All Chapters of How To Deal with a Hockey Star : Chapter 21 - Chapter 29

Rose Miller's POV"Dr. Miller, please state your full name and medical license number for the record."I sat in the sterile conference room at the state medical board headquarters, my hands trembling as I faced a panel of five stern-faced physicians who held my entire future in their hands. The formal hearing I had been dreading for weeks was finally here, and the evidence against me was overwhelming."Rose Catherine Miller, Medical License Number 47829," I said, my voice barely above a whisper."Dr. Miller," said Dr. Patricia Hensworth, the board chairwoman, "you are here today to address allegations of medical fraud, patient endangerment, and falsification of medical records spanning a period of eight years. How do you plead to these charges?"I looked at my court-appointed attorney, a tired-looking man who had already warned me that my case was essentially hopeless. Behind him in the gallery sat seventeen former patients who had agreed to testify against me, their faces showing var

Derek Thompson's POVI was hiding behind the conference room door, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure the security guards could hear it through the walls. The Sterling Hawks file was burning a hole in my jacket, and I could hear footsteps getting closer to my hiding spot."Check all the conference rooms," a voice said in the hallway. "Motion sensors picked up movement on this floor.""Roger that," came the reply. "Starting with the east wing."I held my breath as the footsteps moved past my door and continued down the hallway. After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, the floor went silent again.I waited another twenty minutes before carefully opening the door and peering into the hallway. Empty. Whatever had triggered the alarm, they hadn't found me. Yet.I took the stairs down forty flights rather than risk the elevator, emerging into the lobby with shaking legs and sweat-soaked clothes. The night security guard was nowhere to be seen, and I walked out of the bu

Ophelia's POV"Turn up the volume."I was sitting in my father's private study, watching the morning news coverage with Marcus and Harrison Wells. The lead story on every major network was about the criminal investigation that had suddenly engulfed the hockey world, and my name was at the center of it all."...federal authorities have arrested Dr. Rose Miller on charges of medical fraud spanning eight years," the news anchor was saying. "The investigation began when evidence surfaced that Dr. Miller had stolen credit for life-saving experimental treatments developed by other physicians."The screen showed Rose being led away in handcuffs, her face hidden from cameras as reporters shouted questions about her role in manipulating professional athletes' medical care."Meanwhile," the anchor continued, "Derek Thompson of the Chicago Storm has been suspended pending investigation into allegations of conspiracy, gambling violations, and sports betting fraud."I watched footage of Derek's ap

Ophelia's POV"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ophelia Sterling, daughter of Richard Sterling and the new Executive Director of the Sterling Foundation for Athlete Welfare."I stood at the entrance to the Grand Metropolitan Hotel's crystal ballroom, feeling hundreds of pairs of eyes turn toward me as my name echoed through the elegantly decorated space. The Annual Hockey Foundation Gala was the most prestigious event in professional sports, and this was my first public appearance as myself in over three years.Gone was the simple housewife who had once baked cookies for her husband's teammates. In her place stood a woman in a custom Valentino gown, her hair styled in an elegant updo, wearing jewelry that cost more than most people's houses. I had spent hours with stylists and image consultants, transforming myself back into the Sterling heiress I had once been.But this wasn't just about looking the part. This was about reclaiming my place in a world that had forgotten I existed.

Derek Thompson's POVI was still staring at the man with the camera across the ballroom, trying to figure out if he was documenting Tyler Rodriguez's conversation with Ophelia Sterling for my benefit or theirs, when my phone buzzed with an urgent message from my lawyer."Derek, you need to get to my office immediately. The NHL investigators want to meet with you again, and this time they're not asking politely."I slipped out of the gala through a service exit, my mind racing with possibilities. The federal charges were bad enough, but if the NHL decided to ban me permanently from professional hockey, even a successful legal defense wouldn't save my career.Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in my lawyer's office across from two stern-faced men in expensive suits who introduced themselves as representatives of the NHL's Internal Investigation Division."Mr. Thompson," said the older investigator, a man named Robert Walsh, "we're here to discuss your alleged connections to gambling or