Chapter 111: The Hot Seat
Aveline's POV
The door of the athletic director’s office shut with a definitive click. It felt like the door of an interrogation room.
Three league board members sat behind a long desk, looking down at me through expensive glasses. They didn't look like hockey enthusiasts. They looked like corporate lawyers ready to protect a brand.
"Take a seat, Carter," the middle board member said, his voice flat.
I sat down in the stiff leather chair opposite them, adjusting the collar of my T-shirt underneath, my chest binding felt suffocatingly tight, trapping the sweat against my skin, I had to play the part of the oblivious teammate. But my pulse was hammering against my ribs.
"Let's get straight to the point," the man on the left said, tapping a pen against a printout of a screenshot from the viral video. "You were in the arena's tunnel after the championship game, correct?"
"Yes, sir. I was heading to the locker room," I muttered, forcing my voice into Asher's usual gentle cadence.
"And did you witness any... inappropriate or non-consensual behaviour from your captain, Kieran Hampton?" the middle one asked, leaning forward.
"The league takes allegations of predatory conduct very seriously. We need to know if Hampton is using his authority to force himself on younger players."
Anger flashed in my chest. Predatory? Forced? They were twisting a moment of pure, desperate love into something disgusting just to protect their corporate image.
"No, sir," I said firmly, keeping my eyes locked on his. "Kieran has never forced himself on anyone. He is an incredible captain. The video is a complete misunderstanding."
The woman on the right sighed, an incredibly patronising smile spreading across her face. "Asher, honey, you don't have to protect him. We know about your history. We know you have a weak heart and that you were bullied by other members of the squad before your miracle recovery. Did Hampton offer to protect you from the others in exchange for... private favours?"
The stupidity of the question made my jaw clench so hard my teeth ached. It was a massive insult to everything Kieran was. They didn't care about the truth; they just wanted a neat, scandalous narrative to justify suspending him and saving their own skins.
"With all due respect," I hissed, barely keeping my temper under control, "that is a ridiculous accusation. Kieran doesn't trade protection for favours. He protects this team because it's his job. If you're looking for a villain, you're looking at the wrong guy."
The board members exchanged cold, unimpressed looks. "That will be all for now, Carter. Don't leave campus."
I practically threw the office door open, stepping out into the empty corridor of the athletic wing. I needed air. I needed to breathe.
"Well, well. Look who survived the firing squad."
I froze. Standing by, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, was Katty. Kieran's toxic, clout-chasing ex-girlfriend. Her perfectly styled hair always caught my attention, and she was looking at me with a slow, predatory smirk.
"What do you want, Katty?" I snapped, not in the mood for her drama.
She strutted over, completely ignoring the hostility radiating off me. She stopped right in front of my face, letting out a sharp, mocking chuckle.
"I'm here to make a deal with you, Asher," she purred, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "Because let's be honest. Kieran is a total mess right now. His father is breathing down his neck, the league wants to destroy his career, and this disgusting gay rumour is going to ruin his NHL prospects."
She leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing into sharp, ambitious slits.
"I can save him. I can fix his public image in a second. All I have to do is step back into the spotlight as his devoted, loving girlfriend. The media will forget all about that tunnel video the second we announce we're back together."
A wave of intense, blinding rage exploded in my chest. Knowing that I was the girl Kieran loved, and knowing that he was risking his entire future just to protect my identity, hearing this delusional girl talk about him like a prize to be won was tearing me apart.
"Kieran doesn't want you, Katty," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous, low whisper. "He told you to stay away from him."
"Oh, please. He’s just acting out because I left," she scoffed, waving her manicured hand carelessly. "He’s obsessed with me. He always has been. So here is my bet, Carter. You're his little shadow friend, right? You have his ear. I bet you that I can make him love me again within a week. All you have to do is drop a few hints, tell him I’m miserable without him, and push him back into my arms."
She tapped her painted fingernail against my chest, right over my hidden binding.
"Help me save his career, Asher. Unless you want to watch your precious captain drown in his own scandal."
My fists clenched so hard inside my pockets my nails cut into my palms. I wanted to scream the truth in her face. I wanted to tell her that Kieran belonged to me, that he had held me just hours ago in his private loft, promising to fight the whole world for me. But I had to swallow the rage. I had to play the part.
"You're completely delusional," I spat, ripping my arm away from her as I took a step back. "Keep your hands off him, Katty. You don't know a damn thing about Kieran."
I turned on my heel and stormed down the corridor, leaving her laughing triumphantly behind me, the sound echoing like a death knell in the empty hallway.