Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 189: Erin’s End

Chapter 189: Erin’s End

By the time Rajan arrived to pick her up, Zinnia was already sprawled out on the sidewalk, clinging to Lyra’s leg like her life depended on it.

"Lyra! I’m soooo sorry! You should just kill me now! I totally deserve it for ditching you for my stupid boyfriend... hic!" she sobbed, her voice a mix of regret and drunken slurring.

Rajan, looking more than a little embarrassed by the spectacle in front of him, cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh... Boss?"

Lyra, visibly exhausted from listening to Zinnia’s nonstop wailing for what felt like hours, waved a hand dismissively. "Just get her out of here," she muttered, her voice drained of all patience.

Rajan, wisely choosing to say nothing more, simply nodded. In one smooth motion, he scooped up Zinnia, cradling her in his arms as he turned to face her group of friends. "Anyone else need a lift?" he offered politely.

Lyra shook her head immediately. "No thanks," she said, her exhaustion evident.

Vikie waved him off too. "Nah, we’re good. There’s a public hoverboard station nearby—we’ll make it back in no time."

Helion and Thierry, who were standing a bit off to the side, shook their heads as well. They were already heading in a different direction.

"Alright then," Rajan replied with a friendly smile, effortlessly buckling Zinnia into the passenger seat. "I’ll take her home first."

Despite his clean-cut look, dressed sharply in a button-up shirt and slacks, Rajan had grown into his role on Elden Prime, exuding a newfound sense of calm confidence.

No longer the shy boy he once was, he now carried himself with ease, even in the most chaotic situations—like this one.

As they pulled away, Zinnia sat in the car, arms crossed in a dramatic pout.

Rajan glanced at her, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "You’re not even that drunk—you’re just being extra," he teased, reaching over to ruffle her hair.

"I’m not moving ’cause I’m too sad!" Zinnia groaned, throwing herself dramatically onto her side. "I won’t see you for ages! You’ll have to carry me inside later."

"Sure," Rajan chuckled, playing along.

"And you’ll give me a bath," she added with a mischievous grin.

"Absolutely," he replied, not missing a beat.

"And I didn’t even get to eat properly. I’m starving!"

"I’ve got steaks marinating in the fridge. I’ll cook them as soon as we get home," Rajan promised, his voice gentle. He indulged her every request like it was the easiest thing in the world.

...

Back at the gathering, Vikie watched the car drive off and let out a sigh. "When Zinnia said her boyfriend literally carried her to bed, I didn’t believe it. Guess ’bunny’ is stronger than we expected."

Helion and Thierry exchanged a glance, saying nothing.

After three years together, no one was shocked by the couple’s closeness.

Lyra, on the other hand, simply yawned, clearly ready to call it a night. "It’s late. I’m heading out."

As they watched her walk off, Vikie forced a smile. "Her personality... it’s something else."

While the rest of the group was weighed down by the thought of saying their goodbyes, Lyra seemed unfazed, detached from the emotional swirl around her.

"She’s just more resolute than the rest of us," Helion commented, watching her disappear into the distance.

With only a few weeks left before graduation, most of the students were taking this time to return home for the last bit of freedom they’d have.

After the ceremony, they’d all be scattered, reporting to their assigned military units.

...

The next morning, Lyra made her usual rounds, checking up on the various stores under her name.

When she passed by the one Erin had forcibly taken from Kail, she paused, standing quietly outside for a moment. Her assistant and the operations manager halted beside her, waiting for her next move.

Inside the store, Erin was busy overseeing her staff, directing them on how to display the newest merchandise. When she noticed Lyra outside, her face lit up with a smirk.

Without hesitation, she strode out to meet her, arms crossed and full of smug confidence.

"Lyra," she greeted, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "you’re talented, but it’s a shame you’ve got such a stupid brother."

Erin’s chest swelled with pride, still riding the high of stealing the store right from under Lyra. She relished in every moment of her small victory, unable to resist rubbing it in.

Lyra, unfazed, smiled calmly back. "My brother may not be the sharpest, but he’s more useful than you think."

Sensing the familiar energy of the power of freezing lingering around Erin, Lyra added in a low, icy tone, "I just hope you can handle everything you’ve taken."

With that, she turned away, walking off with her team in tow, leaving Erin standing there with her smug expression fading fast.

Erin’s eyes narrowed as she watched Lyra’s retreating figure. Her hands balled into fists, her heart burning with resentment.

"Hmph! I will keep what I’ve taken, and I’ll take everything else from you too," she muttered to herself, storming back inside the store.

As soon as she entered, her secretary hurried over, handing her a message. "The new shipment’s arrived, boss. Want to inspect it?"

"Let’s go."

They headed toward the back of the store where the new stock was being unloaded. Erin yanked open one of the crates, her brows furrowing immediately. "Why does this model look different from the last shipment?" she snapped, her tone sharp.

The assistant, clearly nervous, hesitated before blurting out, "The supplier said it’s a newly developed product."

Erin’s expression didn’t soften, so the assistant quickly added, "It’s already been tested. Compared to similar models, it performs well and is competitively priced."

Erin gave a curt nod. "Fine. Get it prepped for sale."

The new smart robots were promptly placed on display, but it didn’t take long for an eager customer to arrive.

A man wearing glasses, though dressed in a suit, appeared somewhat disheveled, like he’d rushed to the store.

"Hello, sir. How can I assist you today?" the salesperson asked.

"I want to see the new smart robots," he replied, his voice urgent.

Without waiting for a response, the man beelined toward the freshly stocked robots, his eyes widening as they landed on the merchandise. "It’s really here!"

At that very moment, Erin walked in from outside, catching the man’s eye. He composed himself immediately, exiting the store and pulling out his phone.

"Boss, I found it!" he whispered excitedly.

...

Later that same afternoon, agents from the military tribunal showed up at the store. They approached Erin directly, their expressions cold.

"Miss Shedd, we’ve received reports linking you to multiple cases of fencing stolen goods. You’ll need to come with us for questioning."

Erin’s face paled as she stood abruptly. "What?! What’s this about?"

Without hesitation, the agents behind them raised their weapons in her direction. "Do not resist, Miss Shedd. We are authorized to use force if necessary."

Erin’s heart raced, but she kept her composure, knowing how serious this was.

As a member of the military herself, she knew the consequences could be dire. Slowly, she raised her hands in compliance.

Before being escorted out, she turned to her panicked secretary and ordered, "Contact my family. Now!"

As she was led away, a cold dread crept over her, echoing Lyra’s words from the day before. Her mind raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. ’I’m the daughter of the Shedd family. They can’t touch me,’ she told herself, clinging to the thought like a lifeline.

But before her secretary could reach anyone, Greg, the family butler, had already seen the news.

The story of Erin’s arrest was spreading like wildfire across the network. His eyes widened as he quickly pieced it together: Erin had been set up.

...

Inside the tribunal, the interrogation began swiftly. Greg, using his influence, managed to observe through special channels.

"Miss Shedd, our investigation has uncovered that the smart robots you’ve been selling are stolen property, originally taken by space pirates. The serial numbers on the products match the stolen inventory, and the contracts show your signature. Additionally, surveillance footage confirms you were seen dealing directly with the pirates’ leader."

Erin, now handcuffed and visibly shaking, picked up the documents placed in front of her. "I... I didn’t know! I had no idea who he really was!" she stammered, her voice trembling.

The evidence was damning. Photos showed the supplier she had worked with, a man who appeared to be a respectable professional in his silver-framed glasses and crisp suit. He had even shown her legitimate engineering certifications, all traceable online.

"How could this man be a space pirate?" Erin muttered frantically, staring at the images in disbelief.

"If that’s the case, why isn’t there a warrant for his arrest?" she asked, desperation creeping into her voice.

The prosecutor leaned forward. "His superpower allows him to alter his appearance. What you saw was just a facade. This," he said, sliding over a new photo, "is his true face."

Erin recoiled at the sight. The image depicted a bald man with a sharp, beardless face and soulless, malicious eyes—a face that screamed danger.

The prosecutor continued, "We have solid evidence linking you to fencing goods for space pirates. Your involvement is clear."

The room fell silent as the prosecutors began packing up their files, satisfied with the mountain of evidence they had gathered. The case had come together unusually smoothly for something of this magnitude.

Erin was frozen in her seat, her mind racing. Then, as if a switch flipped, she exploded into a fit of panic, yanking at her handcuffs and screaming, "I didn’t know! I’m innocent! This is a setup!"

The prosecutor’s gaze hardened, though his lips curled into a mocking smile. "Miss Shedd, our investigation shows that each shipment of smart robots you sold came with completely different model numbers. Didn’t that raise any red flags for you?"

He leaned in slightly, his tone dripping with condescension. "You should start preparing yourself, because the full weight of the law is coming for you."

Erin collapsed back into her chair, her face pale as the gravity of the situation finally crashed down on her.

In a nearby room, Greg had been silently listening to the entire interrogation through his special channels.

As the prosecutor’s words echoed in his ears, his heart sank. He had always believed in protecting Erin, always cleaning up her messes. But this time... this time it was different.

She was finished. There was no way to save her from this.