Chapter 137 Facing the Truth
Olivia：POV
The restaurant staff had moved quickly after the commotion. Charlotte's stepmother was now seated in a corner, an ice pack pressed against a bandage on her cheek, where Charlotte had cut her. She glared venomously at Charlotte from across the room, whispering furiously to one of the waiters who looked uncomfortable with the whole situation.
The female officer looked skeptical. "Three men having 'intimate time' with one woman who was screaming for help?"
"She likes to roleplay," Sean said with a smirk. "It gets a little wild sometimes."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "That's complete bullshit," I interjected. "I witnessed three men physically restraining her while she screamed for help. That's not roleplay."
Sean's eyes flashed with hatred. "No one asked you, Mrs. Parker."
The male officer stepped forward. "Ma'am," he said to me, "you called this in?"
I nodded. "I was having dinner with colleagues when I heard screaming. I found these three men pinning Charlotte down. She was clearly terrified and trying to fight them off."
"She was drunk and making a scene," Charlotte's father cut in. "Sean was trying to calm her down."
"By pinning her to a table and undoing his pants?" I asked incredulously. "Is that standard procedure for calming someone down in your family?"
Charlotte's father glared at me. "I don't know who you think you are—"
"I'm someone who knows the difference between consensual activity and assault," I interrupted. "And I know what I saw."
The female officer nodded. "We'll need statements from everyone separately. Sir," she addressed Sean, "you said this woman is your fiancée?"
"Yes," Sean replied confidently. "Ask her parents."
"She seduced us," one of the other men suddenly blurted out. "She invited us here and then started acting crazy when we—"
"Shut up, Mark," Sean hissed.
I couldn't help but laugh. "So which is it? Is she your fiancée having 'intimate time' with you, or did she 'seduce' all three of you? Your stories aren't matching up."
Sean's face darkened. "You think you're so clever, don't you? You have no idea who you're messing with."
"Actually, I do," I replied calmly. "You're Sean Thompson of Thompson Investments. Your father is on the board of First National Bank, and your family has connections throughout the financial district. But guess what? I don't care."
Sean reached for his phone. "This isn't over," he muttered, typing rapidly. "There's no evidence of anything inappropriate. It'll be her word against ours."
I noticed his eyes flick toward the ceiling corner, where a small security camera was mounted. He was trying to get the footage erased.
Without hesitating, I pulled out my own phone and called Daniel, the owner of Lorenzo's. We'd met at several charity functions, and I knew he wouldn't stand for this kind of behavior in his restaurant.
"Daniel? It's Olivia Parker. I'm at your restaurant and there's an emergency in the east private dining room. I need a favor."
"Olivia!" His voice sounded surprised but pleased. "What can I do for you?"
"There's a security camera in this room, and I need you to secure the footage immediately. It's evidence in an assault case."
Sean's eyes widened as he realized what I was doing.
"Of course," Daniel replied without hesitation. "I'll have my security team lock it down right away. Is everything okay? Do you need help?"
"The police are already here, but thank you. And just so you know, Sean Thompson might try to pressure you to delete the footage."
Daniel's laugh was cold. "Let him try. My family's been in San Francisco longer than his. I've been wanting to ban that entitled prick from my restaurant for years."
I hung up and smiled sweetly at Sean, whose face had gone pale. "Looks like it won't be just her word against yours after all."
The officers began separating everyone for statements. I stayed close to Charlotte, who was trembling but no longer crying. The female officer gently guided her to a corner of the room while her male partner took Sean and his friends to separate areas.
"I'll call our lawyer," Charlotte's father announced, pulling out his phone.
"Good idea," I said. "Charlotte's going to need one after what your business partner tried to do to her."
He shot me a venomous look. Before leaving the room to follow the officers, I quickly called Mike to explain the situation and ask him to take care of our colleagues. I wasn't going to leave Charlotte alone with these people.
At the police station, the atmosphere was tense. Sean was placed in a separate area, but I could hear his voice rising periodically as he demanded to speak with his lawyer. His face had turned an alarming shade of red, and the veins in his neck bulged as he shouted at anyone who came near him.
"Do you know who my father is?" he bellowed at a young officer. "I'll have your badge for this! This is harassment!"
The officer remained impressively composed. "Sir, please lower your voice or we'll have to place you in a holding cell."
This only enraged Sean further. "You can't do that! I haven't been charged with anything!"
Charlotte's parents arrived shortly after, her father still trying to convince her to drop the charges.
"It's not worth the scandal, Charlotte," he insisted. "Think about the company. Think about our reputation."
"All you ever think about is the company," Charlotte shot back, her voice raw from crying. "You never once thought about me."
"That's not true," her father said, but his eyes shifted away guiltily.
"You changed after that business trip when I was six," Charlotte continued, her voice rising. "You came back different. You stopped loving me. Then you brought that homewrecker into our home and drove Mom to her grave!"
Her father's face paled. "What are you talking about? Changed how?"
"Like you were a different person," Charlotte spat. "Like someone else took over your body. You don't deserve to call yourself my father. You don't deserve to make decisions for me."
Her father's expression flickered with something I couldn't read—shock, perhaps, or fear. "You stupid girl," he recovered quickly. "What nonsense are you saying? I didn't change my soul. Do you have any idea how much business we'll lose if you alienate Sean?"
Charlotte laughed bitterly. "The business? You mean my mother's family assets? Mom transferred ownership of Caldwell Industries to me before she died. Did you really think I'd stand by and watch the company decline under your control?"
Her father's face turned crimson with rage. "You—you'll be the death of me. We're leaving." He grabbed his wife's arm and stormed out, leaving Charlotte alone with the officers and me.
On the other side of the room, Sean had finally been told he was being detained for the night. The security footage from the restaurant had arrived, and it clearly showed what had happened. His response was explosive.
"This is bullshit!" he screamed, knocking over a chair. "I'll sue this entire department! I'll ruin all of you!"
Two officers moved to restrain him as he continued his tirade, spewing obscenities and threats. As they led him toward the holding cells, he caught sight of me standing with Charlotte.
"You," he snarled, his face contorted with hatred. "Just wait. I'll make sure you regret this."
I met his gaze steadily, refusing to show fear. The door closed behind him, his threats still echoing in the hallway.
After finishing her statement, Charlotte stared blankly at the wall. "Officer, that's everything. Can I go now?" she asked, her voice hollow.
The female officer nodded sympathetically. "We'll be in touch. Do you have somewhere safe to stay tonight?"
Charlotte nodded vaguely, and I silently accompanied her out of the interview room. We walked together through the station in silence until we reached the lobby. Suddenly, she turned to me.
"I can't keep living like this," she said, her voice finding new strength. "It's time I fought back. I can't just watch that old man keep control of what's rightfully mine."