The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 171

| stood in my cozy apartment, my hands slightly trembling as | waited for Timothy to arrive. It was late in the evening, and the dimly lit space seemed somehow more intimate than usual. My fingers traced the edge of the coffee table as | watched the time. This meeting with Timothy was a pivotal moment in our case against Stella. The signed authorization papers, which he had obtained with great effort, were the key to shifting the balance of power in our favor. But the prospect of having Timothy over at my apartment, even for business purposes, left me feeling slightly uneasy.

The knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. | took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and went to answer the door, finding Timothy on the other side. He had a eerily calm expression on his face and folder tucked under his arm.

“Hey,” he said gently.

Timothy. | greeted him with a warm smile, ushering him inside. “Come on in.”

| closed the door behind him, as he stepped inside. The only sound was the light patter of rain against the windows as we stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, each hesitating to make a move.

“| appreciate you inviting me over, Timothy said finally, taking the initiative. “I know it’s late.”

| nodded, empathizing with the toll that the day’s events had taken on him. “It’s no problem at all, Timothy. I’m glad you were able to get these.”

Emergency calls only Chapter 171

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He handed me a folder containing the signed authorization papers, and | took it from him with a sense of reverence. “I’m glad I could help, Evie. | just want to see this case through to the end.”

We moved to the couch, sitting side by side, and | opened the folder to flip through the pages. “I have to admit, | began, “I’m surprised that Stella signed at all. Given the circumstances, | expected her to fight tooth and nail.”

Timothy's gaze remained fixed on the documents, his eyes distant. “I may have forced her hand,” he admitted quietly.

| looked at him, a mixture of curiosity and concern. “What do you mean?”

He hesitated for a moment before answering. “She’s been sleeping with my brother, Evie. | had evidence, and | confronted her about it.”

My heart skipped a beat as his words sank in. “What evidence?” | asked, feigning ignorance.

He sighed, running a hand throught his dark hair. “I got a strange email a today, from someone anonymous. They sent me pictures, Evie. Pictures of Stella and Andy...being intimate.”

| raised my eyebrows. “You're serious?”

Timothy nodded grimly. “Dead serious. | could say that they were doctored, but they looked way to candid to me fake.”

| would've attempted another shocked response, but | noticed that his own emotions were lacking in intensity. | leaned toward him, finding that he looked more neutral than anything.

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“And how do you feel about this, Timothy?” | said. “You sound pretty apathetic.”

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Timothy's face twisted with a mix of emotions. “Evie, our arrangement was never romantic by nature. We both knew that. But it’s embarrassing that | didn’t catch on to what was happening right under my nose.”

| understood his point, but | couldn't help but see an opportunity in this revelation. “Maybe we can use this as leverage against the suggested. “If we have evidence of infidelity, it could work in our favor.”

marriage, |

Timothy shook his head, his expression weary. “Even if we have evidence, Stella won't let go so easily, especially when the baby’s involved. She'll fight tooth and nail to maintain control.”

| couldn't argue with that. Stella was tenacious, and her attachment to the family’s wealth was unbreakable. But | wasn’t ready to give up just yet. | needed to protect Timothy’s interests, even if it meant playing dirty.

“We can still take precautions,” | insisted, my mind racing with possibilities. “No matter what, we have to make sure that neither Andy nor Stella gets a cent out of you.”

Timothy leaned back on the couch, deep in thought. “So we meet with Stella again, corner her.”

| hesitated, my mind racing through the possibilities. “But there’s a protective order in place.”NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Asly smile crept onto Timothy’s face. “Oh, don’t worry about that. | have a feeling Stella will be canceling that protective order soon enough.”

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| raised an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and surprise in my eyes. “And how do you know that?”

“Well, she said she would,” | started, giving me a shrug. “But she actually seemed desperate for me to keep their affair a secret.” | couldn't help but press further. “Why did Stella even want to marry you, aside from the whole baby situation?”

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He let out a heavy sigh before answering. “Evie, it’s because of my father. He’s hell-bent on having me claim a significant stake in the family business.”

| raised an eyebrow, puzzled by his response. “But what does that have to do with Stella?”

Timothy's gaze shifted to the floor as he spoke, his voice filled with bitterness. “My father believes that having a stable family life will make me more. focused on the business and less interested in my hockey career.”

| couldn’t hide my shock at the revelation. It seemed absurd that Timothy’s father would use his personal life as a bargaining chip in the family business. “That's horrible! Your fatter can’t dictate your life like that.”

Timothy's eyes flashed with anger. Tell me about it. But he’s controlling, Evie, and he’s been pulling the strings for a long time. | thought marrying Stella was the right move with a kid involved.”

| offered a look of sympathy, though my heart swelled. It felt inappropriate to feel relieved by all of this, knowing that he wasn’t marrying Stella from a place of love, but rather obligation.

“And the worst part is,” he continued, letting out a bitter laugh, “that it might not even be my child that I'm supporting. It could be Andy's.”

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| placed a hand on his shoulder, nodding firmly. “We'll have to address that as well, then.”

His eyebrow creased. “I’m sorry for unloading all of this on you, Evie. You didn’t sign up for any of this mess.”

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“Technically | did when | accepted Scarlett’s offer,” | said with a laugh. “But that’s what friends are for. We support each other through the tough times. You don’t have to face this alone.”

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine. “We're still friends? After everything | did?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and fraught with uncertainty. | hesitated for a moment, the weight of my unspoken feelings threatening to overwhelm me. “I've decided to move on, for my own well-being, but...”

| trailed off, unable to voice the truth that had been gnawing at me for so long. The love | had felt for him had never truly faded. It had merely taken a backseat to the pain and betrayal of our past.

Timothy's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and hope. “But what, Evie?”

My eyes darted around, as if the words would jump out at me. Any excuse to not look at him in that moment. “Despite everything that happened, | still care about you.”

Timothy leaned forward, and there was a tenderness in his tone. “I care about you too. | can’t tell you enough how sorry | am, for all of the crap | did

then, and even now.”

| reached out and placed a hand on his, offering a reassuring squeeze. “Timothy, you don’t have to apologize anymore. We both made mistakes, and

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