Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 39: Station

Chapter 39: Station

To be fair, I forgot.

Between wanting to hurl my breakfast and wanting to punch Jasper, I forgot about the emergency button.

"I forgot," I tell him honestly.

Jasper was waiting to ambush us, and we’d be stupid enough to miss the opportunity. I just didn’t count on feeling like a sick puppy.

Lucian called over the family doctor. Informing him to go to the station.

"I’m fine."

"That’s not for you to decide. Say that when you stop looking like a ghost." He bulldozed my claim, and I could only snort at him.

"Could you really spot the difference in the photos?"

There were so many things I wanted clarification on, but this was what I could come up with.

"Couldn’t you?"

I could because I know about my moles, but not at the speed it took for him to do so. The guy just glanced.

"Save for the hair on your head, everything else was different. Even the expressions were wrong. That’s not how you react whenever I take you—"

I had to block his offending mouth. Where does he think he is to be talking about taking anyone?!

"And you expect me to be able to tell?!" How should I know what I look like when doing THAT?!

"Then remind me to show you."

My lungs seized, and I had to cough out of awkwardness.

Brazen, utterly brazen!

I punched at his chest, but my current weak ass wouldn’t amount to much.

"You better not whine about body aches after being this reckless."

I make a face at him. How aggravating.

"This is what I get from spoiling you too much."

This blasted guy! I did want to say something but had to dial back. It’s not exactly a good time to retort when I’ve barely touched the ground with my own feet these past few days.

Tsk.

Though right now, as much as I’d like to walk by myself, I’m really sore and mushy. Plus, this would help me make a case against Jasper. I’d say I’ve learned a few tricks from Alexa.

Speaking of Jasper, I suddenly remember something he mentioned earlier.

"His blackmail condition was to return and marry that Nicholas Bernard guy. Of all possible things to ask for, he insisted on that."

Jasper probably didn’t think twice about how he laid out his condition and threat. And he seemed insistent.

"He’s just a pawn. A desperate one." Lucian said as we got into the car.

"Where the hell did he even come from?" asked Rina, who had been dazed until we got inside.

"I found his sudden appearance odd. My memory’s not bad. But not a shadow of him exists in my brain." I added.

"What’s weird is that he’s still after you now. I get it if you were single, but you’re married. Like, actually

"Actually married?" Lucian asked, his head turning away from the retreating officers.

This shut Rina up. There’s an image to uphold, after all, and she knows that, too. But Idris and Mr. Jim didn’t and couldn’t know.

But I know what she meant: we looked married-married. The kind singles wouldn’t dream of being next to.

The kind I used to hate. What can I say? I was a bitter bitch.

__

"Mrs. Sinclair," greeted the officer who introduced herself as Officer Jones earlier. "Thank you for coming in. How are you?"

"As fine as could be expected." I smiled weakly. Something my cousin has long perfected.

Lucian demanded a check-up before the officers could talk to me. And since he wouldn’t budge, I asked for an additional medicolegal.

If I had to subject myself to this, I better get something useful. I had my bruises documented, as well as that panic attack observed in our footage.

I had to point out the actual problems because Lucian left marks like it was no one’s business, and now I have the privilege of explaining our earlier debauchery.

"If you’re ready, I’d like to ask you a few questions about earlier."

I nodded for her to continue.

"We managed to obtain footage from the cafe’s surveillance and the footage from your mini cam. May we know why you had on such a thing?"

I expected them to ask, so I explained the purpose of today’s meeting and how we asked Idris for his consent.

"I hadn’t taken it out because we booked the entire floor. I didn’t expect to encounter anyone else."

Save for Jasper, who thought he outsmarted our booking by sneaking in a slot.

"I see. Fortunately, you captured the encounter. The footage would be helpful to your case. I’d like to inform you that Mr. Orwell has asked for his legal team. Should you need one, the bureau could provide one for you."

"Thank you for the offer, but we do have a legal team behind us." I smiled politely.

Knowing Lucian, he probably took care of this already.

Officer Jones adjusted her posture and is probably about to ask more sensitive questions now. With this interview room being so small and minimalistic—a table and four chairs —I’ve got nothing to look at or focus on, though I’m sure we’ve got people listening to this.

I don’t know how Alexa does it, but acting pitiful isn’t my cup of tea.

Oh well.

"We have started investigating the evidence collected from the crime scene. We’ll notify you as soon as we’ve gathered evidence of digital manipulation and forgery."

"I had the medicolegal examine me earlier. That alone should be enough to prove the digital manipulation."

That examination had me looking at myself longer than necessary. Lucian was right. The difference was easy to spot. But who would want to strip for the world just to prove a point?

"Though even without that, blackmail and revenge porn are crimes by themselves. We’d like to know if there had been other similar instances?"

"His Summit University records would recently show attempted assault at the campus grounds. So this wasn’t the first time."

"May we know why you didn’t report that to the station?"

"If I had, would the verdict stick?" I smiled at her, and Officer Jones looked a bit embarrassed. We all know it won’t. He’s an Orwell being charged with attempted assault.

What’s funny is that it won’t be the Orwells getting him out. It’d be the Thornhills instead.

"I see." She paused before adding, "Ma’am, I recommend you file a restraining order for Mr. Orwell."

"I’ll do that, thank you." I appreciate the gesture, but I know there’s nothing much that she could do.

"Is there anything you’d like to ask? If there’s nothing, I was hoping to rest." I proactively asked, wanting to leave because someone would barge in at the station if my parents didn’t receive an explanation soon.

"We’re good for now. We’ll inform you about any updates. Thank you, Mrs. Sinclair."

I saw Lucian and his team of lawyers waiting by the room.

"I’m done. I just have to inform my parents so they don’t rush over here."

"It’s been done. I called them earlier. But call them once we get home."

Haaaa.

I’m going to get an earful. I blanched at the thought.