Chapter 117
The air in the parking lot behind the ice rink was frigid, biting into Timothy’s skin as he trudged
towards his car. Hockey practice had been intense, and the
exhaustion gnawed at him. As he approached his car, he noticed Alex just a few feet away.
Timothy almost left it alone, but then he spotted another figure emerging from the car they were
standing beside. It was one of Timothy’s teammates.
Timothy’s eyebrows knitted together in suspicion as Alex slipped some money in the younger man’s
hands. The first time should have been thest time, because Alex’s deals were getting more
obvious with time.
Alex, with a guilty start, looked up and caught Timothy’s gaze. His eyes widened briefly before he
quickly pocketed the money. Timothy’s instincts kicked in, and he decided to approach.
The teammate had already gone by the time Timothy stode over to where Alex was standing, his
anger simmering just below the surface.
“Alex,” Timothy began, his voice edged with a sharpness that cut through the chilly air. “What was
that all about?”
Alex feigned innocence, his face a mask of nonchnce. “What are you talking about, Timothy?”
Timothy didn’t buy it for a second. “Don’t y dumb, Alex. I saw you. What are you up to?”
Alex sighed, a hint of frustration creeping into his demeanor. “Look, Timothy, it’s nothing. Just some
personal business.”
Timothy’s patience was wearing thin, and he had no intention of letting Alex off the hook so easily.
He leaned in closer, his voice low and dangerous.
“Personal business? In a dark parking lot? Money changing hands like some kind of secret deal?
I’m not buying it.”
Alex shifted ufortably, his gaze darting around as if searching for an escape route. “Timothy,
you don’t understand. It’s not what you think.”
Timothy’s anger red, and he took a step closer, his voice a menacing whisper. “I
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suggest you start talking, Alex, because it looks like you’re involved in something shady.”
Alex hesitated for a moment, his resolve crumbling under the weight of Timothy’s anger. Finally, he
spoke, his voice low and hesitant. “It doesn’t concern you.”
Timothy’s eyes narrowed. “Are you betting on games?
Alex scoffed, attempting to brush off Timothy’s inquiry. “You’re imagining things.
man.”
Timothy’s patience was wearing thin. He wasn’t about to let Alex off the hook so easily. “Don’t y
games with me, Alex. If you’re into something illegal behind the scenes, I’ll make sure everyone
knows.”
Alex shifted ufortably before responding, “Look, it’s not what you think. I’ve been helping out a
friend with some financial stuff. It’s nothing illegal, I swear.”
Timothy’s anger red again, and he clenched his fists at his sides. “You’re not just risking your own
career, Alex. You’re putting our entire club in jeopardy. If anyone finds out about this, it could bring
down the entire league.”
Alex merely smirked in response. This made Timothy’s temperature rise, almost to a breaking point,
and he crossed his arms impatiently.
Before he could speak his mind once more, Alex finally spoke up, “Oh, by the way, your girlfriend’s
here to see you.”
Startled, Timothy turned to see who Alex was referring to. His heart sank as he spotted Ste
standing a few feet away, her presence an unwee surprise.
“Ste?” Timothy stammered, trying to hide his difort. “What are you doing here?”
Ste approached with a sly smile, feigning innocence. “Hi, Timothy!”
When she leaned in to give him a kiss, Timothy ducked away with a grimace. Sheughed it off,
though he caught the subtle re she gave him.
“Lighten up, babe,” she said. “I’m just here to support you.”
He groaned and looked back at Alex, who was already sneaking away. “She’s not my girlfriend!” he
insisted, hoping the other had heard.
Timothy’s face reddened with embarrassment as he nced around, suddenly aware of the prying
eyes of other hockey yers. It seemed that they all knew his life more than he did at that point. His
name never left the news.
He stepped closer to Ste and lowered his voice. “Ste, we can’t do this here. Let’s talk in
private.”
They moved away from the curious gazes of the hockey yers, finding a more secluded spot.
Timothy felt his anger simmer.
“What are you really doing here, Ste?” Timothy asked, his voice tense.
Ste shrugged, her eyes dancing with mischief. “I told you, Timothy, I’m here to support you. Is that
so hard to believe?”
Timothy couldn’t contain his frustration any longer. “Don’t y games with me, Ste. You know
why I’m upset.”
Ste’s smile faltered for a moment, and her gaze turned sharp. “Oh, Timothy, you’re always so
serious. It was just one night. A little fun, that’s all.”
Timothy clenched his fists, his anger boiling over. “Fun? You drugged me, Ste! You coerced me
into that bed!”
Ste’s expression hardened, but then her smile returned, albeit colder. “You’re exaggerating,
Timothy. It was all in good fun, and I thought you enjoyed it.”
Timothy shook his head in disbelief. “You don’t get it, do you? I can’t have anyone find out about
that night.”
Ste’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned in closer to him. “Why not? Afraid your precious Evie will
think less of you?”
Timothy gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain hisposure. “This isn’t a joke, Ste. You have
no idea how much I care about Evie, and I won’t let you tarnish what we have.”
Ste’s gaze
flickered with a hint of amusement. “Oh, Timothy, you’re so naive. You really think Evie cares about
you? She’s just using you to climb thedder.”
Timothy’s eyes zed with anger. “Whatever. She’s not like that.”
Ste took a step back, her expression smug. “Believe what you want, Timothy, but
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you should watch the news. You might find it enlightening.”
With those cryptic words, Ste turned and walked away, leaving Timothy seething with anger and
confusion.
Nervousness gnawed at Timothy’s insides at Ste’s words. He knew he couldn’t ignore her, not
when she was making such bold ims. He needed to find out what was going on. With a curt nod,
he abruptly turned and left the sports center, his mind racing.
As he walked briskly toward his car, Timothy debated whether he should even dignify the tabloid
rumors with his attention. He’d always despised the sensationalistic garbage that passed for news
these days. But Ste’s insinuations left him curious about what the buzz surrounding Evie.
Once home, he kicked off his shoes and settled into hisfortable armchair. He stared at the
television remote on the coffee table for a long moment before finally picking it up and switching on
the news.
The television screen flickered to life, and Timothy’s heart sank as he saw Evie’s face pop up
beside her boss, Mr. Erickson. The headline beneath the image read: “Scandal at Erickson
Industries? CEO and Rising Star Employee’s Rtionship Under Scrutiny.”
Timothy’s stomach plummeted as he listened to the anchor’s spective words. The news report
was a relentless assault of innuendo and insinuation. The anchor suggested that the close working
rtionship between Evie and Mr. Erickson had raised eyebrows in thepany, with some
sources iming they’d been spotted together outside of work hours.
The anchor continued, “While there has been no official confirmation of romantic involvement,
sources close to the pair have hinted at a more personal
any connection behind closed doors.”
Timothy clenched his fists, anger simmering beneath the surface. He couldn’t believe what he was
seeing.
The news report cut to an interview with a so–called insider who imed to have witnessed Evie
and Mr. Erickson inpromising situations. Timothy’s jaw tightened as he listened to the scious
details being shared without any concrete evidence to support them.
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Unable to contain his anger any longer, Timothy snatched the remote off the couch and turned off
the television.
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