Chapter 224

TIMOTHY POV

The afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as Timothy found himself caught in an unexpected conversation with Evie’s mother, Mia. Her presence wasn’t entirely surprising, but the timing felt inconvenient. Mia was cordial, but Timothy couldn’t shake the feeling of discomfort that lingered during their exchange.

“I hope you and Evie have been getting along well,” Mia commented, her gaze holding an inscrutable intensity.

Timothy nodded, trying to mask his unease. “We’re doing fine. She’s been really busy with work.”

Mia’s eyes seemed to linger, probing for more than Timothy was willing to reveal. She was enigmatic, her expressions guarded. “I’m glad to hear that. We’ll talk later, Timothy.”

Relieved to excuse himself from the conversation, Timothy made a quick departure. The promise of a looming discussion with Evie’s mother hung over him, adding to the sense of urgency that propelled him toward the law firm.

The drive was punctuated by a constant checking of the time. Timothy hoped fervently that he wouldn’t be late to pick up Evie. He pulled into the familiar parking lot outside the firm, quickly texting her that he was waiting for her outside.

Minutes passed without a response. Ten minutes turned into an anxious stretch, and Timothy’s unease grew with each passing second. He decided to just go inside and ask around for her. This is the property of Nô-velDrama.Org.

Entering the reception area, he scanned the faces of the employees, searching for any sign of Evie. His presence wasn’t lost on them.

“Mr. Hayes, so lovely to see you again!” said one woman, fluttering her eyes at him. “Looking for Evie?”

Timothy nodded urgently. “Yes… Have you seen her? She told me she’d be here.”

“Oh!” She exchanged a look with the worker beside her, her eyebrows knitting together. “She left about fifteen minutes ago to grab some food, but she never returned. We assumed she might have headed home early.”

Dread clawed at Timothy’s gut. Evie leaving unexpectedly, without a word, wasn’t like her at all. Concern mingled with frustration, and he couldn’t shake the sense that something was off. Without hesitation, he rushed back outside and dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail.

His heart raced with worry as he pondered the possibilities. Was she in trouble? Had something happened on her way to get food?

He returned to his car and sped towards the city square where all the late night food carts hung around. Parking his car hastily, Timothy scanned the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of Evie. But she was nowhere in sight.

His anxiety spiked, and he was torn between the urge to search further and the fear of missing her at the firm. Frustration mingled with his growing concern. Evie’s disappearance was inexplicable, and his mind raced with possibilities.

He sent another text, his fingers tapping out a message, desperately hoping for a response.

“Evie, where are you? Please, let me know you’re okay.”

Dread coiled tightly in Timothy’s chest as he maneuvered his car through the familiar streets, heading straight to Evie’s apartment. The worry gnawed at him, driving him to check every possible avenue. He prayed fervently that Evie would somehow be there, safe and sound.

Parking hastily outside her apartment building, he bolted out of the car and dashed up the stairs to her floor, Arriving at her door, he attempted to twist the knob, but it refused to budge. Panic clawed at him; the door was locked.

His heart raced as he fumbled for his phone, dialing Aria’s number in a frenzy. “Aria, it’s Timothy. Evie’s not at the firm. I’m at her apartment, but the door’s locked. I can’t get in.”

There was a brief pause before Aria’s voice, laced with concern, crackled through the line. “She’s not at the firm? Oh god, Timothy, we haven’t heard from her either.”

Timothy’s gut twisted with a sickening sense of foreboding. The collective worry in Aria’s voice only escalated his fears. “What do I do, Aria?”

Aria’s voice was firm, tinged with her own mounting panic. “Use the spare key. It’s in the potted plant outside our door. Hurry, Tim.”

Adrenaline surged through him as he followed Aria’s instructions, retrieving the spare key from its hiding place. Fumbling slightly, he unlocked the door and rushed inside, the urgency propelling him forward.

that churned in Timothy’s gut. He scanned the rooms frantically, calling out her name in vain hope.

There was no trace of her. Timothy’s heart hammered in his chest, fear tightening its grip around him. His mind raced, trying to piece together the events, the possibilities, and the terrifying realization that something sinister might have occurred.

A surge of panic mixed with a familiar anger coursed through him as a flashback of a past trauma invaded his thoughts. The memory of Bruce’s menacing presence, the terror of that harrowing night when Evie was taken, and the violence that ensued played out in his mind. His hands clenched into fists, the memory stirring a potent cocktail of fear and anger within him.

He forced himself to suppress the rising tide of fear and focused on the present. Timothy knew Bruce’s capabilities too well. The possibility of Evie being in Bruce’s clutches sent a chilling shiver down his spine, but he pushed the fear down, knowing he needed a clear mind to think and act.

Timothy fought to steady his breathing, pushing back the haunting memories that threatened to overwhelm him. He dialed Aria once more, his voice tight with apprehension. “Aria, there’s no sign of her here. What do we do?”

Aria’s voice wavered slightly, betraying her own mounting anxiety. “Meet us at the cabin, Tim. We’ll figure things out there.”

“Right.” Timothy clutched the phone and drew in a deep breath. “Okay.”

As he ended the call, a deep–rooted determination blossomed within him. He couldn’t afford to lose himself to fear. He needed to act, to do everything in his power to ensure Evie’s safety.

Timothy’s thoughts whirled as he rushed out of the building. He slid into his car, the engine roaring to life: beneath him. Fumbling with his phone, he tried calling Evie once more, his heart pounding with apprehension. The call went straight to voicemail yet again, intensifying his frustration.

“Evie, if you get this, call me back as soon as possible,” he said, then ended the call. He tossed the phone in the passenger seat and sighed. “Come on, Evie,” he muttered to himself.

His foot pressed firmly on the gas pedal as he navigated through the city streets. With each passing mile, Timothy’s frustration grew, the worry for Evie clawing at him. His mind was a whirlwind of possibilities, each more alarming than the last.

Eventually, the cabin loomed into view, nestled amidst the tranquil woods.

Stepping out of the car, Timothy’s eyes swept the surroundings, searching for any sign of Aria and Lucas. The silence of the secluded woods amplified his nerves.

He checked his phone once more, hoping for a missed call or a message from Evie, but the screen remained stubbornly empty.

“Evie, where are you?” he murmured under his breath.