Chapter 16
Ted
The heavy wooden door to my office was closed, creating a cocoon of solitude as I meticulously crafted my closing statement for an upcoming case. The ticking of the clock on the wall and the scratching of my pen against paper were the only sounds punctuating the silence.
The door flew open, slamming against the wall with a loud bang. Amelia burst into the room, her blonde hair swirling behind her like a tornado. She came to a sudden stop in front of my desk, her usually warm and inviting eyes now ablaze with anger and frustration.
“Teddy Cranston,” she spat, her voice tight with restrained fury. “You have some nerve, you coward. I never thought you would stoop so low.”
My heart throttled my ribs—torn between concern and confusion. Her words stung like a slap across my cheeks. What had I done to provoke this?
“Amelia, what are you talking about?” I asked, struggling to keep my tone calm and steady. My jaw clenched. “Please, sit down, and let's discuss this rationally.”
“Sit down?” she hissed, planting her hands on her hips with a crumpled paper in her hand. “You think I can sit down after receiving a lawsuit from you?”
My eyes widened in surprise? A lawsuit? What lawsuit?
“Amelia, there must be some mistake,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. “This has to be a misunderstanding.”
She stood her ground and tossed the papers down on the desk in front of me. What was this?
“Then explain this,” she snapped.
I perused the summons—this was word for word what I’d drafted. I’d been busy and had forgotten all about it, but I’d never filed this.
Amelia's eyes flashed with hurt and fury, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. Her entire body seemed to vibrate with anger. The intensity radiated off of her threatening to scorch every surface in it’s path.
“How could you do this?” Her voice shook with vulnerability before the white hot anger returned.
I blinked, momentarily disarmed by the ferocity of her accusations. Coward echoed in my ears as Amelia's furious gaze bore into me. A mixture of confusion and surprise washed over me. I had never seen her this angry before.
“Amelia,” I started. My voice remained calm but firm. “Listen, this is just a misunderstanding, I’m not suing you.”
Her eyes narrowing as she assessed my words. Her hands were still clenched into fists at her sides, and it seemed as if she were using every ounce of her willpower not to lunge at me.
“Don’t lie,” she spat. “I got a copy of the lawsuit you filed. Don't insult me by lying or playing dumb.”
“Amelia, please,” I said, running my hands through my hair. “I did draft a lawsuit, but I never submitted it. I promise you, this is all a huge misunderstanding.”
For a brief moment, I thought there was a flicker of doubt in her hazel eyes. But it was quickly replaced with renewed rage as she shook her head. She pulled a check from her purse and tossed it at me. The paper fluttered through the air like a wounded bird before coming to rest on my desk. “That's the full amount I owe. All you had to do was ask.”
“Amelia, please,” I implored, my voice filled with concern as I picked up the check and examined the amount she'd written. It was the remaining 20% of my car repair bill.“You don't have to do this. I’ll clear everything up with the court.”
“Take the money, Ted,” she demanded, her voice firm but trembling with anger. “I insist. I want to be done with this and. . .you.”
The words felt like a punch to the gut, and a twinge of guilt crept up my spine. The tension in the room was suffocating, our rapid breaths the only sound in the room.
“Amelia,” I began, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.
“Save it, Ted,” she snapped, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “It’s over.”
My heart shattered into pieces. This wasn’t what I wanted.
“Amelia, I’m sorry,” I said, desperation seeping into my voice. “I never wanted it to come to this. I would never do anything to hurt you, Amelia. I swear.”
“I believe you. Just fix this with the court.”
“Okay,” I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I'll fix this, Amelia. I promise."
The hurt in her eyes flared like a blazing fire before she stormed out of my life, the door slamming with a deafening echo. My heart plummeted into my stomach as I watched her disappear, leaving behind a void that threatened to consume me.
But I couldn't give up. I had to make things right, to repair the damage and erase the rift between us. A mere apology would not suffice. I needed to prove my sincerity, to show her that she was more than just a transaction to me. There had to be something I could do, some grand gesture that would melt away her anger and rekindle the trust we once shared. But what if I couldn't find a solution? What if Amelia's anger and stubbornness were too much for me to overcome?
With a deep, ragged breath, I forced myself to focus. This wasn't the time for self-pity or doubt; this was the time for action.
A soft knock at my door drew my attention. That was too timid to be Amelia. “Come in.”
“Boss,” Crystal said. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide. “I’m so sorry. I filed that lawsuit.”
My heart thudded erratically in my chest as I tried to process her words. “What are you saying?”
She took a hesitant step towards me, her hands twisting and knotting together in nervousness. “The document was mixed in with the forms from Sam Finnegan's visit two months ago. I filed it away with everything else.”
My stomach clenched in realization. This was how it had happened, but it didn't offer any solutions on how to fix it. And then a sudden idea struck me—a peace offering that might just work.