Chapter 97

There was an unpleasant atmosphere in the firm. The orchestra of clicking keyboards and humming printers did little to distract me from the watchful eyes that lurked all around. I hadn’t had a moment of peace since my name came to be associated with Timothy’s.

I sat at my desk, poring over a stack of legal documents, my fingers tapping nervously on the keyboard. I was still waiting for Bruce to send over the location, and just the suspense was tying my stomach into knots. He was expecting my body as compensation this time, and while I didn’t intend on letting him get that far, the threat was still there.

He’d been capable of stabbing Timothy just out of desperation, which increased my unease at letting him get involved. Timothy had caused me a lot of pain, but I couldn’t stomach the idea of seeing him near death like that again. I also didn’t want to feel in debt to him.

As the day dragged on, I found myself growing less productive with work. I eventually rolled away from my desk and started to stretch, hoping the blood flow would wake me up a little. At that moment, I saw a large body emerge peripheral.

in my I looked to my left and saw Mr. Erickson’s plump form hovering in the doorway of my cubicle. He watched me silently, his beady eyes glued everywhere but my face. I dropped my arms and placed my hands in my lap.

As I pretended to focus on my work, I stole a glance in his direction. Mr. Erickson’s eyes never left me, his expression inscrutable. I couldn’t help but wonder what had drawn his attention to me, a junior attorney lost in the shuffle of the bustling law firm. Sure, I’d done well on the Timothy case, but I was merely in the premature stages of my career.

He’d been hovering around the office a lot lately, and his piercing gaze always seemed to fix itself on me. It was an unnerving sensation, the weight of his attention bearing down on me. Just as I was about to question him, he averted his eyes and walked away.

22 Mar 0 “Nice chat….” I muttered, my hand fluttering to my chest. I fastened the top button on my blouse and turned back around, turning my attention to the computer screen.

Before the unease could settle any further, a shadow fell over my desk, and I looked up to find Jasper, one of my colleagues, standing there. His typically confident demeanor seemed shaken, his voice hesitant as he spoke.

“Evie,” he began, his eyes shifting nervously.

“Jasper,” I returned, mimicking his tone. “Whatever you have to say, can it wait until after my next break?”

“I need your help with a case,” he blurted out, and my jaw nearly dropped. “I’m stumped, and I can’t seem to find the info that I need.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite my own discomfort. Just days ago, he had. been in my face saying that I was only here because I was putting out. Here he was, once again begging for my assistance despite his self–proclaimed success.

“Why me, Jasper?” I asked, my tone cautious.

Jasper glanced around nervously, lowering his voice. “Because, Evie, you have a knack for finding creative solutions. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’m desperate here.”

That was an understatement. He’d gone out of his way to display his animosity toward me. When I’d lent him a hand, even in the earlier days of our internship, I’d assisted him solely so that he wouldn’t screw up something huge.

I hesitated, my initial instinct to refuse warring with a sense of duty to the client. “What’s the case?”

Jasper leaned in closer, his eyes darting to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “It’s a sensitive matter involving a high–profile client, and the stakes are incredibly high. I can’t risk making a wrong move.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of his desperation. He was really playing up the stakes. here. “For the client’s sake, Jasper, not yours.”

A hint of relief washed over Jasper’s face as he nodded. “Thank you, Evie. I owe your one.

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L As we delved into the intricacies of the case. A client was suing another over some miscommunications, most of which was undocumented. Without some print to distinguish where either had gone wrong in their agreement, I could understand why Jasper was so stumped.

“It says here that Mr. Downs at least owned the trademark for the logo. Do you know when or if it was renewed?” I asked Jasper.

He shrugged, pencil tucked between his teeth as he rocked back in his chair. “It expired just a month ago, right when Mr. Kloss decided to sue him. Convenient, huh?”

“Yeah,” I began, scrolling through the file on his computer. I’d dragged my computer chair over and settled beside him at his desk. He kept it remarkably neat, though I was certain it was because he hardly did any of his work too busy prancing around bragging about how successful he is.

–

I felt a pair of eyes burning into the back of my head once more. When I turned around, I spotted Mr. Erickson at the water dispenser, filling his cup. Of course, he was paying more attention to me than his cup that was overflowing.

Jasper hummed beside me and I looked over at him. He watched as the boss. looked away before turning his attention to me, raising an eyebrow.

“What was that about?” he asked.

I felt a chill run down my spine as I glanced at Mr. Erickson, who was still standing just a few paces away. “I don’t know,” I admitted, dropping my voice at a whisper. “He’s been doing that a lot lately.”

Jasper’s eyes narrowed, his expression surprisingly one of concern, “With you specifically?”

I sighed, placing my hands back on the keyboard. My focus had already drifted away to Mr.

Erickson’s invasive stares, making me lose trach of where we’d been in the conversation. After a moment, I gave up on distracting myself.

“He’s been getting pretty/close to me after Timothy’s trial. I figured he was just warming up to me…”

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22 Mar not like that, like I’ve told you before.”

“Yes…” Jasper’s gaze hardened, his skepticism clear.

“I can’t afford to lose this job, Jasper. It’s the only thing keeping me afloat right. now,” I reaffirmed.

He merely nodded in return, his chin propped up on his wrist. “Right. You should probably check with him about it though.”

I didn’t have a good feeling about Jasper’s curious expression, but I nodded in agreement. “Maybe.

Let’s focus on the case for now, and we’ll figure out a plan.”

As the day wore on, Jasper and I worked tirelessly, pouring over documents, dissecting legal precedents, and strategizing our approach. Despite my reservations, I couldn’t deny that working alongside him had its benefits. He was taking my mind off of things, and since he was in a tight corner, he had to actually play nice or once.

But as the workday came to a close, I couldn’t escape the lingering unease that had settled in my gut.

That night, as I sat alone in my dimly lit apartment, the soft glow of my laptop screen the only source of illumination, a text message notification brought me out of my thoughts. I picked up my phone to find a message from the unknown number, and my heart sank as I read the words on the screen.

It was from Bruce.

The message contained a screenshot of a conversation between him and a random man, filled with explicit and incriminating messages. Bruce’s text promised to send a sex tape for a hefty price.

Try anything funny, and I’ll put your body all over the internet, Bruce texted.

My hands trembled as I read the message, the weight of his threat settling like a heavy stone in my chest. I had no doubt that Bruce was capable of carrying out his threats, and I was trapped in a never–ending nightmare.

As I stared at the ominous message on my phone, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was any way to escape the tangled web of deceit that had ensnared me. The shadows of my past Need Top Metal Stamping? Get a 10% Discount (Start Now)

were closing in, and I was running out of options.

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