding the signed divorce papers that had just been delivered by courier. The official seal of the notary still gleamed on the final page, and Landon's signature looked rushed and desperate – nothing like the confident handwriting I remembered from our marriage certificate three years ago."The papers are signed and filed," my father said, looking up from his desk where he had been reviewing business documents. "Your marriage to Landon Hayes is officially terminated."I set the papers down on his mahogany desk, feeling a strange mixture of relief and sadness. Relief that this chapter of my life was finally closed, and sadness for the naive woman I had been when I fell in love with a man who never really knew me."I suppose this is the time for us to see who the real gold digger was," I said with bitter irony. "He was so convinced that I was after his money and status. Now he'll learn what it feels like to lose everythin

Landon's POVThe call from my agent came at six in the morning, which was never a good sign. I had been lying awake since four anyway, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the divorce papers I had signed just days ago, so I answered on the first ring."Landon, we need to talk," Jake Morrison said without preamble. His voice had the tone of someone delivering bad news to a terminal patient."What's wrong now?" I asked, though I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer."Three teams pulled their offers overnight. Boston, Detroit, and Philadelphia. All of them cited 'character concerns and organizational fit issues' without providing any specific details."I sat up in bed, feeling like I had been punched in the stomach. "Three teams? In one night?""And that's not the worst part," Jake continued. "Your current team called me twenty minutes ago. They're benching you indefinitely, effective immediately.""Benching me? For what? My performance has been solid all season.""They're callin