Chapter 168

Chapter 168

TIMOTHY POV

The next day, Timothy returned home after an invigorating hockey practice. The icy chill of the rink had invigorated him, and he

felt strangely elated as he entered his cozy apartment. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, and his breath hung in the air as

he exhaled.

As he stripped off his sweat-soaked clothes and stepped into the warm embrace of the shower, he couldn’t help but replay the

events of the previous night in his mind. Seeing Evie at the holiday market had been unexpected, but it had left a warm feeling in

his chest, like the flicker of a long—extinguished flame.

Under the soothing spray of hot water, Timothy allowed himself to relax, his mind. drifting back to the moments he had shared

with Evie. The light show, the laughter, and the camaraderie had all been a reminder of the friendship they had once shared, a

friendship that had been buried beneath the weight of unresolved

emotions.

As he dried his hair with a plush towel, Timothy couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Evie. For the first time in a long while, it

seemed like things were thawing between them. The awkwardness and tension that had once defined their interactions were

slowly dissipating, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and understanding.

The idea of rekindling their friendship, of bridging the gap that had grown between them, filled Timothy with a sense of hope. He

knew that there were unresolved issues and unspoken feelings that hung in the air like a storm cloud, but he was willing to

weather the storm if it meant reconnecting with Evie.

off and

As he finished drying got dressed, Timothy couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. Evie’s anger

toward him had certainly begun to thaw.

He knew that he needed to find the right moment to talk to her, to address the issues that had driven a wedge between them. It

wouldn't be easy, and there were no guarantees of a happy ending, but Timothy was willing to take that chance.

Pleased with that thought, he reheated leftovers from the previous night's meal — and he savored each bite. He walked around

his apartment, bored and anxious all at the same time, and Duke was constantly at his heels, begging for a taste of food.

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Chapter 168.

After his meal, Timothy decided to tackle the backlog of emails that had piled up during his busy week. His laptop sat on the

coffee table before him, the home. screen loading up.

His inbox was a mixed bag, filled with fan mail, sponsorship offers, and the occasional piece of spam. Timothy had a habit of

responding personally to as many fan messages as he could, believing that his connection with his supporters was vital.

He clicked through the messages, his fingers dancing over the keyboard as he crafted heartfelt responses to the outpouring of

support from his fans. Each message he read brought a smile to his face and a sense of gratitude for the journey he had

embarked upon as a professional athlete.

But as he scrolled through the messages, one email caught his attention. It was different from the rest — a stark subject line that

read, “These may interest you,” and it had no sender name. A digital enigma.

Intrigued, Timothy opened the email, and his eyes widened as he saw several image attachments.

“What the hell?” Timothy muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he opened them up and spread them across his

screen. His breath caught in his throat. as he stared at the images.

There, in the dimly lit photographs, were Stella and Andy, fondling each other without care. The world seemed to blur around him

as the implications of those images sunk in.

Timothy's mind raced. Evie had hinted at something sneaky going on between Stella and Andy. Now, the visual evidence lay

before him, mocking his naiveté.

His fingers trembled as he reached for the glass of wine on the table. Taking a sip, he tried to calm his racing thoughts. He

needed to make sense of this, to understand what was happening.

“Those assholes,” Timothy muttered to himself, anger seeping into his voice. “All that talk about commitment...

He clicked on each image, scrutinizing them for any hidden context or clues. The more he looked, the more obvious it became

that there was something deeply unsettling about this. Stella and Andy sneaking around like teenagers with a

A

forbidden romance. The sight filled him with a nauseating mix of fury and possibly relief.

He wasn’t the only one having his hand forced here. Stella had already given her heart to someone else.

Timothy's eyes darted to the laptop screen, his mind racing with a torrent of emotions. He pushed the laptop away from him,

almost violently, causing it to teeter dangerously on the edge of the coffee table. He rose from the couch, pacing back and forth

in the dimly lit living room.

He couldn't let this pass. He knew he had to confront Stella and Andy about what he had just discovered. He was done being

deceived.

As the minutes ticked by, Timothy debated how to approach the situation. He knew both Stella and Andy well enough to

anticipate their reactions. Andy would likely try to deflect with his sharp wit, while Stella might become defensive and evasive.

But he couldn't let their tactics deter him; he needed answers.

The anger that had initially consumed him now ignited into a blazing fire. He had to confront them, had to demand an explanation

for their actions.

As he pondered his next move, the sound of paws padding across the hardwood floor drew his attention. Duke approached him

with a concerned look in his expressive brown eyes. Timothy had always found solace in Duke’s presence, and tonight was no

different.

“Hey, buddy,” Timothy said, reaching out to pet the dog’s head. Duke responded with a gentle nuzzle, as if trying to comfort his

distraught owner. “I need to figure this out, Duke. I don’t know what their true intentions are, but I’m ready to find.

out.”

Duke’s tail wagged in understanding, and he sat by Timothy's side, offering silent support. Timothy scratched behind Duke’s

ears, lost in thought as he wrestled with his emotions. He would have to confront Stella, and without her having time to prepare

excuses or explanations.

After a moment of contemplation, a plan began to take shape in Timothy’s mind. He knew exactly how to catch Stella off guard.

With newfound determination, he stood up and paced around his apartment, collecting his thoughts and rehearsing what he

would say.

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