Chapter 48: CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

Kael's POV

The frightened look on Aria's face as she walks over to me.

I maintain a stern look as I didn't want her to think I'm supporting her disruptive behaviour. I wonder how someone looking as innocent as she does would commit a crime as grave as that.

She stops as she gets closer to me. I look at her sternly and look away. She didn't say anything to me anyway and I wasn't ready to buy into her pitiful look.

“Take her into the dark room and keep her there till it's time for the investigation,” I commanded the soldier who stood beside me.

“Kael, you really don't trust me?” Ria says, her voice shaky.

One of the soldiers who stood beside me raised his hands as though he wanted to hit her for speaking to me like that.

I raise my hand, signalling him to remain still.

I wouldn't have anyone touching her other than me. I don't even think I can hit her anyway. I wish she hadn't committed these crimes, and I hope so much that she has some tenable reasons behind why she has behaved the way she did.

“Move.” They hold her firmly, pushing her to move.

I shook my head and went into my office to sit. I'm sure she wasn't expecting me to be a commander in the armed forces.

My mind raced between whether I should take legal steps against her, listen to her the way she's supposed to be accorded ears or just shoot her right in the head for putting up with the company, knowing that what was hidden about it, could totally crash it down.

I raised my head as a junior officer walked in; he saluted immediately.

“I’m asked to confirm if the light or the fan should be turned on for her.”

“Nothing. All doors and windows should be kept closed. She shouldn't have any access to light even as she walks in.”

He saluted again before walking out of it.

I waited three hours, wondering if I had done enough or if I was being too lenient with her. As much as I wanted to check on her badly to hear her side of the story, I didn't want her to think she would get away with all that she's done because I am here.

Unable to hide from the constant feelings of concern for Aria, I stood up and walked in the direction of the dark room Aria was kept in.

I first went into the monitor room.

“Turn on the lights,” I commanded.

“Yes, sir.” They respond and immediately turn on the light in the room where Ria was kept.

I watched her as the lights came on.

She wasn't so far from the door. She must have been scared to walk into the dark room.

Her head was fixed to the wall, and she folded herself.

Despite the light being turned on, she remained still.

She didn't open her eyes or try to move around.

I leave the monitor room without saying anything, and I walk towards the room she was kept in.

“I'd go in alone.” I stopped by the door and said to the other soldiers who were going to accompany me in.

They came to a halt immediately, and I stepped into the room myself.

“Stand up and come to the table,” I said, walking over to the question table. I sat across the table, with an empty chair beside me and one in front of me, over the table, where she was to sit.

Aria remained still even after I spoke to her.

“Aria!” I yelled.

She jumped up at the same time. I hope she wasn't too frightened by how she flew up.

She walked over to the chair and sat quietly.

“Do not try to play games with me. The moment I ask you simple questions, let your responses be clear. Don't think I don't see through the facade on your face.” I said sternly to her, letting her know I wasn't there to joke around.

She nodded gently.

“How come you didn't tell me all this while that your company has a history of fraud. It baffles me that I did my research on your company and I never found a trace of that, but now it's all over the news.”

My anger was spiralling up again.

“I didn't think you needed to know about it. It was already dealt with.”

I banged the table after hearing her response.

“Don't speak to me like you have everything under your control. You don't and you never did!”

I take a deep breath and sit properly.

“Okay. Let's go like this.” I cleared my throat before adding, “When did you commit all these crimes?”

“I never committed any of the allegations laid on me.” She said, looking pitifully.

I scoffed. “You think this is a joke?”

“No!”

“So tell me the fucking truth right now!”

“I didn't commit any of the crimes that were laid on me. I didn't.”

“You didn't, and the whole world is looking for you? Stakeholders are removing their shares from the company, and all you do is sit down here and tell me you didn't commit the allegations?” I was really mad at her at that point.

“No! I know the gravity of ever doing something like this, but you need to listen to me, too! You keep asking me what you want to hear, and you are not even giving me the chance of explaining myself!” She snapped.

I take a deep breath out and ask, “Alright. What then do you have to say?”

She paused for a while before she began, “Allen had so much he was dealing with several individuals. I genuinely never knew them or was interested in the company, but I knew something was fishy about the sudden growth of the company. I heard he was involved with human trafficking, and because he was working with influential men, they used the money to build the company and got more influential.”