Chapter 257

As I stepped out of the office, I could barely contain myself when I spotted Scarlett waiting outside. Her bright smile was like a ray of sunshine.

"Scarlett!" I exclaimed, rushing to greet her. "It's been forever!"

She enveloped me in a warm hug and patted my back. "Evie, you're looking well despite everything that's been going on," Scarlett said gently.

"It's been a rollercoaster," I admitted with a weak chuckle. “But you’re looking pretty good yourself. You bounced back pretty quickly.”

“Indeed.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and winked at me. “I’ve got a daughter to raise, so death will have to wait.”

I tried not to shutter at the casual mention of death, though it hardly came to mind looking at her now. Her skin had regained its healthy glow and her curves had filled back in. She could have been a model in her own right, but she chose the business side of things.

"Listen, we should catch up," Scarlett suggested, her tone holding a hint of urgency that made my nerves jangle. "I've got a few things to discuss with you."

A sense of unease settled within me at her words, a knot forming in my stomach. I nodded, trying to mask my apprehension with a forced smile. "Sure, let's head to my office," I suggested, though I quickly remembered that Timothy was still waiting in there.

Before Scarlett and I could make our way, Timothy approached us, and I could already see the gears shifting in Scarlett’s mind.

"Hey, I should get going," he said, his gaze shifting between Scarlett and me. “Oh, hey! How have you been, Scarlett?”

“Just fine, Timothy. I see that both you and Evie are doing well,” she responded sincerely. “Very well.”

He chuckled and leaned in, placing a soft kiss on my cheek before pulling back with a smile.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Timothy said, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out several tickets and handed them to me. "I'm free to give these to whomever I want, and I want you and your friends at my next hockey game," he said with a grin.

I blinked in surprise, taking the tickets in my hand. "Thank you, Timothy. We’ll be there," I replied, feeling a mix of gratitude and an unexpected flutter of excitement.

"Next Friday," he reminded me with a wink, then waved at Scarlett. “Nice seeing you again.”

“You too,” Scarlett said, her gaze flickering to me.

As Timothy walked away, Scarlett turned to me with a grin. "You are such a sweet couple.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I offered a sheepish smile. "Oh, well, we're just..." I stammered, feeling my words falter under Scarlett's gaze.

She chuckled softly, seemingly amused by my reaction, and I quickly shifted the conversation. "Come on, let's head to my office," I suggested, leading her in before the awkwardness could deepen.

As we settled into my office, I tried to ease into casual conversation. "How's Olive doing?" I asked as she took the seat opposite of me.

Scarlett's expression softened, but the mood turned serious. "She's doing well, thankfully. Of course, she’s more protective of me, but it’s sweet having her call me at work from the maid’s phone.”

I laughed. “Just checking on Mom. Can relate.”

She nodded, though her smile began to fade. “Actually, there's something else..." Her voice trailed off, a hint of worry coloring her words.

"What is it?" I inquired, leaning in.

"It's Stella," she began, fiddling with the straps of her purse. "I’m sure you know about her being in the hospital."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Stella's name. "Y-Yeah, I do.”

Scarlett's eyes darkened. "She's been in a delirious state from all the medication, and she's been saying some strange things about you, Evie."

A chill ran down my spine at her words. The unease settled like a heavy stone in the pit of my stomach.

"What kind of things?" I pressed, my voice betraying a hint of fear.

Scarlett hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "She mentioned something about secrets, about you being involved in something..." Her voice trailed off, leaving a heavy silence between us.

A rush of emotions washed over me – confusion, fear, and a profound sense of betrayal. Stella was making it sound like I was at fault, although there were things I’d unwittingly brought to her. Namely Bruce.

"I don't understand," I murmured, my mind reeling from the revelation. "What could she possibly be talking about?"

Scarlett's gaze softened, her concern evident. "I don't know, Evie. But I need answers. Something doesn't add up, and I need to know what's going on."

There was a brief silence as I mulled over her words. Stella had chosen to involved herself with my step-brother, but he’d been more than willing to kill her off to get to me personally. Stella hadn’t told Scarlett anything about it, and I doubted the two were speaking before it all happened.

"Stella was involved with my step-brother," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "He wanted to kill me, and Stella... she might have had similar motives. She could have been used as a pawn to lure me in."

Scarlett's eyes widened in shock and her features contorted with horror. She cupped her hands over her mouth and shuttered. "Oh, Evie," she whispered, her voice quivering.

I went on. "Stella and my step-brother, Bruce, they locked me in a basement," I recounted, the memories clawing their way back into my consciousness. "They planned to record it for a live audience."

Scarlett recoiled, her hand flying to her mouth in disbelief. "I... I can't believe this," she murmured, her voice laden with shock and horror. "What could have driven my sister to do something so... so terrible?"

I shook my head, unable to offer a proper answer. She said I’d taken everything from her, although I wasn’t sure what all she was talking about. I thought Timothy had been the main drive behind it all, but it seems she disturbed by my overall existence.

The silence that followed was thick. Scarlett's distress was climbing steadily, and she wiped away a tear before it could fall.

"I don't understand." Her shoulders shook as she choked back a sob. "For her to do something so awful, it doesn’t make sense."

I struggled to find my next words. "She was angry at me," I admitted. "She thought I was trying to ruin her life, so she wanted to get revenge."

"I never would have imagined she’d got this far over something so petty…" Scarlett trailed off, her voice cracking with emotion. "I'm sorry, Evie."

"It's not your fault, Scarlett," I assured her, my voice tinged with empathy. "None of this is your doing."

“But if I’d been watching her – I had a feeling something wasn’t right with her after she lost that case, and even with the engagement getting cancelled, I just knew something felt off.”

"I'm sorry, Scarlett," I said, reaching to grab her a tissue from the box. She thanked me as she dabbed her cheeks with it. "I never wanted any of this to affect your family."

She reached out, placing a hand on mine. "You've been through so much, Evie. I should be the one apologizing. This... this could mean terrible things for Stella," Scarlett admitted, her eyes glistening with tears.

She stood up suddenly, a sense of finality hung between us. She gathered her belongings, preparing to depart, but before she could leave, she paused, a solemn expression etched on her face.

"Again, I'm sorry for everything," Scarlett said, her voice hoarse. "I hope you find peace. I have a decision to make now."

As Scarlett bid me a heartfelt farewell and made her way out of my office, I felt tenser than ever. The echoes of her words reverberated in the silence, carrying a hint of finality that was disconcerting.