Chapter 228 Laurence continued in an even tone, "Additionally, our forensic team has verified the video's authenticity. There are no signs of tampering or editing. The video is genuine and admissible as evidence." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle before continuing, "On the night Ruben died, Kayla had him accompany her to the mall to carry her purchases. This has been confirmed by the mall's security footage and statements from the sales staff working that evening.
"Street surveillance shows Ruben stopping at a bank, where he withdrew a hundred thousand dollars in cash for Kayla. The two were last seen driving together toward Cedar Street. The final footage of them shows the car heading in the direction of the beach. And " "Enough! That's enough!" Dexter cut him off, raising a hand in resignation. His voice, though firm, carried the weight of defeat. "Captain Quinn, I trust in your department's ability to conduct a thorough investigation. If my daughter is guilty, the law will deal with her appropriately. If she's innocent, the truth will clear her name." Standing toward the back of the room, Felicia raised a brow, catching the subtext in Dexter's carefully chosen words. Though he appeared impartial, his statement left room for doubt, subtly implying that Kayla's guilt wasn't yet a certainty.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtBy framing it as her "cooperating with the investigation", he gave her actions an air of ambiguity.
It was unmistakably a calculated move to protect Kayla.
Dexter stepped forward in front of the gathered reporters with the gravitas of a concerned but just father. "Captain Quinn, take her." Laurence gave a brief nod and gestured to his officers. Two of them stepped forward, ready to handcuff Kayla and escort her away.
But Kayla didn't see her father's decision as a calculated effort to help her. To her, it felt like abandonment. Her eyes widened in despair, and she broke into hysterics, screaming, "Dad! Please don't let them take me! Mom! I didn't do it! I'm innocent!" Myra's eyes filled with tears as she clung to her daughter, refusing to let go.
The officers, however, were relentless. They pried Myra away, separating mother and daughter as Kayla screamed and sobbed. For the first time, Kayla felt the true weight of isolation. She felt like a lone tree battered by a storm, with no one to shield her from the winds of fate.
As she was being dragged away, her tear-filled eyes scanned the crowd and locked onto Arnold. His expression was one of disappointment mixed with sorrow. That look was like a dagger to her heart, and the last shred of her composure shattered.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIn her rage and despair, she twisted to glare at Felicia, who stood quietly among the onlookers. Her voice, filled with venom, echoed through the room. "Felicia-it's you! You did this to me! This is all your fault!" Her accusations grew fainter as the officers pulled her out of the house, but the bitterness in her voice lingered in the air. Myra collapsed onto her knees, clutching her chest as sobs wracked her body. The ever-elegant Mrs. Fuller, always composed and graceful, was now a picture of despair. Her vulnerability was laid bare for all to see. Sebastian moved quickly to shield her from the cameras, blocking the reporters from capturing her breakdown. Dexter, his face streaked with tears, ignored the chaos around him. He approached Mina, his movements heavy with regret. Taking her hand in his, he said in a trembling voice, "It's my fault. I failed you. I failed Ruben. I'm so, so sorry..." Mina didn't respond. Her face was streaked with tears, but her expression was void of emotion. She had watched the video of her husband's murder countless times. Each time, it cut deeper into her soul. The pain of seeing his final moments was a wound that would never heal.
Dexter wiped his face and gave a subtle nod to the security team. They understood immediately and began ushering the reportersOut. The reporters left contently pleased with the scoop they had just scored. As the crowd thinned, the Fuller residence grew eerily quiet. Even the guests, including Arnold and Olivia, were politely escorted out. Now, only the Fuller family and Mina remained.
Myra broke the oppressive silence. Still on the floor, she suddenly lunged at Mina desperately gripping her arm.
"Who put you up to this? Who told you to do it?" Myra's voice was sharp, teetering between fury and En desperation. "Tellwho!" Her words echoed through the hall, but Mina remained silent, her face as impassive as stone.