The Hockey Star’s Remorse

Chapter 176

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| found myself awakening to the first rays of daylight that streamed through the curtains. My eyes blinked open, and as | turned to look at the room, 1 saw Olive sitting on the edge of my bed, her big green eyes staring back at me.

“Good moming!” she exclaimed with a bright smile, her enthusiasm infectious even at such an early hour. | smiled back at her, pushing aside the weariness that clung to me. “Good morning, Olive. Did you sleep well?”

Olive nodded enthusiastically, her pigtails bouncing with her movements. “I had the best sleep ever! But now I’m hungry. Can we have pancakes, please?”

| chuckled at her enthusiasm. At least one of us got a good amount of rest. “Pancakes it is, Olive. Why don’t you play with breakfast ready for you?”

your toys for a bit, and I'll get She nodded and hopped off the bed, her action figure in tow, ready to embark on a new adventure in the world of her toys.

| dragged myself out of bed, which felt like an astronomical effort. The responsibilities of taking care of Olive, supporting Scarlett, and now having Timothy at my aid had begun to feel like an insurmountable juggling act. But there was no tfor self-pity; Olive needed me, and that was enough to keepgoing.

As | prepared breakfast, the scent of sugar and cinnamon filled the small kitchen. The rhythmic sizzle of the batter in the pan provided a comforting soundtrack to the morning. Olive’s laughter and chatter in the background added a touch of joy to the day.

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Soon, a stack of fluffy pancakes adorned a plate, and | carried it to the table where Olive had gathered her toys. She squealed in delight, her eyes lighting up at the sight. It was a favorable look compared to the distant expression she’d worn the day before.

After ensuring that she was handled for the moment, | left her to her breakfast. | sat on the couch for a moment, unsure of what to do with myself. | had begun to feel truly aimless without a firm to speed off to every morning.

| had felt so official in my office, dealing with clients from all backgrounds. Now, | was confined to my apartment, seemingly under the thumb of swealthy people, | could only dream of being as blissfully unaware as Olive.

After a few minutes, | decided that | needed sfresh air to clear my mind and gather my thoughts. The apartment had begun to feel like a cooker, the walls closing in onwith each passing moment.

mailboxes. As | meandered through the hallway, lost in thought, | spotted Timothy, standing by the communal mcking their

| stepped out into the hallway, the cool air a welcrelief. The hallway was silent, save for the occasional shuffle of residents checking their envelopes and packages.

pressure sifting through a pile of

He was absorbed in his task, but his head shot up when he sawapproaching. The unexpected encounter sent a rush of emotions through me, and | couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation.

“Timothy,” | said gently. “Hey.”

He closed the mailbox door and turned to face me, his expression pleasant. “Hi, Evie. Didn’t expect to see you so early. Just checking the mail.”

| nodded, feeling a sense of awkwardness in the air. The unspoken tension between us had only grown stronger in recent weeks, and | couldn’t keep

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Cher 176

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“So, Timothy began suddenly, his voice heavy with a mixture of bitterness and resolve, “Andy calledthis morning. He said that Stella ran to his place.

The words hung in the air, and the room’s temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. The bitterness in Timothy's voice was evident. It was almost expected, Stella running back to Andy.

“| know why she went to him,” Timothy continued, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. “Aside from the obvious. She’s running away from. the truth, from the paternity test. She knows that the results will confirm what we already know.”

“Oh,” was all | could muster beneath his cold switch in demeanor. After all that tshe spent trying to sink her claws into him, she ran off with another man. At that point, | had no clue why she was fighting for Timothy when she could have just called things off.

“| think he believes he’s gloating, like he won something.” Timothy stated. I’m getting Stella to retake the paternity test.” “Really?” | blurted out.

Timothy's voice was firm. I’m ready to settle this. Immediately

| nodded in agreement. “It’s the right thing to do, Timothy. Even if it hurts.”

Ti quirked an eyebrow at me, though he started to smirk. “Hurts? That’s being very generous. I’m more pissed that she tried to use the baby to

baitinto marrying her, more than anything.”

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Chapter 176.

| blinked wildly. “Oh...1 guess | assumed you two had a thing going on. Even if things were complicated.” *%2021%

Timothy shrugged, looking to the side. “I wanted to do what was right, Evie. | thought that was going tomy kid coming out of her, and | didn’t want to be like my father. | wanted to be a responsible father and husband, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness.”

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| placed a hand on his arm. “You were trying to do the right thing. Life is messy, and sometimes we find ourselves in situations we never expected.” Timothy sighed, his gaze fixed me. “I swear, the only thing between Stella and | was her desperation to claim me. | never wanted to stay with Stella. My heart belongs to someone else.”

His words hitlike a wave, carrying a sense of both relief and trepidation. Timothy’s meaningful look afterward left me speechless, and | was unsure of how to respond.

Before | could collect my thoughts, we were interrupted by a small, unexpected voice. Olive poked her head out of the apartment, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“Hil” she chirped, her voice filled with cheer. “Uncle Timothy, what are you doing here?”

Timothy laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Morning, Olive. I’m Evie’s neighbor, so you'll probably be seeingquite a lot!”

Olive beamed at him. “Do you want to cover for breakfast? Evie makes the best pancakes!”

| watched Olive, sensing her innocent curiosity and her pure heart. But | also felt a pang of discomfort, knowing that Timothy and | had just shared something significant, and it wasn’t the right tto be stuck in a room with him.

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Timothy looked at me, understanding the unspoken request in my eyes. “Thank you, Olive, but | can’t stay for breakfast today. Maybe another time. Olive nodded and disappeared back into the apartment, the door closing behind her.

Timothy turned to me, his eyes filled with a mix of warmth and meaning. “We'll have tto talk and figure things out, but | got to get going.

| nodded, still processing the whirlwind of emotions that had enveloped us. “Okay. We'll talk soon.”

With a final, lingering glance, Timothy headed toward his apartment. The door closed behind him, and | was left standing in the hallway, the weight of our unspoken conversation still heavy in the air.

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