The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 27

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As | hunched over my desk, the soft knock on my office door barely registered, and | only looked up when it swung open to reveal the last person | had expected to

see Timothy himself. He stood there, his expression a mixture of surprise and apprehension. “Timothy,” | stammered, my voice betraying my astonishment. “What are you doing here?”

He shifted uncomfortably, his hands fidgeting in his pockets. “I’ve been trying to find you, Evie. | didn’t know where to start, and I thought maybe you'd be here.”

| had so many questions, but the foremost one spilled from my lips before | could stop it. “Why did you want to find me?”

He took a deep breath and approached my desk, leaning against it as he spoke. “Evie, | came here because | want you to withdraw from my case.”

The words hung in the air, a weight that threatened to crush me. | couldn’t believe what | was hearing. “Withdraw? But why? I’ve been working tirelessly on your case, trying to help you.”

Timothy's eyes met mine, and there was a depth of emotion | hadn’t seen before. “That's exactly it, Evie. You’ve been working too hard on my behalf. | don’t want you to overextend yourself for me.”

My temper flared, and | couldn’t hold back the words that tumbled out in a furious torrent. “You don’t get to decide whether I’m ‘overextending’ myself or not. This is my profession, and | take it seriously. I’m trying to fight for you, and now you're asking me to step back? Do you not respect what | do?”

Timothy's eyes widened, clearly caught off guard by my anger. “That's not it, Evie. | do respect you, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done. But I’m worried about you, and | don’t want to be the cause of any harm or stress in your life.”

| was seething, my hands trembling with pent-up frustration. “You think | can’t handle it, don’t you? You think I’m not capable of taking on an important case like this?”

Timothy sighed, and his voice was laced with guilt. “No, that’s not what | meant, Evie. You're a talented lawyer, and | believe in you. But | don’t want you to suffer

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for my sake.”

The battle inside me raged on. | understood his concern, but | couldn’t accept it. “Yet another person underestimating my skills.”

“| didn’t mean to offend you, Evie.” Timothy stepped forward and looked into my eyes. “It’s just that | care about you, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

| sighed, the fury draining from me as | realized his intentions were genuinely concerned. “I appreciate that, Timothy, but you have to understand. I’ve already faced threats and opposition from those who want to see you convicted. | can’t back down now. | won't give up on your case.”

Alook of resignation crossed his face. “I had a feeling you'd say that. You're incredibly stubborn, you know that?”

| nodded, suppressing a smile. “I take it as a compliment.”

With a resigned look, he took a seat in front of my desk. “That type of persistence is what | need on my case.”

| narrowed my eyes. “My persistence never left.”

“Exactly.” Timothy started to smile. “But the thing is, | want you to work on my case, not with Linda.”

| furrowed my brow, a sense of unease settling in my chest. “Why not Linda? She’s my senior, and I’ve always looked up to her.”

Timothy leaned forward, his voice taking on a more urgent tone. “I don’t click with Linda, and | have a hard time following her ideas. | trust you, and | believe you genuinely want to help me.”

| hesitated, torn between loyalty to a coworker and my desire to help Timothy. “I understand your concerns, Timothy, but Linda has more experience in these matters. I’m still learning, and | think we could benefit from her expertise.”

Timothy's frustration became apparent, and he pushed his chair back suddenly, the legs screeching against the floor. “Evie, don’t you get it? There’s so much more to be done, and | need someone who's willing to go the extra mile. | don’t want to take any chances.”

I stood up, following his movements. “Timothy, whether we like it or not, Linda is

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13:04 Wed, 20 Mar 5-

your best chance. I'll still be here working on your case, even if it’s just from the sidelines.” Timothy's eyes flashed with uncertainty and he looked over his shoulder. “That’s not good enough.”

Before | could respond, he turned and stormed out of my office. | rushed to catch up with Timothy, my heels echoing loudly in the corridor as | called out to him. “Timothy, wait!”

He didn’t slow down, and | had to practically jog to keep up with his determined. pace. “Where are you going?” | asked. We reached the hallway leading to Mr. Erickson’s office, and my heartbeat grew faster.

“Timothy, what are you about to do?” | asked desperately, grabbing his shirt sleeve to pull him back.

Timothy finally stopped, turning to face me. “Evie, I've made up my mind. Just let me handle this.”

| couldn't let him just walk in there, not like this. My career was on the line, and it would look unfavorably on me if | let Timothy fight my battles. Linda had even called me dependent, like | couldn’t handle my own affairs.

“Timothy, just wait a minute!”

He had already thrown open the boss‘ door, startling the man on the other side. Mr. Erickson was in the middle of chewing a sandwich when Timothy stormed in. He barely registered me standing there, lettuce dangling from his bottom lip as Timothy stood over him.

“Mr. Erickson, Timothy began, his voice calm but determined, “I’ve come here to insist that Evie be reinstated as my main attorney.”

| stepped forward, my own emotions running high. “Timothy, please...”

Mr. Erickson set down his sandwich and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Then he leaned back in his chair, studying Timothy with a discerning gaze. “T—Timothy, we understand your concerns, but we have a duty to ensure that your case is handled by the most capable attorney.”

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Timothy's gaze never wavered, his resolve unwavering. “I have complete confidence in Evie’s abilities. She’s proven her dedication and determination. | won’t have anyone else represent me in this case.”

Mr. Erickson sighed, his fingers steepled in thought. “Evie, | understand your passion for this case, but you have no prior experience with such high-stakes matters. This is a critical case for our firm.”

| started to wonder if he was right, which was a bitter pill to swallow. I’d never taken on a case of this magnitude, and the stakes were incredibly high. But | couldn’t let Timothy down, and | was willing to fight for the chance to prove myself.

“Mr. Erickson,” Timothy interjected, “I’m not here to undermine the firm. | respect your judgment, but | also believe in giving Evie a chance. If she isn’t given that chance, then I'll look for representation elsewhere.”

My boss hesitated, well aware of the gravity of the situation. The entire firm had gathered around the office, a captive audience to this legal showdown. | could see the tension etched on their faces, and | felt the weight of their gazes upon me.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

After what seemed like an eternity, Timothy made a suggestion that shocked me. “Mr. Erickson, if you’re concerned about my case, | propose a solution. Let Evie and Linda compete to represent me. May the best attorney win.”

My eyes widened in surprise. | hadn’t expected this turn of events, and it left me both anxious and hopeful. Linda had experience and seniority on her side, but | had the passion and determination that had driven me through this journey.

Mr. Erickson seemed to contemplate Timothy’s proposal for a moment before nodding reluctantly. “Very well, we will hold a competition. Evie and Linda will. present their strategies for your case, and based on that, we will decide who will represent you.”

The room buzzed with a mixture of excitement and tension. It was probably the most exciting thing they’d heard that year. It certainly was for me.

| met Timothy’s gaze, and he grinned back at me, as though he knew something | didn’t. | suppose Linda and | were competing for Timothy.

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