“When has anything been pleasant lately?” Liam muttered, following Mike down the corridor.
The weight of judgment pressed down on him with each step. He had walked these halls countless times — after championship wins, during contract negotiations, through team restructurings. But never had he felt this exposed, this vulnerable. His personal life, his grief, his tentative steps toward happiness with Sunny — all laid bare for strangers to dissect and condemn.
Mike paused outside the conference room door. “Remember, stay calm no matter what they say. This is about image, not reality. We’ll get through this.”
The encouragement felt hollow as they entered the room to find team owner Gerald Parker standing at the head of the conference table, his imposing figure silhouetted against the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. General manager Ray Wilson sat to his right, flipping through what appeared to be a stack of printouts. PR director Vanessa Campbell completed the trio, her sleek blonde bob and sharp pantsuit projecting cold efficiency.
Gerald didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Sit down, Anderson.”
Liam lowered himself into a chair, with Mike taking the seat beside him. The polished mahogany table reflected his tense expression back at him.
Vanessa slid a folder across the table. “Perhaps you’d like to see what we’re dealing
with.”
Inside was a curated collection of headlines and social media screenshots, each more scandalous than the last.
GRIEF, LUST & BETRAYAL: Hockey Star’s Secret Caribbean Fling
Pucking Around: Is Anderson Moving On Too Soon?
From Mourning to Morning-After: Coyotes Star’s Rebound with Nanny
Beneath these were Twitter screenshots, Facebook posts, and Instagram comments— a digital firing squad aimed directly at his character. Some questioned his loyalty to Kate’s memory, while others crudely speculated about Sunny’s motives. The worst compared photos of Kate to Sunny, treating the two women as if they were competing contestants in a reality show.
Liam clenched his jaw so tightly he could hear his teeth grinding. “This is garbage.”
“Thisgarbage,” Gerald replied sharply, “is costing us sponsorship dollars. Macklin Foods is threatening to pull their family-friendly campaign, and the youth hockey foundations are reconsidering your involvement.”
Ray cleared his throat. “Merchandise sales featuring your name have dropped fifteen percent in three days.”
“My name on a jersey has nothing to do with my personal life,” Liam countered, heat rising in his face.
Vanessa’s perfectly manicured nails tapped against her tablet. “In professional sports, there is no separation. Your personal brandisthe team’s brand. Surely you understand this, Liam.”
The use of his first name, dripping with condescension, made his blood boil. He leaned forward. “What exactly are you asking me to do? Issue a public apology for trying to find happiness after my wifedied?”
“We’re asking you to consider the repercussions,” Gerald said coldly. “A widower with young children involved with the nanny? It’s a tabloid cliché.”
“Involved with?” Liam echoed, incredulous. “Sunny has been nothing but professional and caring toward my girls.”
“The public doesn’t see it that way,” Ray interjected. “They see a much younger woman who might be taking advantage—”
“That’s bullshit,” Liam snapped, slamming his palm on the table.
Mike placed a warning hand on his arm. “What my client means is that characterization is unfair to Miss Thompson, who is by all accounts an exemplary caregiver.”
Gerald’s expression remained impassive. “The characterization doesn’t matter. The optics do. And the optics are damaging our brand.”
Their brand. Not his family, not his mental health, not the well-being of his daughters or Sunny. Just the precious brand.
“So what exactly do you want from me?” Liam asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.
The three executives exchanged glances before Gerald spoke. “End your relationship with Miss Thompson. Issue a statement clarifying that she is only your children’s nanny. Maintain your distance from her in public until this blows over.”
Liam felt his chest tighten.
“And if I don’t?”
