I was rooted to the spot, my heart pounding in my chest. Was he seriously offering me a bribe to keep quiet, or was this just another one of his twisted games? He nonchalantly ripped a cheque from his book and began to write.I stood there, my mind a whirlwind of disbelief and confusion. Did he feel no guilt, no shame after everything I had laid bare to him, or was he so lost in his own world that he couldn’t see the truth?“Here’s a cheque for 100k dollars,” he declared with an unsettling calmness.“100k dollars?” I repeated, the words barely a whisper. The sight of the cheque sent shockwaves through me. This was a life-changing amount of money that could solve so many of my problems.“If you’re willing to tell me who you’re working for, there’s more where that came from,” he added, dangling the cheque in front of me like bait. A voice inside me screamed at me to take it. Just think about what I could do with that money. I could not only pay my rent but buy my own place and finally e

The deputy, a stern figure of authority, gestured for the officer who had escorted me to his office to wait outside. The heavy oak door closed with a resounding thud, leaving me alone in the room, my heart pounding with anticipation and a sense of foreboding.As the echo of the closing door faded, I turned my attention back to the deputy. His stern gaze met mine as I began to plead my case. “Sir,” I implored, my voice echoing in the silence of the room, “I assure you, I am innocent. This is a setup. My actions were purely in self-defense against that monster. He’s the real criminal here. He’s the one who should be locked up, not me.”Before the deputy could respond, a sudden movement caught my eye. A man in the room abruptly stood up and turned towards me. His sudden presence was like a punch to the gut, leaving me speechless. Why was he here? What more did he want from me? Hadn’t he already succeeded in turning my life upside down?“You’re nothing but a liar; you wanted to kill me, t

Are you suggesting that Biddy has secured a lawyer?” I blurted out, my eyes widening in surprise. I glanced around the room, my gaze landing on Heather who was seated directly across from me. I had just referred to her mother as ‘Biddy’, a nickname not particularly endearing.Heather’s eyebrows furrowed, her lips forming a tight line. “Watch your words! That’s my mother you’re talking about,” she retorted, her voice laced with a hint of indignation.Robin, who had been quietly observing our exchange, decided to chime in. “Technically speaking, she’s your stepmother,” he corrected me, his tone matter-of-fact. I felt a pang of guilt and quickly apologized to Heather.I cleared my throat, trying to steer the conversation back on track. “Do you think your mother’s lawyer could assist me?” I asked Heather, my voice hopeful. But before she could respond, the stern-faced policewoman returned to our room.“Visiting hours are over,” she announced curtly. I pleaded with her for a few more minut

After what felt like an eternity of deafening silence, the echo of footsteps gradually grew louder, signaling the approach towards my cell. My heart pounded in my chest as I sprang to my feet, anticipation coursing through my veins. The door creaked open to reveal a stern-faced female officer. Her words, “You have a visitor,” sent a jolt of hope through me. A smile slowly spread across my face, brightening the gloom of my cell. I knew it had to be Robin and Heather. Their presence always brought a ray of sunshine into my life, and I found myself silently praying that they were the bearers of good news this time.The harsh reality of my surroundings was becoming unbearable. The constant threat from volatile inmates, their minds clouded by substances, was a nightmare that haunted me day and night. They targeted me for reasons unknown, their hostility unprovoked and relentless.Before I knew it, I found myself walking down the cold, dimly lit corridor of the police station. Each step ech

With a sense of urgency in his voice, Declan cleared his throat and asked, “Is anyone willing to shed light on the current situation?”I whirled around, my eyes flashing with disbelief, “Declan, are you truly unaware of their clandestine actions? They make decisions without my knowledge, as if I’m a stranger.”“Mr. Eden, we assure you that no decisions were made behind your back. We are your faithful employees,” Mr. Kennedy defended, his voice trembling slightly.“And why was the scholarship program, a beacon of hope for many, terminated without my consent?”“You instructed us to cut down on company expenses. We thought this was a viable solution,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.“I advised you all to reduce company expenses by refraining from company-funded trips, not by compromising our values,” I retorted, my voice echoing in the silent room.Mr. Kennedy hung his head low, guilt etched on his face. He was unable to meet my gaze. Declan intervened, trying to defuse the