CHAPTER FORTY SIX

CHAPTER FORTY SIX
Aria's POV

My heart skipped after I heard that the police were coming to get me, like I was some criminal. 

“I don't want to accompany them like I did something wrong. I haven't done anything wrong. Why are they doing this to me?” I said. Tears followed after my speech, and I felt vulnerable at that moment. 

Miranda and Rose sat side by side with me, rubbing and hugging me. 

“We know this is scary, but you have nothing to be scared of. We will be with you every step of the way. You don't have to bother about anything,” Rose said, pressing my head into hers.

I couldn't be more grateful for the support I was getting from Rose and Miranda. However, it couldn't be compared to how scared I felt because I knew how much that could affect the company and how I might not be able to recover from such a scandal.

Rose's security guard walked into the living room while we were in our moment. “Policemen are outside by the gate.”

“Why the fuck can't they wait?” Miranda yelled. “This one time that my friend is being accused of a crime she didn't commit. They decide to come so fast to take her like she's some criminal.” She nagged.

Rose took a deep breath and said, “Look at me. You will be fine. I assure you.” 

They held me by the hand and walked with me to the front of the gate. 

I felt so embarrassed as photos of Rose, I, and Miranda were taken. I did not appreciate the fact that I had to drag Rose and Miranda into the public scandal because I knew so well that those pictures that were taken of us would make the headlines. 

They accompanied me to the police cars and watched me being handcuffed by a police woman.

“Careful, please,” Miranda said with a harsh tone if I complained that the cuffs were hurting me.

My head was pushed down as I entered the back seat of the car, alone.

“Miss Vale, did you really have a hand in the trafficking of those girls? Was that what led to the crash of your company before Kael bought it?” a journalist asked me, using the microphone in her hand to hit the glass of the door.

“How many years in prison do you think you deserve?” another said.

“Was it just your brother who was behind all this, or are you hiding because you know he's dead and can't say anything for himself?” Another asked. 

I couldn't believe someone would dare to ask me the last question. Speaking like I was making blame that I hadn't even declared anything on, on my dead brother. 

Someone finally got into the front seat and drove me off. The newscasters ran after the car I was in and kept banging on the door.

I felt so terrible and I couldn't help but put down my face as the vehicle drove me off.

We got to the station, and I was taken into a private section for questioning. 

It was as though many investigators were waiting for my arrival because things began to happen faster from then on than I expected. 

I was kept in a room with just a table, two chairs on one side and one on the other side.

I was placed to sit on the chair with his one seat.

A man and a woman in black suits walked in some minutes later. They both had a stern smile on their face. It wasn't something I could easily explain. 

“Miss Vale. How are you doing?” The man said. He was quite wide, and his voice showed how much he wasn't in for a joke.

They both had their seats while waiting for me to respond to them.

“I'm okay.”

“Alright! That's good.” He said, smiling and adjusting his suit. “I'm Inspector Lawrence, and with me is Valerie. We will be going through your case, which is now tagged as one with extreme concern for the safety of society.”

I wondered how much trouble I was going to get myself into if I said anything without the help of a lawyer. 

They looked like they were ready to turn my words against me, and they came prepped for it.

They opened a file and brought out pictures and then documents of recent transactions made from the company's account, and moved it to the table in front so I could have a closer view of it. 

“What's all this?” I asked.

They looked at each other and smiled.

Valerie cleared her throat before she said, “It's right if you don't understand what all this is about yet.” She moved the papers over to herself, selecting them one after the other. “Do you recognise who this is?” 

She pointed at my brother, Allen, who was in a room that was enclosed with some gang. They didn't have anything on them but a gun that lay on a small tank in front of them.

It wasn't even Allen's full face in the picture, but I knew he was he one.

“Yes, I do,” I said calmly. Choosing my words carefully.

“Good, good. I like that you're cooperating with us, and if you cooperate well with us, you can be sure that you'll get a minimal sentence.” Valerie added.

“So do you recognise anyone else in this picture?” She continued.

I bent to get a better view of the pictures. Aside from the fact that the pictures were not clear enough, the environment was also dark. I could barely see the other people in the picture, actually.

“No. I don't think I know any of them in the picture.” I only recognised my brother because he was standing under the light and half his face was revealed. 

Valerie pointed to someone who stood in the corner, “What about this person?”

I looked closely at it but I couldn't recognise the person. So I shook my head. 

“I don't know who that is.”

“Isn't this your boyfriend?”