All Chapters of Too Late To Regret, My Hockey Star Ex-Husband: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Ophelia's POV"And we're back in five, four, three..."I adjusted my posture in the studio chair, facing veteran sports journalist Amanda Walsh across the sleek news desk. This was my third major television interview in two weeks, part of my campaign to establish myself as a serious reformer in professional hockey rather than just another wealthy heiress playing at philanthropy."Miss Sterling," Amanda said as the cameras rolled, "your foundation has announced sweeping reforms for athlete medical care and psychological support. Some critics say you're overreacting to isolated incidents. How do you respond?""Amanda, there's nothing isolated about athletes being manipulated, exploited, or having their trust betrayed by people in positions of authority," I replied. "What happened to my ex-husband and other players represents a pattern of abuse that we can no longer ignore."Over the past month, I had attended twelve high-profile hockey events, from charity galas to league meetings. At e

Tyler Rodriguez's POV"Sir, are you suggesting that someone in your own family is working against you?"I watched Marcus's face as he gave the order to monitor his own family members' computer access, seeing the pain behind his professional determination. The idea that someone within the Sterling family might be betraying them was clearly devastating to him."Marcus," I said after he ended the call, "I know this situation is complicated, but I want you to know that Ophelia can count on me completely."He studied my face for a moment, then nodded. "Tyler, I appreciate that. But I need you to understand something about my sister.""What?""She's been betrayed by the person she trusted most in the world," Marcus said. "Landon Hayes didn't just break her heart - he shattered her ability to trust anyone completely. Even someone as genuine as you."I had suspected this, but hearing it confirmed made my chest tighten with sympathy for what Ophelia had endured."I understand," I said. "That's

Derek Thompson's POV"Derek, you need to get out of there immediately."I was sitting in a dingy motel room outside Chicago, staring at the burner phone that had just delivered the most terrifying message of my life. The voice belonged to Vincent Torrino, the gambling syndicate leader who had promised to help me destroy the Sterling family in exchange for inside information about hockey operations."What do you mean get out?" I asked, looking around the room that had been my hiding place for the past week."The FBI raided three of our operations this morning," Vincent said, his voice tight with controlled panic. "They have detailed financial records, recorded conversations, and witness testimony about our sports betting activities."My hands started shaking as I realized what this meant. "Are they looking for me specifically?""Derek, they have everything. Bank records showing payments to you, recordings of our conversations about fixing games, evidence of your recruitment activities

Landon's POVThe envelope from my team's front office arrived at 6 AM, delivered by a courier who wouldn't make eye contact when I answered the door. I knew what it contained before I even opened it."Effective immediately, your contract with the Sacramento Kings is terminated due to conduct detrimental to the organization and violation of moral character clauses."I read the termination letter three times, each word hitting me like a physical blow. Two weeks ago, I had been the league's Most Valuable Player. Now I was unemployed and apparently unemployable.I called my agent Jake Morrison immediately, even though it was barely dawn."Jake, they cut me," I said without preamble."I know," Jake said, his voice heavy with resignation. "I got the call last night. Landon, I'm sorry, but there's more bad news.""More?""Three other teams have withdrawn their interest since the Tyler Rodriguez kidnapping story broke. The connection between you and Derek Thompson's criminal network is making

Victoria Sterling's POV"Mrs. Hayes, Vincent Torrino is a person of significant interest in our investigation. What did he want from you?"I was watching the FBI interrogation of Mary Hayes through a secure video feed in my private office, courtesy of contacts I had cultivated within federal law enforcement during my time studying international business in Switzerland. The irony wasn't lost on me - while my cousin Ophelia had been playing house with some nobody hockey player, I had been building the network of relationships that should have made me Richard Sterling's obvious successor.But now Ophelia was back, and everyone was treating her like the prodigal daughter who deserved to inherit an empire she had abandoned for three years."Turn off the feed," I told my assistant, Marcus Walsh - not to be confused with my uncle's son Marcus, whom I considered equally undeserving of his position in the family hierarchy.I had returned from Europe two weeks ago to find that the Sterling fami