Chapter 253

"Andy?" I gasped, disbelief coloring my voice.

Timothy's brows furrowed in surprise as he turned to see Andy standing there. "What are you doing here?"

Andy's demeanor was brusque as he replied, "I can be wherever I want, Tim. I don't need your permission."

Timothy attempted to maintain civility. "I was just asking. How have you been?"

Andy's expression darkened, a bitter edge creeping into his voice. "Not great. I haven't been able to talk to Dad in a long time."

Timothy's face softened with sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe he’ll come around.”

A bitter laugh escaped Andy's lips. "Come around…You know that man will hold a grudge until he’s buried six-feet deep.”

“That’s a bit dramatic,” Timothy pointed out. “Besides, you’re the one he trained for success. He won’t let you go too easily.”

Andy screwed up his face. His conniving presence in such a quaint place felt even weirder. I didn’t think corporate CEOs enjoyed ice cream, even on a good day.

“Congratulations, Tim. You're the new favorite child,” said Andy. “Now he’s betting on your success, because I’m the screw up.”

Timothy grunted. “That’s not my fault. You chose to expose yourself."

Andy didn’t give a reply. As he turned to leave in a hurried shuffle, Timothy called out after him, his voice filled with regret. "Don’t take it personally, Andy. You said it yourself, business as cruel, Dad is crueler."

This made Andy stop in his tracks. He turned back to Timothy, his lips already pursed and ready to fire. "And what was it all worth, huh? I couldn’t even get Stella out of all this mess. She wanted you so badly."

Timothy's retort was sharp. "Your media stunt didn't help, Andy."

In the midst of the tense exchange, Andy finally seemed to notice my presence. His gaze locked onto me, his eyes filled with an unexpected intensity.

"And who's this? The one lady who's managed to keep Timothy in her clutches?" Andy's voice dripped with accusation.

I squared my shoulders and nodded, attempting to maintain some civility. "Nice to see you again as well, Andy.”

“Is it?” He curled his lip. “Wonder what you had to do to keep him interested. He dropped a whole model for you, you know.”

“And a model dropped you for Timothy,” I quickly retorted. “Only difference is, Timothy didn't have to buy or force my love."

Andy's jaw tensed, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "You destroy everything you touch, Evie. You've ruined it all."

His words struck a nerve, but I refused to let his venomous accusations unsettle me. Before I could retort, Timothy stepped forward, a protective stance by my side.

"That's enough, Andy," Timothy's voice was firm, his gaze unwavering.

Andy shot one last venomous glare in our direction, then shook his head. “Fuck this…”

He turned and pushed through the doors, stomping down the street without care. In typical Andy fashion, he shoved passed people, as if he owned the sidewalk.

As the tension dissolved, I turned to Timothy, my expression a mix of disbelief and concern. "I guess you’re brother isn’t doing too well."

Timothy sighed, his features reflecting a mixture of emotions. "He’s been a mess since Stella evidently dumped him. He should be glad his business is still doing okay, considering he’s hardly running it himself."

I nodded, feeling a rush of emotions surging within me. "Honestly. Didn’t even take him for an ice cream lover."

“Only on his worst days,” said Timothy, and he looped arms with me. “Still feel like getting ice cream?”

I paused, looking over the various flavors in the window. Any glee I’d felt previously was almost non-existent then. Andy had successfully dulled my excitement.

“I think I’ll skip out on the ice cream,” I said eventually, and without question, he led me out of the parlor.

As we walked away, Timothy broke the heavy silence, his voice laced with regret. "I'm sorry about Andy. He can be difficult sometimes."

I shrugged, trying to dismiss the encounter. "I expected him to be in a mood. It's okay, Timothy. You don't have to apologize for him."

Timothy's expression softened with gratitude. "Thanks, Evie. I was hoping he’d just take it out on me, not you. He chose to live in delusion about him and Stella."

Wanting to lighten the weighty conversation, I changed the subject. "On a lighter note, while we’re on the topic of love, Aria mentioned a triple date idea. She wants us to join her and Lucas."

Timothy chuckled, his laughter breaking through the tension. "A triple date? I've never heard of such a thing."

I smiled, appreciating the shift in atmosphere. "Yeah, apparently, she thinks it'd be fun. What do you say?"

Timothy's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Well, it's definitely different. But if it'll make you happy, I'm in."

We continued our walk through the bustling streets, the conversation lightening the mood. We eventually stopped to get some food at a nearby vendor and settled at a nearby bench. There, we had a good view of the carolers, who had set themselves up at a street corner.

"So, a triple date, huh?" Timothy mused, a smile playing on his lips. "I never thought I'd find myself in one of those."

I laughed, the idea still feeling slightly surreal. "Neither did I. But hey, it might turn out to be fun."

Timothy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's give it a try. Who knows? It might be an adventure."

Between bites, I found myself contemplating Timothy's family dynamics, something I knew had weighed heavily on him.

"Is your family really alright, Timothy?" I inquired gently. "It seems like after your mother's passed…"

Timothy's expression softened, a mixture of melancholy and acceptance in his eyes. "My mom... I think she's at peace now. She's no longer suffering, you know?"

I offered a sympathetic smile. “I believe I do.”

"But now," Timothy continued, a shadow crossing his features, "it's just my dad and Andy. They continue to make life difficult."

"I'm sorry," I murmured, wishing there was something more I could do. I couldn’t exactly ex-communicate him from his family, any more than he could himself.

Timothy offered a small shrug, a forced smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's alright. It's been a lot to handle, but I'm getting by."

The weight of his words lingered between us, a silent understanding of the complexities that entangled his family. I reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"It's okay not to be okay all the time, you know?" I offered softly, hoping my words would provide some solace.

Timothy met my gaze, then leaned in to press our foreheads together. "I know. Thank you."

We continued chatting, the weight of the previous encounter slowly fading into the background. Between the comfort of food and Timothy's easygoing demeanor, my spirits were easily lifted.

We continued on our walk, our conversation remaining on lighter topics, mostly shared interests and amusing anecdotes. Before we knew it, it had grown darker out, and the streets had led us back to the apartment building.

As we approached the building, I turned to Timothy with a smile.

"Thanks for today, Timothy. Despite all that extra drama, I had a good time."

He returned my smile warmly. "Anytime, Evie. I'm glad we could make the best of it."

I could see something else tugging at his mind, but he didn’t seem intent on voicing until we stepped into the elevator doors and they shut behind us. Then he looked at me, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"About that triple date," he began with a playful tone, "I'll have to ask Aria for all the details. I'm curious how this will play out."

I chuckled, feeling a sense of anticipation for what could be an unconventional outing. "Me too. It's definitely going to be interesting."

Top of Form