Chapter 22
After getting back to the apartment, I’d barely set down my things before my phone began to ring. I
groaned, not having the patience for any human interaction. It didn’t help that the ne ride home
had left me exhausted.
With a sigh, I grabbed it from out of my bag. I barely registered the name on the screen before I
thoughtlessly picked up the call.
“Hello?” I said, dropping my keys on the counter. I hurried over to the kitchen and opened the fridge.
“This is Evie.”
“Hi, Evie,” Timothy’s voice came through and I nearly dropped the bottle of fruit juice I had grabbed.
I ced the container on the counter and cleared my throat. “Timothy. Hi.”
“Sorry, this is sudden. Considering I just saw you,” he said with augh. “I was wondering if you had
time this week to discuss the case a bit further?”
“Of course.” I grabbed a ss from the pantry and filled it up with the juice. “Just give me a time,
and I’ll likely be free.””
He hummed thoughtfully. “Tonight at four sound good? At the firm?”
“Sounds perfect.” I took a sip of my juice and cringed at how squeaky my voice had sounded.
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“Great,” he said, then there was a pause. It seemed neither of us was ready to hang up, at least
immediately.
Finally, I spoke up, taking advantage of the silence. “Thank you, by the way.”
“Hm?”
“For yesterday. With my panic attack…you helped a lot.”
I couldn’t see his face, but I could envision the smile that he had grown just based on his tone. “It
was no problem,” he said gently.
My grip tightened on my phone and I pressed it closer to my ear. “I’ll talk to youter.”
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“Have a good rest of your day,” he told me.
After ending the call, I slumped down onto the kitchen floor and pulled my knees. to my chin. I had
just taken my anxiety pills, but talking to Timothy made all their effects useless.
Suddenly, my phone went off again and another text from Bruce shed across the screen. I
opened the text up and saw the full sentence on disy.
You can’t ignore me, Coco. I’m ying nice for now, but don’t step my limits.
My body went cold as those pixted words sat on my screen. There had been several others he
sent before that. One of them hade in during my call with Timothy.
You look lovely today, Coco.
Should I start calling you? I’m not into making calls, bad reception and all, but it’d be nice to hear
you…
Answer me, Coco. I’m not ying.
My thumbs were poised over the screen. Part of me wanted to respond and tell him to back off, but
the other saw an even worse reaction from him if I reacted
that way.
I shut the phone off and clutched it to my chest, steadying my breaths as they grew shallower. Even
from afar, Bruce managed to make me feel disgusted with myself. Wherever he was, darkness
followed in his wake.
He wanted to consume me, with every twisted fiber of his being.
As I went to delete the text, there was a harsh knock at my door. The sound alone. made me jump
and drop my cellphone. It seemed far–fetched, but I had my suspicions that his threat hadn’t been
empty after all.
I crawled across the kitchen floor and opened the bottom pantries, then pulled out one of the thin
skillets. Slowly, I hauled myself up and made my way over to the front door. I took a quick peek
through the peep hole, but it wasn’t Bruce on the other side.
I hid the skillet behind me and opened the door, surprising the man on the other side. There was
barely any time–to address him and the other people emerging
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Wed, 20
onto my porch before being blinded by a bright sh.
“What the-” I shielded my eyes and stumbled backward, barely catching myself on the wall. It takes
a few blinks before the man is clear again, this time with a whole crowd of people standing behind
him. My jaw dropped.
“Are you Evie?” the man asked, scratching the stubble under his chin. He had a camera dangling
from his neck and a notebook tucked under his arm. “We received a tip about an Evie living here.”
“Why an ‘Evie‘ specifically?” I asked.
“Well, it’s the woman Timothy apologized to. We’ve been looking around trying to find her, but some
guy was generous enough to clue us in,” the guy exined.
“What? How?” I could feel my head starting to spin, having all those eyes watching me from my
doorstep. Hesitantly, I stepped forward and looked at the disy behind him.
There were tents set up on the grass and nkets strewn about. They had even set up a small
campfire where two reporters were roasting marshmallows. I gawked at the sight.
“Are you camping here?” I snapped.
The man shrugged. “Just for now. We want to know all about you, Evie. There’s not way that other
news station’s going to get the scoop before we do!” He lifted his camera and snapped another
picture, then grinned at me.
“You people can’t be serious!” I cried out. “Go away!”
“Come on!” The man leaned toward me, his camera now trained on my face like. an invasive eye.
“Show us that beautiful smile!”
I mmed the door in his face before he could get any closer, then locked the door. for security. I
knew the press was fierce when it came to a good story, but this was next level in terms of
desperation. How would I even exin that to Aria?
Hours passed with me walking around the apartment, trying to find something to do with myself.
Any distraction was wee, whether it was cleaning or foldingundry. The time eventually came
for me to head over to the firm, which did little to ease my worries.
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“It’s just a business meeting. Nothing more,” I told myself, preparing to brave the strangers still
lurking outside my door. I looked through the peep hole and saw them still sitting around, chugging
down some drinks.
Before I stepped out, I got a message from Timothy saying that he was already at the office and that
he’d meet me there. With trembling thumbs, I typed back a lukewarm response saying that I’d be
right there, though I had spent a good chunk of time convincing myself to do so.
Deciding to brave the crowd, I pushed through the front door and rushed to the parking lot. It took
the reporters a good minute to gather their things and chase. me the rest of the way, screeching my
name.
I
I managed to lock myself in my car before they could reach me. As I drove away, could hear the
squeak of their palms against my windows, as if they’d attempted to stop me just from human
strength alone.
When I got to the firm, it seemed like a rtively calm evening. Office doors were closed and the
few lingering in the halls engaging in light conversations with one. another. I spotted Jasper a few
feet away standing beside a man I’d never seen, presumably a client, as he cracked a joke.
I tried not to roll my eyes as I continued down the hall and took a turn toward the conference room.
The subtle sound ofughter filtered through the door and I furrowed my eyebrows.
When I entered the room, I was taken aback by the presence of another
presence of another person at the head of the table. A woman I had never seen before was seated
across from Timothy, her demeanor exuding an air of authority. Her hair was pulled back into a
severe bun, and her sharp eyes were fixed on me as I entered.
“Evie,” Timothy said, rising from his seat. “I’m d you made it.”
I smiled at him, though my eyes couldn’t resist drifting over to the woman beside him. Her cat–like
eyes traced over me, almost scrutinizingly, as she stood up as well.
“We’ve never met, but it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Sinir,” she said, already answering
my thoughts. She extended a manicured hand in my direction and shed me with a bright smile.
“Linda Turner,” she said, and I took her hand hesitantly. “I will be helping you with
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Timothy’s case.”
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