Chapter 128

A TIMOTHY POV The weight of uncertainty had been crushing Timothy’s spirit for far too long. He couldn’t escape the nagging doubts that had crept into his mind, doubts that had festered like a cancer, threatening to consume him.

Determined to put an end to the suspense, Timothy found himself standing outside of Stella’s apartment door. He hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest, before finally knocking.

The door opened and Stella stepped into view, a self–satisfied smirk already. plastered on her face.

She adorned a silk robe that barely reached her knees, and the sleeves hung loosely over her shoulders. She leaned against the doorframe and propped a hand on her hip.

“Timothy,” she said, her voice low and husky. “What brings you here?”

Timothy didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. “Stella, I need to know the truth. Is it really my child?”

Stella’s eyes flickered with emotion as she regarded him for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she stepped aside, allowing Timothy to enter her apartment.

Once inside, Stella turned to face Timothy, her gaze steady. “Well, I wanted to tell you personally, but…” She approached him and gently placed his hands on her stomach, the warmth of her skin and the flat expanse of her belly beneath his touch almost unbearable.

Timothy felt a jolt of emotion as he realized the gravity of the situation. The child, his child, was growing inside Stella. As he suspected, more had transpired that night.

Stella looked into Timothy’s eyes, her voice soft. “It’s really yours, Timothy.”

For a moment, Timothy was overwhelmed by a rush of conflicting emotions. It was a moment of truth that he had both longed for and dreaded. But as he looked into Stella’s eyes, doubt and anger bubbled to the surface.

“I can’t be the father,” Timothy said firmly, his voice tinged with anger.

Stella’s brows furrowed in confusion, and she took a step back, her hands falling Need Top Metal Stamping? Get a 10% Discount (Start Now)

away from her belly. “What are you talking about, Timothy? You’re the only one I’ve been with.”

Timothy’s anger flared, his frustration and confusion boiling over. “You’ve been manipulating me from the beginning, Stella. I can’t trust anything you say.”

Stella’s eyes filled with hurt, and she shook her head. “Timothy, I know I’ve made mistakes, but I would never lie about something like this. I love you.”

Timothy scoffed, his anger unabated. “Love? Is that what you call it? You’ve kept me in the dark, played with my emotions, and now you expect me to believe this?”

Stella’s shoulders slumped, and she seemed to deflate before his eyes. “I never wanted things to be this way, Timothy. I never wanted to hurt you.”

Timothy felt a torrent of emotions coursing through him–anger, betrayal, and confusion. He had come seeking answers, but now he was more lost than ever.

“I can’t believe you’re acting like this, Timothy,” Stella’s voice quivered as she spoke. “How can you deny that this baby is yours?”

“Stella, we don’t even know if there’s an actual baby. What if it was a false positive, or… Timothy began pacing the room, Stella folded her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. Those don’t happen.

often.”

Before Timothy could respond, the front door to the apartment swung open with a force that rattled the walls. Both Timothy and Stella turned toward the entrance, their eyes widening in shock.

Kamran strode into the apartment with a determined look on his face. His arrival was unexpected, and his presence sent a jolt of panic through Timothy.

Timothy’s anger flared as he faced his father, his voice laced with bitterness. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, thank goodness you’re here!” Stella gasped, her voice trembling as she approached Kamran.

“he’s not taking it well.”

“Why is he here?” Timothy then directed at Stella, stunned that she was even so relaxed at the idea of his own father just waltzing in unannounced.

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A Stella placed a hand on Timothy’s arm. “I called him over.”

Kamran, looking entirely too pleased with himself, addressed Timothy with a smug tone. “Timothy, it’s good to see that Stella is finally forcing some responsibility on you.”

Timothy’s jaw clenched, his anger burning like a white–hot flame. He knew that Kamran had a way of pushing his buttons, but this was an entirely different level of manipulation.

Stella, seemingly unperturbed by the tension in the room, explained her intentions. “I called Kamran here because I wanted you to understand the gravity of the situation, Timothy. You can’t continue to pursue a career in hockey without taking responsibility for our child.”

Timothy’s eyes narrowed, his frustration mounting. He could picture the headlines now, his face flashing beside Stella’s as the media questioned how the baby would look.

Evie would see it all, and she would know that he had spent the night with another woman.

Even if he couldn’t remember it.

Timothy pinched the bridge of his nose, drawing in a deep breath. He could feel the eyes of Stella and his father burning into him, silently urging him to speak.

“How can we be sure?” Timothy said finally.

Kamran, never one to miss an opportunity, chimed in. Well, Timothy, if you’re so sure the child isn’t yours, why not prove it?”

Timothy shot Kamran a skeptical look. “Prove it? How?”

Kamran’s smile widened, revealing a glint of mischief in his eyes. “A paternity test, Timothy. We can settle this once and for all. If the baby is yours, you’ll have to make a choice.”

Timothy’s heart sank as he realized the implications of Kamran’s proposal. It was a high–stakes gamble that he couldn’t afford to lose.

“And what choice would that be?” Timothy asked, his voice laced with trepidation.

Kamran leaned in, his tone low and conspiratorial. “If the paternity test confirms. that the baby is yours, you’ll have to leave the hockey team and focus on taking Need Top Metal Stamping? Get a 10% Discount (Start Now)

A care of Stella and the child. No more hockey.”

Timothy felt his stomach clench at Kamran’s words. “I see…”

“And no more Evie,” Kamran finished.

“What?” The words left his lips in a whisper and he felt slightly light on his feet. Hockey had made up a good portion of his life, but he’d drop it in a heartbeat for Evie’s forgiveness. If it turned out to be his baby, he could lose it all.

“I can’t do that,” Timothy said firmly, though doubt gnawed at him.

Kamran raised an eyebrow, his expression challenging. “Are you that confident the child isn’t yours, Timothy?”

Timothy’s resolve wavered, but he couldn’t back down now. He had too much riding on this, too many unspoken words and promises. “I can’t just give her up.”

Kamran nodded, as if he had expected Timothy’s response. “You may very well have to. The child can’t possibly have two mothers now, can it? Wouldn’t look good.”

Stella mumbled, “Especially not with her.”

Timothy shot her a glare. “What are you really expecting to get out of this? If it’s love, you already know that I will never feel that way about you, regardless of if there’s a child.”

Kamran tapped his chin. He looked between Timothy and Stella, then.

y and Stella, then stuck out his chin. “Oh, but you will have to pretend you are.”

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Timothy’s decision hanging in the air. He couldn’t deny the fear that gnawed at him, the fear that one accidental night with Stella might have resulted in a pregnancy that would forever alter the course of his life.

Timothy tried to muster the confidence to match his words. “If the text is positive, I’ll stay.”

Stella started to smile, and Timothy corrected her swiftly.

“For the baby,” he added.

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A As he stood there, Timothy couldn’t help but wonder if he had just made a choice. that would define the rest of his life. The high stakes gamble he had entered into was a risky one.

But it was a gamble he was willing to take.

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