Upon noticing the desperate expression on ine’s face, the police officers exchanged concerned nces. The officer, who assumed the role of the hero, addressed her, saying, “ine, we might consider letting you go, but first, we need to discuss a few things. If we decide to release you today, what will you tell your family about where you’ve been for thest two days?”


    ine stammered, “I… I’ll tell them… for the past two days… during this time…”


    She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. The truth was, she had no idea how to exin her sudden disappearance to her husband and daughter. After all, she had been missing for two full days and nights without any exnation. On top of that, she bore visible signs of abuse, with bruises all over her body, and she had lost her two front teeth, leaving her looking quite miserable.


    The officer, maintaining a detached demeanor, suggested, “How about this? I can help youe up with a story for your family. Once we finalize our discussion, you can tell your husband, daughter, and son-inw that you got involved with an MLM organization, which brainwashed you intomitting fraud at the bank. Then, you were caught and arrested by the police.”


    ine nodded vigorously, eximing, “Officer, I promise! As long as you let me go, I’ll tell my family exactly that. I won’t mention anything else about this situation! I won’t cause any trouble or dys!”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    The officer gave a slight nod before saying, “Alright, we’ll discuss this among ourselves and then make a decision. For now, you’ll be taken back to the detention center. If we choose to release you, the detention center will handle all the necessary paperwork.”


    ine anxiously asked, “Officer, what if you decide not to let me go?”


    The officer, taking on a more intimidating tone, mmed his hands on the table and barked, “I already told you that we need to discuss this first! Just return to the detention center and wait patiently for our decision! There’s no room for negotiation!”<fne9d6> Readplete version only at find~novel</fne9d6>


    Fearing further confrontation, ine nodded and replied in a shaky voice, “So, I should go back and wait for your news, officer?”


    “Yes!” the officer replied coldly. “One of our colleagues will take you back to the detention center now. Remember, do not speak about this matter as soon as you leave this room!”


    ine nodded firmly and promised, “Don’t worry! I won’t say a word about this, even if it costs me my life!”


    Two police officers then escorted ine back to the detention center, where she felt increasingly despondent. She hadn’t anticipated the extent of the situation or theplex scheme behind it all.


    This was a grave matter, and confronting Charlie to settle the score seemed impossible. She knew that if she identally revealed anything, the police would surely arrest her again, and she didn’t know how long she would remain locked up.


    ***


    Meanwhile, as ine was being transported back, Jacob was seeking a chance to reconnect with Matilda. He had enjoyed a delightful homemade dinner with her the previous night, and Matilda had been the one to cook it, which left him in high spirits.


    Early that morning, Jacob decided to text Matilda, inviting her to revisit their old university—the ce where they both had studied—to reminisce about their shared past.


    Upon receiving Jacob’s invitation, Matilda quickly agreed without a moment’s hesitation.