The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 64

Chapter 64

The night was draped in a gentle stillness. For once, | actually prepared for a nice, calming slumber. After taking a steaming hot shower, | decided to take on my long—abandoned beauty ritual.

With my hair set in rollers, | stirred up a unopened batch of facial cream, which | then spread all over my face. The minty fragrance left a calming tingle on my skin. as it cooled and dried. In the meantime, | had my feet propped up on the tub fora quick pedicure job.

Perhaps it was the ease with which the evening unfolded, but | felt comfortable. enough to pamper myself. Often, | opted to leave these things for the morning. when twas already crunching down on me. However, as | sat on the toilet lid and spread ruby red nail polish on my toes, | started to regret my prior negligence.

| had actually hugged Timothy, and | didn’t even feel ashamed afterward. Just that moment of contact had leftwith a buzz that refused to wear off, even as | grew tired.

After washing the mask off my face, | walked to the kitchen to prepare stea before bed. As water heated in the electric pitcher, | draped myself over the counter, a smile widening on my lips.

When a faint sound reached my ears, | sat back up and stared into the distance. It was almost like a whisper, ghostly in nature, as it drifted through my door. | tiptoed to the door and gently pushed it open, allowing the dim hallway light to illuminate my path.

There, standing in the corridor, was Linda. My heart raced, my mind struggling to comprehend the sight before me. What was she doing here?

Before | could fully process her presence, she had successfully picked the lock to Timothy’s apartment. The door creaked open and she poked her head inside, her wide eyes scanning the room with an eerie intensity.

Asurge of determination coursed through me, and without a second thought, | sprung into action.

lunged forward, my fingers curling around Linda’s wrist just as she was about to slip into Timothy’s apartment. With a swift motion, | pulled her back, my voice a fierce whisper that cut through the silence.

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“What do you think you're doing?” | hissed, my eyes narrowing on her. 51%,

Linda’s eyes widened in surprise, her initial confidence faltering under my unexpected intervention. “Who are you?” she stammered, her voice trembling.

| scoffed in disbelief. “Really? You had dinner with me, remember?” She tilted her head to the side, feigning ignorance. “Really?”

My grip on her tightened and | moved to press her against the wall, effectively cornering her. “Whatever. What matters is why you're trying to break into Timothy’s apartment.”

Her eyes darted around the hallway, her panic evident. “I... | just wanted to talk to him.”

My anger flared at her audacity. “In the middle of the night?”

“He’s busy during the day-”

“And especially after all the trouble you have caused him. Do you have any idea of the mess you've created?”

Linda’s expression hardened, a defiant spark igniting in her eyes. “He loves me, but he’s way too private. | got a little irritated, so | just let a few things slip to the media.”

My patience was already wearing thin at the nonsense she spewed. “He hardly knows you, Linda. All you do is watch his dog while he’s out.”

“That isn’t true!” she spat, her voice seething with resentment. “He madebelieve we had something special, and then he discardedlike | was nothing.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Linda, you’re delusional. Timothy is not responsible for your obsessions.” She snorted, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “You have no idea what you're talking about.”

“| know enough,” | shot back, my tone firm. “I know that you’ve been stalking him, disguising your obsession as something more. But | won't let you ruin his life any further.”

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Linda’s eyes widened as | mentioned her twisted intentions. Her facade cracked, revealing the extent of her obsession that had been hidden beneath layers of deceit.

“And what are you going to do about it?” she asked venomously. “Once | find a way to get Timothy's seed, I’m going to have his children. Just like we always planned.”

| leaned in, my voice low and steady. “You are sick, you hear me?” “Not as sick as you,” she retorted, crossing her arms. “I should’ve known you were one of the sluts he kept stowed away.”

With a swift motion, | raised my hand and delivered a sharp slap across her cheek. The sound reverberated through the hallway, a physical manifestation of my frustration and anger.

“You're delusional,” | seethed. “Creating such a scheme, thinking you can impregnate yourself with his seed? You've lost touch with reality.”

Linda’s hand flew to her cheek, her eyes filling with tears. “You have no idea what I’m capable of,” she hissed.

“| know enough to see that you wind up in the gutter that you belong in,” | countered, my resolve unyielding. “And if you think for a second that you can blackmail Timothy with this absurd plan of yours, you’re gravely mistaken.”

Atense silence hung in the air between us, the weight of my words seemingly reaching her. Linda’s resolve wavered, her desperation now tinged with uncertainty. Her eyes bore into miné, a mixture of defiance and desperation etched across her features.

“| will tell the press about this,” she stated.

My heart raced, but | refused to let her intimidation get the best of me. With a steady gaze, | met her stare head-on. “And | have enough information about you to shatter the carefully constructed facade you've been hiding behind.”

Linda’s confidence wavered, a flicker of doubt dancing in her eyes. “You're bluffing.” | allowed a small, knowing smile to curve my lips. “Am |?”

In that moment, a sense of empowerment surged within me. | held the key to exposing Linda’s true nature, her unhealthy obsession with Timothy that had

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driven her to concoct such a devious scheme. It was a trump card | was willing to play if it meant protecting Timothy and ensuring that justice prevailed.

Linda’s eyes narrowed, her mind clearly racing as she weighed her options. She was trapped, cornered by her own web of lies, and she knew it.

“You wouldn't dare,” she finally hissed, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

“Try me,” | replied, my tone cool. “I have evidence of your obsession, your online activities, and a trail of breadcrumbs that leads straight to your doorstep.”

Her composure faltered, a flicker of panic crossing her features. She was faced with a choice, one that could determine her fate. The silence between us stretched, the weight of our confrontation hanging heavily in the air.

“You have no proof,” she finally muttered, her voice strained.

| allowed a small, knowing smile to grace my lips. “Actually, | do.” Linda’s eyes widened, a flicker of fear dancing in her gaze. “What?”

“I've done my research,” | said calmly, my voice cutting through the tension. “I know more about you than you think. Enough to ruin your livelihood, your reputation.”

She hesitated, her defiance giving way to a palpable sense of dread. “You're lying.”

“Tryand find out if I’m lying,” | said. “Leave Timothy alone, Linda. Don’t ever set foot in this building again, or | promise you, your secrets will be laid bare for the world to see.”

With that, | released my grip on her, allowing her to stumble back.

Finally, Linda let out a frustrated sigh, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “Fine,” she muttered, her voice laced with resignation. “You win.”

| felt a rush of satisfaction, a small victory in the face of her manipulation. But | wasn’t about to let my guard down just yet. “I'm not interested in winning,” | said firmly. “I’m interested in ending this madness you’ve created.”

She shotone last venomous

glare, then glanced at Timothy’s door before

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Chapter 64

retreating toward the elevator. As the echoes of her footsteps faded down the hallway, | exhaled a breath | hadn’t realized f'd been holding. The tension that had grippedbegan to dissipate, replaced by a sense of accomplishment and relief.

But my work wasn't over yet. There was still the matter of Timothy and the aftermath of the scandal.

| turned back to my apartment and closed the door behind me. The events of the evening had taken their toll, but | was ready to sleep it off. As | settled into bed, | couldn’t help but reflect on the twists and turns that had ledto this point.

Even as | closed my eyes, the tension hadn't completely faded. There was an emptiness behind Linda’s eyes, even as she spoke of her and Timothy’s fake love. While she seemed taken back by my threats, | could only suspect that they wouldn’t hold much weight forever with someone like her.

We were going to have to be more careful from now on. 5/5

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