Playing Pretend With The Hockey Devil On Ice

"You’re a princess, Kaylie. Always keep that in mind. You were meant for the stars, and the world is just the stage I’ve built for you to shine on." Her father’s voice had always been the soundtrack of her life. He didn’t just call her Princess; he made it part of who she was. He made it part of her identity and her essence. In the hockey world, she wasn’t just Kaylie Rodrigo. No, she was the Diamond, the Heir, the girl living in that glass tower built by the most powerful guy in the league. She was everything other girls wanted to be. Growing up, she thought the world was soft because her dad’s wealth had always cushioned her. Until everything came crashing down. The front door of the Rodrigo estate was kicked in loudly as Kaylie stood in the foyer. Her breath caught as the heavy thuds of boots echoed against the luxurious marble floor. "Father?" She found him in his study. The place was a disaster zone with shredded papers everywhere, safes wide open. Her father, the man who usually looked like he stepped off a magazine cover, was sweating and his tie was askew as he frantically stuffed hard drives into a briefcase. "Father, what did you do?" Kaylie managed to whisper, her voice stark against the wail of sirens outside. He didn’t meet her gaze. "I did it for you, Princess. Everything was for you." "What did you do?" she screamed this time. He paused, his hands shaking over the briefcase. "The debt... the investments... I had to keep the tower standing, Kaylie. I couldn’t let you fall. I'm sorry." Suddenly, the door burst open. Federal agents flooded the room. They were all wearing black vests and the sound of guns being drawn filled the space. They slammed him against the big desk, the same one he used to sit her on when she was five, telling her she owned the world and snapped handcuffs on him. "Princess!" he yelled as they dragged him away. "Call your uncle! Call the lawyers! They can’t do this!" Kaylie stood rooted, unable to move. Her hands became sweaty and it became very difficult for her to breathe. For the next six hours, she followed the black cars to the federal building, sitting on a cold plastic chair until her bones ached. Even despite her pleas, they wouldn’t let her see him and wouldn’t tell her anything. By the time Kaylie got back home, the sun was starting to rise, but the nightmare was just ramping up. The driveway was blocked. Men in windbreakers were slapping bright, aggressive red labels on everything, one on the gate, one on her custom white car, another on the front door. SEIZED. Seeing these, Kaylie almost lost her composure. She had only seen this in movies and now it's happening to her. She stepped out of her car, shaking. "You can’t do this. You can't just do this! They are still investigating! My stuff is inside. My clothes, my belongings..." "Everything tied to the Rodrigo name is frozen, Miss," a man replied, not looking up from his clipboard. "The house, the cars, your accounts. You need to step back." She reached for her phone, her fingers numb. She called her cousins, Sofia and Mia. They had been like sisters, sharing summers, secrets. But the phone rang and rang until it went to voicemail. Ten times. She drove to the exclusive hilltop club where her family held private events. They were supposed to be there for a birthday brunch. As she walked towards the terrace, her heart raced. She spotted them through the manicured hedges… Sofia and Mia, with their usual friends, laughing over mimosas. Kaylie walked towards them but froze when she heard her name. "Did you see the news about Kaylie's Father?" Sofia said sharply with no warmth in her voice. "I always knew Marcus was shady, but I didn’t think he’d be stupid enough to get caught. Now we’ve got to deal with the fallout." "I hope she doesn’t think of coming here," Mia added, swirling her drink. "My mom says if we even talk to her, the investigators will think we’re involved. It’s pathetic, really. She actually believed she was a princess. Now she’s just the daughter of a common thief." Their group erupted in hushed laughter. Kaylie felt her face drain of color. These were the people her father supported. These were the girls she’d defended since kindergarten. She turned and walked away before they could see the tears she fought to hold back. There was only one person left, Uncle Alberto, Sofia and Mia's father. The man her father had saved from bankruptcy three times. When she reached his penthouse, the doorman, who usually bowed as she passed, made her wait in the lobby for twenty minutes. When she finally got upstairs, Alberto opened the door. "Kaylie," he said, his voice tight. He glanced over his shoulder before pulling her inside. "Come in, quickly." The penthouse was eerily quiet and was thick with tension. Alberto’s wife, Aunt Elena, stood in the kitchen, her arms crossed. "Uncle Alberto, they took the house," Kaylie’s voice cracked. "They froze the accounts. I have nowhere to stay tonight. I just need a few days to sort out a lawyer..." Alberto sighed, rubbing his face. "Kaylie, I want to help, I really do. But this isn’t just a scandal. It’s a federal sweep. Every penny your father touched is under scrutiny." "Alberto, don’t," Elena snapped from the kitchen. "The lawyers were clear. Any help we give to Marcus or his family could be seen as obstruction or harboring illicit funds. We have our own children to protect." "She’s my niece, Elena!" Alberto shot back, turning to Kaylie with a hard look of pity. "Listen, I’ll give you some cash. A few thousand. But you can’t stay here. You can’t even stay in the city. You need to disappear until the trial is over." "Disappear?" Kaylie whispered, her heart sinking. "You’re kicking me out? You of all people? After everything my father did for you?" "Your father lied to us all!" Alberto’s voice rose, the kind uncle facade vanishing. "He built a kingdom out of stolen money and expected us to worship him. Well, he's in a cell, Kaylie. I won’t let you pull my family into this mess. Take the money and go." He handed her a stack of bills, like a dirty bribe. "Please, go," Elena urged, her tone icy. "Before someone sees you here." Kaylie dropped the money. It fluttered to the floor like dead leaves. She walked out, holding her head high, even as her world crumbled. The rain began as she reached the docks, a cold drizzle that blurred the city into shades of grey. Kaylie trudged along until her feet ached, those ruined heels clicking hollowly against the wet pavement. A black SUV idled at the curb, its engine humming low in the stillness. As she approached, the rear window slid down. A man sat in the shadowy backseat, the dim cabin light catching his sharp jawline and the cold look in his eyes. He wore an expensive suit, one that could probably buy the block they were on. He didn’t seem surprised to see her shivering in the rain. Leaning slightly forward, he regarded her with calm, detached amusement. "You look a little damp, Princess," he said, his voice smooth, with a mocking edge that stung. "What happened to the stage your father built for you? Looks like it washed away." Kaylie tightened her grip on her jacket, her pride the only thing keeping her upright. "What are you doing here?" The man tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over her soaked hair and trembling frame. "I heard a rumor that the Rodrigo legacy was crumbling with no hopes of reviving. Just had to see the wreckage for myself." He let out a short, humorless laugh that didn’t reach his eyes. "Tell me," he continued, his tone dropping to a dangerous tone. "Is the man you called 'unfit' still beneath you, or are you finally desperate enough to get in his car?" He tapped the leather seat beside him. "Choose wisely, Kaylie. It’s a long walk to nowhere."