Chapter 342

TIMOTHY POV

The taxi rattled along the rain-slicked streets, the glow of the city lights casting a soft halo around Timothy and Andy as they rode in silence towards their destination. Timothy's mind buzzed with nervous energy, his fingers tapping restlessly against his thigh as he stared out the window, the raindrops tracing lazy patterns against the glass.

"Thanks again for coming with me, Andy," Timothy said, breaking the silence with a small smile. "And helping me clear my name. I really appreciate it."

Andy glanced over at him, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the cab. "Don't mention it," he said gruffly. "I'm not about to let another relationship get ruined because of my own issues."

Timothy felt a pang of guilt at the mention of Andy’s past troubles, the memory of his and Stella’s breakup possibly still fresh in his mind despite the passage of time. "I'm sorry things ended the way they did with her," he said quietly.

Andy shrugged, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside. "Water under the bridge," he said dismissively. "Besides, I know you love Evie. I'm not about to stand in the way of that."

Timothy felt a surge of gratitude towards his friend, his chest tightening with emotion. "You're a good guy, Andy," he said sincerely. "I'm lucky to have you as a brother."

Andy snorted, a wry smile quirking the corners of his lips. "Yeah, well, don't get too sentimental on me," he said gruffly. "We've got a job to do, remember?"

Timothy chuckled, the tension easing slightly from his shoulders. "Right, of course," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "Technically, we're on our way to break up an engagement."

Andy raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "And here I thought we were just going for a leisurely stroll," he retorted. "Guess we'll be doing future billionaires a favor by getting Mia locked up once and for all."

Timothy laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet interior of the cab. Despite the seriousness of their mission, he couldn't help but feel a surge of optimism at Andy's words. With his brother and girlfriend by his side, he felt confident that they could handle whatever obstacles lay ahead.

As the taxi pulled up outside the church, Timothy's heart raced with anticipation, his pulse quickening with each passing moment. This was it. The moment of truth.

"Here we go," he said, his voice tinged with excitement as he reached for the door handle. "Let's do this."

Andy nodded, his expression resolute as he followed Timothy out into the cool night air. Together, they made their way towards the imposing stone facade of the church, the glow of the streetlights casting long shadows across the rain-soaked pavement.

As they approached the entrance, Timothy felt a surge of nervous energy coursing through his veins, his palms slick with sweat as he reached for the handle. With a deep breath, he pushed open the heavy wooden door, the creak of hinges echoing through the empty corridor.

Inside, the church was quiet and still, the only sound the soft shuffle of their footsteps as they made their way towards the altar. Timothy's heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the empty pews, his eyes searching for any sign of Kamran or Mia.

"Looks like we're the first ones here," Andy said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Timothy nodded, his gaze sweeping over the ornate stained-glass windows and flickering candlelight. "Let's split up and see if we can find them," he said, his voice tense with anticipation.

With a nod, Andy set off towards the front of the church, his footsteps echoing through the cavernous space. Timothy followed suit, his heart racing as he scanned the shadows for any sign of movement.

As he reached the back of the church, his breath caught in his throat as he spotted a figure standing in the shadows, their back turned towards him. With a surge of adrenaline, he hurried forward, his footsteps echoing through the empty space.

"Dad?" he called out, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

The figure turned, and Timothy felt his heart sink as he realized it wasn't Kamran standing before him, but a statuesque woman with piercing blue eyes and a steely gaze.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice cold and commanding.

Timothy's mind raced as he struggled to come up with a response. "I'm... I'm looking for Kamran," he stammered, his voice weak with uncertainty.

The woman regarded him with suspicion, her eyes narrowing as she took a step closer. "What do you want with Kamran?" she asked, her tone sharp with distrust.

Timothy hesitated, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plausible explanation. "We're... he’s my father," he said finally, his voice tinged with desperation. "I just wanted to say hello."

The woman eyed him warily, her gaze flickering over his face as if searching for any sign of deception. Then, with a curt nod, she stepped aside, gesturing towards the door.

"He's not here," she said tersely. "You can leave now."

Timothy felt a surge of frustration welling up inside him as he turned to leave, his mind racing with unanswered questions. Where was Kamran? And what was he planning?

He turned abruptly when he felt a hard tap on his shoulder and spotted Andy standing behind him, looking disgruntled.

“He should be coming now. I heard some whispering through the door over there,” he said, pointing down the corridor.

As if on cue, the muted sound of voices drifted towards them from the dimly lit interior. Timothy's heart skipped a beat as he spotted Kamran emerge onto the stage from an unseen doorway and onto the altar, his voice raised in heated argument with the priest.

"There he is," Timothy muttered under his breath, relief flooding through him at the sight of their target still inside.

Andy nodded, his expression grim as he followed Timothy towards the front of the church. "Let's just hope he's willing to listen to reason," he said quietly, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

As they approached, Kamran's voice rose in anger, his face flushed with frustration as he gestured wildly towards the priest. Timothy's heart sank as he caught snippets of their conversation, the words echoing through the cavernous space.

"You’re making a mistake, Dad," he called out, his voice cutting through the heated exchange. "You need to listen to reason. You’ve known the woman for only three months."

Kamran's head snapped up, his eyes flashing with anger as he turned towards Timothy, his expression darkening with displeasure. "And who exactly are you to tell me what to do?" he demanded, his voice laced with contempt.

Timothy squared his shoulders, meeting Kamran's gaze head-on. "I'm just trying to help," he said earnestly, his tone firm. "But you need to understand that Mia is going after your money."

Kamran's eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sneer. "And you expect me to believe that?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I thought I could count on you, Timothy. But it seems I was mistaken."

Timothy felt a surge of frustration welling up inside him as he struggled to find the right words. "I know this is hard to hear," he said, his voice tinged with urgency. "But you need to see the truth. Evie's friend has the evidence."

Kamran's expression darkened, his hands curling into fists at his sides as he glared at Timothy. "I don't want to hear it," he snapped, his voice sharp with anger. "Mia is the best thing that's ever happened to me since Lydia."

Timothy felt a pang of conflict gnawing at his insides as he struggled to process Kamran's words. Despite everything, he couldn't shake the feeling of loyalty towards his father, even as he watched him spiral deeper into denial.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he said quietly, his voice heavy with regret. "But you need to open your eyes before it's too late. Before she hurts you."

With a heavy heart, Timothy turned and walked away. As he and Andy stepped out into the cool night air, he couldn't help but wonder if their efforts had been all for nothing.

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