The other officer cuffed Chole and rolled her over to search for


    weapons. Ava rushed to Alexander, kneeling beside him. “Alpha


    Alexander, are you alright?”


    He blinked, nced sideways at me, then back at the cop. “I’m


    fine. Just a scratch.”


    A third officer entered, inspecting the scene. “We’ll need


    statements from both of you.” He nodded at me first. Then at


    Alexander. “And sir, did you recover any weapon–the lighter,


    or the knife?”


    Alexander produced the lighter and offered it. “She tried to set


    her on fire.” He touched the me–singe marks on the tip, then


    set it aside. “I caught it in my hand to stop it.”


    The officer frowned. “Your fingerprints will be on it–you aren’t


    likely to be charged for that, but it mayplicate the chain of


    evidence. The knife is likely more admissible.””


    Another matched officer tiptoed around the charred couch and


    noted the gasoline trails. “Gasoline was poured across the room


    -intent to destroy evidence or kill.”


    Ava held the damp cloth pressed against Alexander’s shoulder.


    “I screamed. I don’t know how long it took me to pull Ethan in


    here. He radioed the police.


    The first officer nodded. He strode over to the bound Chole,


    staring at her ck, defeated posture. “Miss Windsor, you’re under arrest for attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, and


    arson. Any aplices?”


    Chole sneered, but her gaze flicked toward the door. “No… no


    aplices.”


    A pause. Both officers exchanged nces. Then one spoke with


    t authority: “If you had help–someone in ck clothes


    helping you then that person is also guilty and can’t im


    ignorance. They were aiding and abetting.”


    Chole hesitated, ncing at Alexander and me. Her eyes flicked


    back to a corner of the room.


    The officer added: “If your aplice is found, they won’t be


    able to get off the hook. You understood the n—this was


    premeditated.” He clicked his cuffs.


    Chole gulped.


    I let out a shaky breath and kept my gaze on Alexander. He


    nodded <i>at </i>me–steady, protective. My heart pounded in a mix of


    fear, gratitude, and a surge of something I couldn’t name.


    The police asked Ethan to step aside for a moment, offering him


    a bottle of water. He stared at Alexander’s bound figure, jaw


    clenched.


    Ava stood protectively near me. “Are you okay?”


    Through the haze of pain, I managed a nod. “I think so.”


    The officer guided Chole out. As the door closed behind the police, Alexander sat, leaning slightly on Ava’s shoulder. Ethan, pale and silent, brushed past and knelt beside me instead. He


    reached for my hand, but I withdrew.


    I winced again, pain ring from my ribs.


    Alexander spoke softly, pulling the lighter into hisp. “We’re


    safe now. The police are handling it.”


    He caught my eyes and offered a slim, reassuring smile.


    I nodded.


    Ethan looked anguished, trying to rise to his feet and speak, but


    I shook my head and closed my eyes.


    Ava squeezed my shoulder. “Let them deal with Chole.”


    The cop approached again. “We’ll need a full statementter,


    once you’re medically cleared. And one more thing–when we


    locate this ck–d aplice, they’ll face charges alongside


    Chole. No plea bargains.”


    Ava was pacing back and forth at the far end of the room, arms


    crossed tightly across her chest like she was holding herself


    together. Her voice trembled with fury. “She’s sick. Absolutely


    sick. That woman needs to be locked away for good. Do you


    even realize what she almost did to you?” Her eyes met mine,


    zing. “That was attempted murder, Olivia. No poetic tragedy,


    no broken heart–she wanted toendyou.”


    On the other side of the room, restrained by some ghost of guilt,


    Chole sat on a stretcher in handcuffs, nked by two officers.


    Even now, evenafter everything, she was arguing–loud,


    frantic, gasping for anyone to believe her.


    “She tried to destroy my life! Olivia lied to everyone. She made


    Ethan hate me! I’m the real victim! I was trying to stop her from


    ruining what’s mine!”


    Ava snapped, “You doused her in gasoline, you lunatic! She’s


    lucky to be breathing!”


    But I didn’t answer either of them. My throat was too dry, and


    my energy too thin. I simply looked away, eyes burning, limbs


    heavy. All I could hear was the subtle, awful scratch of the.


    monitors, and my own heartbeat echoing in my ears.


    Ethan stood frozen a few feet from the chaos, his expression


    pale and drawn. He hadn’t said <i>a </i>word since he got here. Not


    one. Just watched the scene unravel like it was some slow-


    motion punishment. Maybe it was.


    Our eyes met, and for a flicker of a second, I saw <b>something </b>


    crack in him. The horror. The grief. The shame. But it was too <pte now. Even if he broke apart, I had no urge to put the pieces back together.