The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 106

The buzz surrounding Timothy’s heroic rescue had taken over the office like wildfire, and it was grating on my nerves. The other employees, who had been. reserved to talking about me behind my back, were now being upfront about their speculations.

Returning to work at the law firm after the tumultuous events involving Bruce was something of a relief, a way to regain a semblance of normalcy. I was starting to regret that decision.

My irritation reached a boiling point as a constant stream of female colleagues gathered at my desk,

their faces glowing with excitement and curiosity. It was like I was the star of some romantic drama, and they couldn’t wait to hear all the juicy details.

“Evie, tell us everything!” gushed Lisa, a paralegal from the adjacent cubicle, her eyes wide with excitement,

“Yeah, Evie, what’s it like to be rescued by the love of your life?” added Emily, another co–worker, who had always been a bit too invested in my personal life.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and I felt like I was caught in a whirlwind. of gossip that I couldn’t escape. “It’s not like that,” I insisted.

But it seemed that my denial only fueled their speculation. They exchanged knowing glances, and Lisa nudged me playfully. “Come on, Evie, we’ve seen the way you two look at each other.”

The women continued to press, asking questions about Timothy’s heroics and the supposed undeniable chemistry between us. I rolled my eyes, feeling more exasperated by the minute.

As the day wore on, I found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on my work. The constant–attention was grating on my nerves, and I longed for the days when I could come to work without being the center of a romantic spectacle. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate Timothy’s help–he had been at the right place at the right time. –but I was fighting to detach myself from him, and it was an endless struggle.

“Listen, ladies,” I began, “It was just business between us. I appreciate his help, but there’s nothing romantic going on between us.”

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Chapter 106

They exchanged glances, and this time, they seemed to comprehend the seriousness of my tone. In their defense, Timothy’s interview that morning had portrayed a man deeply caring and concerned for me.

caught Aria watching it before I left that morning. She had tried to be discrete, keeping the volume low and the brightness setting at a minimum, but I saw his face on the screen regardless. It had been

I could see the hesitation in her movements when she turned it off. She didn’t want to let go so easily, and it was

he seemed really smitten with you in the interview,” another colleague chimed in, fluttering her

chair, frustration mounting. “Appearances can be deceiving.” I muttered, not bothering to hide

relationship with Timothy and the nature of our connection. This was somehow worse, having them analyze my nonexistent relationship with Timothy from a place of interest rather than

to excuse myself from the growing crowd, my cell phone rang, its shrill ringtone slicing through the chatter.

out and answered the call.

a deep, authoritative voice asked. “Yes,

police station,” he replied. “I need you to come down here immediately. It’s

mention of Bruce’s name sent shivers down my

Evie,” Officer Stevens said gravely. “We need you to come down

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Chapter 106

the phone closer,

stated flatly. “We returned to his hospital room and

looked around. The hall was

silence on the line before the officer spoke up. “We would like you to come down to the station,

told him, and

hung up and jumped to my feet, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Bruce was supposed to be locked up in the hospital, and he was definitely in no

before rushing out the door. The police station was a short drive away, but every second felt like an eternity as my mind whirled with

around, talking urgently into

to a small, dimly lit room. “We have some surveillance

pounding in my chest. What had

feed filled the screen. It showed the entrance of the hospital where Bruce had been held. My breath

sitting in a wheelchair, his face hidden beneath a hoodie. He looked pale and weak, nothing like the man I had

happen?” I asked, my voice