Chapter 150 150

Chapter 150 150

RYAN

"Hey... what's going on here?"

The officer turned toward me with the calm professionalism that hadn't left his face since arriving at the house.

"Mr. Carter, your mother is wanted in connection with an ongoing police investigation. We'd prefer for her to come with us voluntarily so we can ask her some questions. It will make this process much smoother for everyone involved."

I frowned.

"What investigation?"

"I'm afraid I can't discuss the details here."

My eyes shifted back to my mother.

"Mom?"

She looked at me, and for the first time since I'd known her, there was something I had never seen in her expression before.

Uncertainty.

"I don't know what this is about," she said, shaking her head. "Ryan, I swear I have no idea what's going on."

The officer beside her remained courteous.

"Ma'am, if you'll come with us, you'll have every opportunity to respond to the allegations during questioning."

"I told you I don't know anything!"

Before the conversation could go any further, the second officer, who had been speaking quietly into his radio a few yards away, walked briskly toward us with a folder in his hand.

"Sir."

The first officer turned.

"The warrant has been confirmed."

A heavy silence settled over the driveway.

"Mrs. Cecelia Thompson?"

She swallowed but didn't answer.

"I'm informing you that a warrant has been issued authorizing your arrest in connection with an ongoing investigation involving allegations that include child abduction, identity fraud, conspiracy, and financial offenses. These allegations remain under investigation, and you are entitled to respond to them through the legal process."

My mother's face drained of color.

"This is ridiculous."

The officer continued in the same steady tone.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be recorded and used as evidence in accordance with the law. You have the right to consult with legal counsel before answering questions, and if you do not have one present, you may request one."

"No..." my mother whispered. "There has to be some mistake."

The officer reached toward the pouch on his belt.

"Mrs. Thompson, for everyone's safety, I'm going to ask you to place your hands behind your back."

My father finally found his voice.

"Officer... surely this isn't necessary."

"I understand this is difficult, sir, but we're acting under a valid court-issued warrant."

Miranda looked from the officers to my mother in complete disbelief.

"Cecelia..."

My mother ignored her.

She looked only at me.

"Ryan."

Her voice cracked.

"You know me."

I stood frozen.

Every instinct told me this couldn't possibly be real.

This was my mother.

The woman who had raised me.

The woman who had always seemed to have an explanation for everything.

I wanted to believe there had been some terrible misunderstanding. I wanted to ask someone to explain how any of this was happening.

Instead, I watched in stunned silence as the officer carefully secured the handcuffs around her wrists.

The metallic click echoed far louder than it should have.

My father lowered his head, his shoulders sagging beneath a weight that seemed to arrive all at once.

Miranda took a slow step backward, as though distancing herself from the situation might somehow make it disappear.

The officer gently guided my mother toward the waiting police vehicle while another opened the rear door.

She glanced back once.

Her eyes found mine.

"Ryan..."

I couldn't answer.

I wasn't even sure what I was supposed to say.

The woman I'd spent my entire life trusting was now being driven away by the police, and I couldn't tell whether I was witnessing the collapse of a lie... or the beginning of one.

EMILY

Landing in the United States was supposed to be the easiest part of my day.

Instead, the moment the plane touched down, I found myself thinking less about the evidence sitting safely in my bag and more about the conversation I was about to have.

After everything that had happened over the past few weeks, the police station had never been part of my itinerary, yet it had somehow become the first place I needed to visit.

There were some things that simply couldn't wait any longer.

Mateo had kept his word and was super fast with it.

The files he'd handed over before I left Hong Kong had been enough to convince me that this wasn't something I could afford to postpone. Whatever happened after today would happen, but at least I'd know I had done my part.

By the time I stepped off the private jet, a black SUV was already waiting for me on the tarmac.

The driver hurried around to open the rear door before offering me a polite nod.

"Miss Cavendish."

"Thank you."

The drive into the city passed quietly. Neither of us spoke much, and I was grateful for it because my thoughts were already loud enough. Every few minutes, I found myself reaching into my handbag just to reassure myself that the folder was still there.

It carried years of unanswered questions, missing pieces, and secrets that had destroyed far too many lives. Whether it would be enough to help the investigation wasn't for me to decide anymore.

That responsibility belonged to the authorities now.

Almost an hour later, the SUV slowed to a stop outside the police station.

I looked up at the large brick building through the windshield before letting out a quiet breath.

"So this is it," I murmured to myself.

The driver climbed out first and opened my door.

"We're here, Miss Cavendish."

"Thank you."

I stepped onto the pavement and adjusted the strap of my handbag over my shoulder before turning back toward him.

"That's all from here. You can head back."

To my surprise, he didn't move.

Instead, he offered me another respectful smile.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Montego instructed me to remain with you for as long as you need transportation."

I couldn't help smiling.

"Really?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"He actually said that?"

The driver nodded.

"His exact words were, 'Don't leave until Miss Cavendish tells you she's completely finished.'"

A soft laugh escaped me.

I guess he was stills cared of what I can and cannot do.

"Well..." I said, glancing toward the station entrance, "tell him I appreciate it."

"I will."

I thanked him one last time before turning toward the building.

I had barely taken two steps when the sound of approaching sirens made me pause.

Another police vehicle pulled into the station's driveway with its lights flashing, followed closely by a familiar black luxury sedan.

Curiosity made me stop walking.

An officer climbed out of the police vehicle before opening the rear passenger door.

At first, I couldn't make out who was inside.

Then a woman stepped out.

My breath caught.

Cecelia.

For a second, I genuinely wondered whether I was imagining things.

She looked nothing like the composed, untouchable woman who had always controlled every room she entered. Her posture was rigid, and her expression unreadable.

Behind her, another car door opened.

A man stepped out.

Even from where I stood, I recognized him immediately.

Ryan.

He looked as stunned as I felt, his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding in front of him as though he still hadn't fully processed what was happening.

The world around me suddenly seemed to fade into the background, and everything blurred into meaningless noise.

Ryan slowly lifted his head after they’ve dragged his mother in.

Our eyes met across the entrance to the station, and his entire body went still.

Disbelief spread across his face as though seeing me there made even less sense than everything that had happened moments earlier.

His lips parted slowly.

"Emily?"