The summer Lily turned twenty-five was the kind that felt like a deep breath after a long skate—refreshing, necessary, and full of quiet gratitude.

She had just finished her second pro season in Boston with the Fleet: thirty-eight points, a spot on the All-Rookie team, and a playoff run that ended one game short of the finals. The media called her “the next face of the league.” Her teammates called her “Captain in waiting.” But when the season wrapped, Lily did what she always ...