บททั้งหมดของ LOVING MR HOCKEY STAR: บทที่ 101 - บทที่ 110

Jaxon's POVThe alarm clock's shrill beeping cut through my exhausted sleep at 5:30 AM. I groaned and rolled off the lumpy motel bed, my back protesting from another night on what felt like a pile of rocks wrapped in cheap sheets. The Sunset Motel wasn't exactly five-star accommodation, but it was what I could afford on a garage mechanic's salary.I stumbled to the tiny bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, avoiding my reflection in the cracked mirror. Three weeks of living like this had taken its toll. Dark circles under my eyes, stubble I couldn't afford the time to shave properly, clothes that smelled like motor oil no matter how many times I washed them in the motel's coin laundry.My phone buzzed with a text from Tommy, my supervisor at Mike's Auto Repair: Need you to pull a double again today. Rodriguez called in sick.I typed back: I'll be there.Another sixteen-hour shift. Another day of crawling under cars, changing oil, and trying not to think about how different my l

Victoria Sterling's POVThe black Mercedes purred to a stop outside Blackstone University's main gates, its engine a whisper compared to the chaos of news vans and protesters that lined the street. I adjusted my Hermès sunglasses and checked my reflection in the rearview mirror. Perfectly applied makeup, not a strand of my blonde hair out of place, designer suit that cost more than most people's monthly rent. I looked exactly like what I was, money, power, and breeding wrapped in an elegant package."Miss Sterling?" My driver, Charles, glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "Shall I wait?""No, Charles. I have a feeling I'll be here for quite some time." I gathered my Chanel purse and stepped out of the car, my heels clicking against the pavement with authority.The scene before me was even more chaotic than the news reports had suggested. Students clustered in groups, some holding signs supporting "Maya Chen," others demanding "Justice for Professor Ronan." Reporters prowled lik

Maya's POVThe lecture hall that used to feel like a sanctuary now felt like a fishbowl. I slipped into the back row of my Advanced Herbology class, keeping my hood up and my head down, but it didn't matter. I could feel eyes on me from every direction.Click. The sound of a phone camera.Click. Click.I glanced around and saw at least five students with their phones pointed at me, trying to be subtle but failing miserably. My stomach churned. This was my life now – being documented like some zoo animal, every moment recorded in case I did something worth posting online."Miss Chen," Professor Hawthorne's voice cut through the whispers. "Could you please remove your hood? This is a classroom, not a hideout."Heat flooded my cheeks as every head in the room turned toward me. I slowly pushed back my hood, and immediately the phone cameras multiplied. Students who had never spoken to me before were suddenly very interested in documenting my existence."Thank you," Professor Hawthorne sai

Victoria's POVI stood in the ballroom of the Blackstone Grand Hotel, surveying my masterpiece with satisfaction. Crystal chandeliers cast perfect lighting over arrangements of white orchids and gold accents. Servers in crisp uniforms circulated with champagne and canapés. The cream of local society mingled in their finest attire, their conversations a refined murmur that spoke of breeding and good taste."Victoria, darling, this is absolutely spectacular," gushed Mrs. Hamilton, wife of the university's largest donor. "Such a noble cause too, helping students affected by the recent... unpleasantness.""Thank you, Margaret. I felt it was important to show that not all young women handle adversity by creating scandals and drama." I smiled graciously, letting the implication settle. "Some of us believe in rising above such things."The "Students in Crisis Charity Gala" had come together in just one week – a testament to what the Sterling name could accomplish when properly applied. I'd p

Jaxon's POVI stood outside the Blackstone Grand Hotel, my hands shaking as I adjusted the tie I'd borrowed from Tommy at the garage. The monkey suit didn't fit quite right, the jacket was too loose in the shoulders and too tight around the waist, but it was the best I could manage on my mechanic's salary.Through the tall windows, I could see the charity gala in full swing. Crystal chandeliers, designer gowns, champagne glasses catching the light. Everything sparkled with money and privilege, the kind of world I'd been born into but had chosen to leave behind."Sir, do you have an invitation?" The doorman looked me up and down, clearly noting that my rental tux wasn't quite up to the event's standards."I'm Jaxon Cross," I said, hoping my family name still carried some weight despite everything that had happened.His expression shifted slightly. "I'm sorry, sir, but your name isn't on the guest list."Of course it wasn't. Victoria Sterling had made sure of that. I'd heard about this