âIâm sorry, but we couldnât reach the contact number listed in the passport.â
âHow is that possible?â Joelle asked, catching the self-satisfied look on Milaâs face.
She immediately realized something.
The entire sequence of events, from their stolen belongings to Adrianâs baseless arrest, had been orchestrated by Mila. Given her familiarity with the area and her connections here, Mila had the means to manipulate the situation.
Holding the sleeping Aurora, who was exhausted from the ordeal, Joelle could only accept this silent defeat.
The officer conveyed a message from Adrian.
âMrs. Watson, itâs best you and your child return to the hotel for some rest. I will update you tomorrow if there are any developments.â
Aurora, still so young, needed her rest. Left with no other option, Joelle decided to return to the hotel with her.
Meanwhile, the police called Adrian and Mila to a separate room for questioning.
Mila played the victim perfectly, sobbing and trembling.
Niko, visibly upset and seeking justice, shouted, âThis is completely unacceptable! Officer, you must ensure justice is served!â
Adrian remained calm. When asked if he had anything to say in his defense, he retorted sarcastically, âLook at my wife. How could she possibly be less desirable than Mila? Why would I foolishly jeopardize our relationship for Mila?â
Milaâs attorney then pointed to her injuries. âAre you saying these injuries werenât caused by your violent actions?â
Adrian eyed the handprint on Milaâs face. His looks were undeniable. Mila might not consider herself a beauty among women, but she couldnât deny Adrianâs striking appearance. His indifferent stare was both arrogant and defiant.
Despite her resentment, Mila felt shy under Adrianâs intense gaze.
With a touch of regret, Adrian said, âI should have hit harder. Clearly, she can take it.â
Niko stood up furiously. âThatâs crossing the line!â
Adrian ignored them. âPlease present any solid proofâbe it video, recordings, or eyewitnessesâthat suggests any misconduct on my part. If you do, Iâll face whatever comes. Otherwise, Iâll consider filing a defamation lawsuit.â
He stood up, carrying himself with calm confidence, despite being brought in as a suspect. Mila was momentarily speechless.
Adrian wasnât overly concerned, as he had been updating Callan on his safety every twenty-four hours back home. Since more than twenty-four hours had passed since Adrian lost his phone, Callan was probably already on his way to find him.
Yet, Adrian kept this thought to himself, worried that Mila might take extreme actions against Joelle during his detention. For the moment, he needed to maintain the illusion that Mila was in control, to prevent her from further targeting Joelle.
At the crack of dawn, Joelle rose, her mind weighed down with worry for Adrian. Sleep had eluded her almost entirely through the long, restless night.
The crux of the issue was that Adrian had struck Mila, and with no surveillance in the hotel room, her accusations placed him at a clear disadvantage.
Joelle couldnât simply sit and wait. After quickly preparing herself, she hurried to the police station, eager to understand the situation.
As the elevator doors slid open, she took hold of Auroraâs hand and stepped inside together. The elevator halted after descending only a single floor.
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