Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Timothy: I didn’t mean to scare you off...

I glanced at the texts briefly before dismissing them, my cheeks tinged with a subtle shade of

pink. Despite the warmth of my face, I focused my attention back on my work, determined to bury the awkwardness of our

encounter. As I typed, the emails began to pour in.

Clients were reaching out left and right, impressed by the courtroom finesse and legal expertise I had displayed. It was a boost to

my confidence, a reassurance that my hard work was not going unnoticed.

With a quick swipe, I opened the first email, my heart skipping a beat as I read the words of praise from a potential client who

had witnessed my legal prowess during the trial. The satisfaction was undeniable, especially with how I’d gotten nothing but

crickets before.

As I continued to read through the emails, each one more encouraging than the last, a sense of fulfillment washed over me. It

was moments like these that fueled my passion for the law, a reminder of the impact I could make in the lives of others.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely registered the sound of approaching footsteps. The scent of expensive cologne preceded him, and I

looked up to find Jasper strolling into the office, his posture exuding an air of arrogance. My heart sank, a mixture of annoyance

and frustration bubbling to the surface.

Jasper had been a thorn in my side ever since he had lost the case against Timothy, and his bitter demeanor was a constant

reminder of his unwillingness to accept defeat.

“Evie,” he sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. “Busy basking in your newfound glory, I see.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, my fingers pausing over the keyboard. “I’m just going through some emails, Jasper.”

He leaned against the edge of my desk with a condescending smile. “Impressive, really. I guess Timothy Hayes was the golden

ticket you’ve been waiting for.”

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I clenched my jaw, his words like a relentless onslaught. “I didn’t ask for your opinion, Jasper.” His laughter was grating, the

sound echoing through the office like a discordant note. “Oh, but you see, Evie, I can’t help but offer it. After all, we wouldn’t want

you getting too ahead of yourself.”

I took a deep breath, reminding myself to stay composed. “If you had done your work properly, maybe you would have stood a

chance.”

His eyes flashed with a dangerous glint, and I knew I had struck a nerve.

“Is that what you think? That I don’t work hard? It’s adorable how naive you are, Evie,” he seethed.

My patience was wearing thin. “You manipulated the facts to suit your narrative, Jasper. I’ve seen the evidence, and I know what

you did.”

He leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper. “And I suppose your precious ‘boyfriend’ came swooping in to save the day, didn’t

he? How predictable.”

The mention of Timothy’s name sent a jolt of anger through me. “Timothy hast nothing to do with this, Jasper. And for the record,

he’s not my boyfriend.”

Jasper’s laughter rang hollow, a bitter echo of his resentment. “Right, of course not. You're just his knight in shining armor, aren’t

you?” aren’t you?”

I rose from my chair, my patience finally at its breaking point. “I’m not here to play your petty games, Jasper. I have work to do.”

“Ah,” he drawled, his tone dripping with condescension. “Because you're such a hard worker.” I nodded curtly, keeping my focus

on the screen. “Yes, Jasper. I actually know how to stay on

top of things.”

He chuckled, the sound grating on my nerves. “Of course, of course. You always were the teacher’s pet, weren’t you?”

My temper flared, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. “What are you implying, Jasper?*

He leaned in, his voice a low whisper. “Come on, Evie. We all know how your

operate.”

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I felt a surge of anger, the sting of his accusation cutting deep. “That’s a baseless. claim to make, Jasper. You know very well

that I've worked hard for everything I’ve achieved.”

He shrugged, his nonchalance infuriating. “Have you? Or have you just been cozying up to the right people?”

My fists clenched, and I took a step closer to him, my voice dripping with venom. “You have no idea what it takes to succeed,

Jasper. I’ve suffered my share of sleepless nights to get where I am. And if you think for a second that I got here by

compromising my integrity, you’re sorely mistaken.

He raised an eyebrow, unfazed by my outburst. “Is that so?”

I snorted. “I believe so, or did you conveniently forget about all the times I helped you out in college? Writing your papers, doing

your research?

This made Jasper pause. His eyes widened as they flickered around the room. Several of our co-workers had poked their heads

out of their cubicles to take in the scene from afar. “That's...” Jasper covered his mouth with his fist and cleared hist throat.

you

“And what about here at the firm? If I do recall, it was me that recommended to this place just so you could get your foot through

the door, which I shouldn’t have done at all.”

His face was red now, and he had his fists digging into my desk. His gaaze drifted to my computer and I could see the gears

turning in his head. I closed the laptop and placed my hands over it, refusing to have a repeat of last time.

He chuckled regardless, a mirthless sound that grated on my nerves. “Oh, Evie. Always so righteous.”

I scooted back in my chair, my anger turning into resolve. “I don’t need to justify myself to you, Jasper. My work speaks for itself,

and I won't let your bitterness. tarnish my accomplishments.”

He smirked, a twisted satisfaction in his eyes.” But we both know the truth, don’t we? You've always known how to use your

charms to get what you want, which is probably why you were trying to cozy up to me and get on my good side.”

My blood boiled, his words a twisted distortion of the truth. “You're delusional if

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you think that’s the same as sleeping my way to success. I’ve always been more than willing to collaborate and help out my

colleagues, including your sorry ass.”

Jasper barked out a laugh. “My ‘sorry ass‘ still would’ve wound up here regardless of whatever your definition of ‘help’ is.

Honestly, Evie, you should become a comedian instead with all the material you come up with on the spot.”

“You're going to regret that.”

“Perhaps,” he said with a shrug. “Plan on having your ‘boyfriend’ come in to protect you again?”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Timothy, and my cheeks flushed with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.

“First of all, Timothy is not my boyfriend. Secondly, if you had any respect for other people, he wouldn’t have threatened your job

at all.”

Just as our argument reached a crescendo, Mr. Erickson’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Evie, my office. Now!”

After being blasted back into reality, I realized that I was standing over my desk, my hands flat against the surface. My breath

had grown rapid and off-beat as the emotions frothed and bubbled at the surface, ready to spill over. Jasper was all too aware of

my condition and he smirked accordingly.

As he walked away, I clenched my fists, the fire in my chest burning hotter than ever. I refused to let his baseless accusations

undermine my confidence or my sense of self-worth. I had worked tirelessly to earn my place in the firm, and I wouldn't let

anyone, especially Jasper, diminish what I had achieved.

I looked up to find Mr. Erickson standing in the doorway of his office. His gaze was unwavering as it rested on me, as though he

hadn't even caught a whiff of my exchange with Jasper. I shot Jasper a final glare before I pushed my chair back and stood up.

With a last glance around the office, I followed Mr. Erickson into his office, the door closing behind me with a soft click.

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