NovelEnglish
Chapter 95
Seeing that Lucianne needed nothing more than food and bed rest, the doctors discharged her before
noon. Russell obediently went to kindergarten, leaving the hospital with Annie. Xandar, Christian and
Lucianne grabbed a quick bite before they headed to the police station. 1
Xandar only brought Lucianne because he didn’t want to let her out of his sight. But he reminded
Lucianne to use as little strength as possible when she was there, meaning no excessive mental
gymnastics with whatever they were about to hear from Chief Dalloway.
The Chief brought them to see Agnes Fitzgerald. They peered through the one-way mirror at the tear-
strained, exhausted-looking woman. When Xandar asked why she chose to confess, Chief Dalloway said
that she ‘regretted ordering the murder’ as soon as she found out what really happened.
Lucianne asked in a soft voice, “How did she know what happened? I doubt the hired killer was able to
make a phone call to his employer before he passed out from the blade in his buttocks. And there’s
nothing in the news saying that a child was involved. How does Agnes know that it was her contract that
went sideways?”
“She said that she hired two people for the task, my Queen. One to kill; and one to drive the killer away
after he’d completed his task.”
Christian asked, “Chief, are you saying that the second one got away?”
“That’s what she is saying, your Grace.”
Lucianne pressed the old man, “But you don’t believe her, do you, Chief?”
He looked helplessly at the Queen, and sighed before he said, “I’ve seen criminals, your Highness. And I
have to say, this woman doesn’t exhibit any form of criminal behavior. The evidence fits but look at her,
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my Queen,” he gestured to the window and went on, “She just looks tired and frightened.”
Lucianne had to agree. It was like he said, Agnes was just exhausted and terrified. She didn’t even look
remorseful. Xandar then asked Chief Dalloway, “What’s her occupation?”
“One of the two personal secretaries to the head of audit at the National Audit Department, my King.”
“Helena Tanner?” Xandar asked, and the Chief nodded but before Xandar could ask, Chief Dalloway
said, “She denied that she was coerced. She said she wasn’t threatened by her employer, her husband,
her family or anyone else.” 1
“She has a family?” Lucianne asked in surprise.
Chief Dalloway didn’t see a reason for her reaction so he simply answered, “A mate and a toddler, my
Queen.” 1
Christian asked, “What is her motive for the kill again, Chief?”
“She said it was a colleague rivalry, your Grace. She wanted her colleague’s position for years now, and
she has told the intended victim’s mother to swap department positions with her countless times. But it
seems her colleague refused.”
The three of them exchanged knowing looks, knowing that the whole line o ning was utter rubbish. Ellia
had been with Annie and Christian for days and they spoke very often. She shared the ups and downs of
her work life there but she never mentioned such pestering or rivalry.
Xandar was contemplating on using his King’s Authority but he just promised Lucianne that he will never
use it on anyone innocent. And this woman in front of them seemed innocent. Suddenly, he felt a tug on
his hand and he was sucked into two large, black orbs like they were black holes.
*Let me talk to her? Lucianne whispered.
His lilac eyes widened with panic and concern as he held her by her shoulders and said, “No. Baby,
you’re supposed to be on bed rest. I wasn’t even supposed to bring you here. And we agreed, n o mental
gymnastics.” .
“No, we agreed to no ‘excessive’ mental gymnastics.” She said innocently, blinking those black orbs at
him.
“Sweetheart, no.” Xandar’s voice was soft and pleading. Everyone there knew that he was going to lose
soon. Xandar gave one final attempt when he said, “You just woke up hours ago. You’re still recovering.”
Lucianne argued weakly, “She’s cuffed. I doubt she’ll pose any danger. Talking to her won’t require much
strength. And the Chief will be there with me.”
He held both her hands and suggested, “Baby, Christian and I can talk to her. You can mind-link your
questions when I’m in there and I’ll ask her. How about that?”
Lucianne asked rhetorically, “Do you think she would tell you anything differently from what she already
told the Chief?” Everyone knew she wouldn’t, not unless Xandar used the King’s Authority, which felt
very wrong to use at that moment.
Lucianne continued to speak softly, “She’s scared, Xandar. Odds are, her family’s safety is at stake. If we
force her to open up, we’ll only drive her further away. Let me talk to her.”
He thought hard about it. She then mind-linked him, ‘Unless you’d rather use the King‘s Authority to get
the truth?
Xandar looked at his mate in dismay and answered her question aloud, “It doesn’t seem right to use that
in this case.” He sighed, and pondered on his predicament as he looked into her black orbs, which was a
guaranteed way of giving into his mate’s demands. In the end, Xandar groaned and said, “Ten minutes.
Only ten minutes. That’s how long we’ll be in there with her.”
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“We?” Lucianne asked.
Xandar smirked, “You didn’t think I was going to let my Queen go in there without her King, did you?”
Lucianne smiled radiantly, and pecked a kiss on his jawline before whispering, “Thank you,
my love.”
Xandar’s heart melted but he tried to remain stern with her. “No over-exertion in there, my Queen, got it?”
Lucianne nodded like a doting Queen who heeded to the orders of her King but Christian and Dalloway
were fully aware of who the real winner was.
Chief Dalloway held the door open for them, and Lucianne stepped in first, followed by Xandar behind
her. Agnes straightened her back when the door opened, and she stiffened when she saw who walked
in.
She started crying as she pleaded, “P-lease. I’m sor-ry. I-I’m sor-ry.”
Lucianne got Xandar to stand on the side, and she approached the crying Agnes. She took the seat in
front of her, studying Agnes’s reaction. Lucianne then offered a small smile and started speaking in a
calm voice, “Agnes, what are you saying? What are you apologizing for?”
Lucianne’s voice had somehow emitted a tranquil energy in the small room. Even Christian and
Dalloway, who were both listening in through earphones, felt the change in the tense atmosphere inside.
Agnes sobbed, and her voice was steadier when she said, “I’m sorry f-for ordering a child to be killed.”
Her voice cracked towards the end and she broke down again.
Lucianne remained calm as she said, “Agnes.” She called out to the woman but Agnes only hid her face
and kept sobbing. So, Lucianne reached out for her cold hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as she
called out her name again.
Agnes was surprised by her touch, especially after what she had just said. Her eyes met Lucianne’s
comforting black orbs, and the Queen was giving her a warm smile as she whispered, “You didn’t d o it,
Agnes.”
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