Chapter 169


    I sat alone at the corner table of the cozy coffee shop, nursing my cooling cappino and trying to


    drown out the world with the soothing hum of conversation and the aroma of freshly ground coffee


    beans. It was my temporary refuge from the storm that had recently swept through my life.


    My phone buzzed, shattering the peaceful ambiance. Penny’s name shed on the screen, and I


    hesitated before answering. Thest thing I wanted was to discuss mytest misadventures, but I


    couldn’t ignore her call.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    “Hey, Evie,” Penny’s voice was gentle, filled with concern. “Have you heard anything from Timothy


    about that email yet?”


    I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair. “Not a word,” I replied, frustrationcing my voice.


    Though I’m not sure I would be the first person he’d run to should hee across the email any


    time soon. Ste and Andy were the main points of interest, after all.


    “He mentioned he had a ton of fan mail to sort through,” I added, hopefully casing her distress, as I


    heard her sigh over the phone. “So who know when he’ll be able to actually read the email.”


    Penny’s reassuring tone came through the phone. “Hang in there, Evie. You did nothing wrong. This


    whole thing is just a mess, but we’ll figure it out.”


    I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Thanks, Penny. I’ll update you if anything happens.”


    Just as Penny was about to say something more, there was a new disruption. The coffee shop’s


    door swung open, and a tall, lean figure walked in. Jasper, the very person who had helped force


    me into this mess, strolled in without a care in the world.


    I watched as he approached the counter, seemingly unaware of my presence, and ordered a coffee.


    I nearly shook with repulsion, watching as he flirted with the barista with that supposed charm and


    charisma that all my old coworkers boasted


    about.


    Those qualities had never fooled me. Underneath that polished exterior was a calcting


    opportunist who had used my work and his family name to boost his career. And now, the same


    scheming nature that had propelled him upwards was


    O


    getting him a free coffee.


    As he stepped away from the counter and waited for his drink, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He


    picked it up and answered with an impatient, “Hello“, before the voice on the other end cut him off.


    I couldn’t help but listen to his loud, agitated conversation with the person on the other end of the


    line. His voice carried across the café, drawing curious nces from other patrons. The heated


    exchange was impossible to ignore.


    “What do you mean, you messed it up?” Jasper’s voice dripped with anger as he paced back and


    forth near the counter. “You were supposed to handle that ount wlessly! You’re jeopardizing


    my entire case here!”


    I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corners of my lips. For once, it was Jasper who was in


    the hot seat, and I was relishing every moment of it. The man who had used my hard work to his


    advantage was finally facing the consequences of his own actions.


    “Look, just figure it out,” Jasper gritted out between clenched teeth, spit flying from his mouth. “And


    my uncle will be hearing about your poor performance. I will personally have you fired.”


    The barista seemed a little less ttered by him now. He had been reduced to a screaming man–


    child, red–faced and stomping about without any concern on how he appeared. Other patrons were


    beginning to talk, eyeing him with concern.


    “I don’t know, Nigel!” Jasper growled. “Maybe tell your kids that because of their ipetent father,


    they won’t be having a Christmas this year. “Tis life!”


    With a loud grunt, Jasper ended the call with a dramatic tap on the phone screen. He turned to


    survey the coffee shop, his eyes scanning the room until theynded. on me. His eyebrows shot up


    in surprise, and his lips curled into a condescending smile.


    “Well, well, Evie,” he said, striding over to my table. “If it isn’t the prodigal ex- employee herself.


    What are you doing here?‘


    I refused to be intimidated by him any longer. I met his gaze with a cool, determined look of my


    own. “Just enjoying a coffee, Jasper. What about you? Having a little meltdown, are we?”


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    Jasper’s face flushed with anger. “You have no idea what’s going on in my life right now,” he spat


    out, his voice dripping with venom.


    “Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea,” I replied, my toneced with sarcasm. “It seems like you’ve


    run into a bit of trouble at work, now that you don’t have been ving away trying to help you with


    your simple cases.”


    Jasper snorted and looked around, like I’d spoken those words just a bit too loudly. “Oh, please. I


    was just helping you get your practice in. I could’ve done those in my sleep.”


    “As you usually do,” I stated. “You sleep, and your paid help does all the hard work. Well, tries to.”


    He leaned in closer, his voice a dangerous whisper. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? You always


    were a bitter, jealous little thing before I exposed your opportunistic tendencies, you slut.”


    I couldn’t hold back anymore. The anger that had been simmering inside me for far too long boiled


    over. I stood up abruptly, knocking my chair back with a loud scrape against the floor. The other


    patrons turned their attention toward us, curious about the unfolding drama.


    “Slut?” I said, my voice trembling with rage. “You have no idea, Jasper. I’m looking at a pathetic


    loser who can’t function now that he’s lost his cheating buddy.”


    The words hung in the air, a tense silence descending upon the coffee shop. Jasper’s face


    contorted with fury, his, fists clenched at his sides. He was ready to unleash his pent–up anger, but


    I wasn’t done yet.


    I picked up my half–empty cup of cappino, took a slow, deliberate sip, and then poured the rest


    of it over Jasper’s perfectly styled hair. The hot liquid sshed over him, soaking his suit and


    staining his white shirt beneath.


    “Thanks for getting me fired from the firm,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I looked down


    at him. “It’s been a pleasure, jackass.”


    He sputtered, his face red and dripping with coffee. “You crazy…!” he began, but his words were cut


    off by a chorus ofughter from the other patrons. They were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle


    unfolding before them.


    I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving Jasper fuming and humiliated. As I


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    reached the door, I nced back onest time to see him attempting to wipe the coffee from his


    face with a napkin, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and embarrassment.


    The cool, crisp air outside was a wee relief after the heated confrontation. I knew that i had just


    burned some bridges, but I didn’t care. For the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of


    empowerment, as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.


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