Tangled in His Obsession (Seraphina)

Andrea descended the hospital stairs and stepped out, her mind already on hailing a cab at the nearby stand.

Just as she began her stride, a car door swung open by the curb.

Herman, who had left before her, was seated inside, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, his brows furrowed as he regarded her. "Get in," he commanded.

Pausing, Andrea responded, "I need to grab sfood for Sera." "She's got plenty of people to fetch her food; she doesn't need you running errands," Herman retorted.

Silenced by his remark, Andrea hesitated.

After another glance, Herman pressed, "Get in. I've got questions for you." With a faint exhale, Andrea relented, pulling the car door open and settling into the passenger seat.

Herman's cigarette continued to smolder, prompting a slight cough from Andrea. He paused, then finally stubbed out the cigarette and took a long swig from a water bottle before broaching the subject. "So, you and Seraphina being blood sisters - if you two knew all along, why keep it from Simon... your dad?" "Sera didn't want the spotlight on her true identity," Andrea stated. "We all understand that this kind of revelation won't do any good." At her words, Herman's gaze flickered before he continued, "That means you're also aware of your dad's way of doing things, and the history of the Martin family's dealings?" Confronted with his roundabout inquiry, Andrea's lips curled into a faint smile as she replied, "What do you think?" Herman didn’t know what to say.

Her earlier comments had shown no surprise or shock upon learning Simon could be behind Seraphina's troubles. Instead, she had chosen to confront Simon with the truth to protect her sister, indicating she knew exactly what kind of man her father was.

"Seraphina doesn't want to drag you into this mess, so she's kept you out of the case," Herman explained. "But knowing your dad and understanding Sera's character, you must realize this end easily." "I know." Andrea acknowledged, noncommittally.

"So, you're still planning to stay silent, to remain neutral?" Herman probed. "That's not an easy position to hold." Andrea lifted her gaze, meeting his. "Then tell me, which is the easier stance to take? Siding with Sera, or with my dad?" Herman's lips parted but no words came; instead, he concluded, "You ought to know in your heart." "My heart's uncertain," Andrea confessed. "That's why I've remained invisible for so many years. This ‘difficult neutral ground’ you speak of, Mr. Herman, has been my refuge for my whole life. To me, neutrality is the path of least resistance." At her words, Herman's brows knitted, and he fell silent.

"And so, getting anything substantial from someone who's practically invisible is next to impossible," Andrea added.

"I've heard your testimony," Herman countered. "I'll have to confront Lionel." "Suit yourself," Andrea replied nonchalantly. "I misspoke once, that's all. Dad's in a good mood now he knows about Sera's identity, so a minor slip-up fromwon't bother him. So go ahead and do what you must; I'll continue to stand where I've always stood." With that, Andrea pushed the door open and stepped out of the car.

Herman didn't try to stop her. He just leaned back in the driver's seat, quietly observing Andrea's retreating figure as she walked towards the taxi stand. She was too calm, almost unnaturally serene, like the invisible woman she claimed to be.

But in his world, things were clearly divided into right or wrong, and he despised those who chose to remain neutral.

Leaving the hospital behind, Herman quickly returned to his precinct, rallied his team, and with two officers in tow, headed to the Martin Group headquarters.

Upon arrival, they were met by Lionel, one of the key figures at Martin Group and head of their legal department, thanks to his background in law.

"Of course, I'm willing to cooperate with the police," Lionel declared, his tone smooth as silk. "Arson is a serious crime. If the police cknocking at Martin Group's door based on a mere statement, demanding my cooperation, what can | say? 'I've never done such a thing, nor have | uttered such words' - would that satisfy you, Mr. Herman? Or perhaps you'd like to bring forward the person who claimed | said that, so we can face off and let the truth emerge?" Facing such a sly fox as Lionel, Herman knew his direct approach was bound to fail.

His officers had anticipated as much, and upon leaving, one couldn't help but remark, "We've got nothing but one person's word; it proves nothing. Someone like him, even if he admitted to making that statement, could easily talk his way out of it." "I'm aware," Herman replied. "But we can't let him continue unchallenged. We need to ring the alarm, let him know we're watching." After his statement, Herman turned back for one last look at the towering skyscraper bearing the Martin Group name. His gaze grew darker.

No sooner had Herman departed than Lionel made his way into Simon's office.

Simon, typically buried in work during office hours, sat quietly behind his desk, a cigarette dangling from his fingers, lost in thought with an unusually wistful look in his eyes.

"Simon," Lionel greeted in a low voice upon seeing Simon's demeanor.

Simon snapped out of his reverie and looked up, regaining his usual composure. "What's the situation?" "No evidence, just a few questions," Lionel reported. "I sent them away. But for them to know about this, it must've been someone close to us who spilled the beans." Simon flicked ash from his cigarette, his voice cool and detached. "It must've been Andrea." "You know, your daughter really knows how to stir the pot," Lionel said with a scoff.

"Andrea's sensible, she knows right from wrong," Simon asserted.

Seeing Simon's stance, Lionel didn't press the matter further but shifted gears. "What about those guys we caught? What's your take on dealing with them, big bro?" Simon took a drag on his cigarette, peering through the swirling blue-gray smoke, and spoke deliberately, "The ones who were just playing with fire, let them be. But those who laid hands on Seraphina, not a single one gets a pass." At those words, Lionel's gaze tightened imperceptibly. It had been years since Simon resorted to such drastic measures, and besides, those men were hardly a threat to them.

"The cops could turn those guys inside out and they wouldn't get a whiff of us," Lionel argued. "Why bother with the hassle?" "Everything else is trivial," Simon stated. "But they targeted my daughter, and for that, they must pay." Lionel's eyes narrowed sharply at the gravity in Simon's tone.