A police officer broke the silence and explained, “I informed Mr. and Mrs. Sandra. As the victim, Elizabeth not only deserves to be updated on the investigation but is also required to cooperate with us in solving the case.”
The officers disapproved of Oliver. Observing Elijah’s self-control, they didn’t intervene.
Sophia, dabbing at her tears, retorted, “What victim? She’s more likely the criminal. Nate was her fiancé once, everyone here knows that. A few years ago, Elizabeth was set to join the Crawford family through marriage. It’s a mystery how she ended up married into the Norris family instead.
Just recently, she was seen in Foxfire County, rekindling ties with Nate. It’s possible she’s been deceitful all along, cheating and plotting against my children! My poor daughter lies here, yet unconscious.”
Sophia boldly cast the blame onto Elizabeth. Oliver not only lacked any compassion towards Elizabeth but also regarded her with visible hatred.
Those around could not help but feel their sympathies grow for Elizabeth.
Having a stepmother in the mix, even a father by blood seemed to drift away. His favoritism knew no bounds.
Elijah drew Elizabeth closer, his arm around her shoulders providing a firm, comforting squeeze, trying to fortify her with his support.
Elizabeth faced Sophia calmly and queried, “We haven’t spoken in so long. How would you know I went to Foxfire County? And how could you know I’ve been in contact with Nate?”
Elijah, observing her assertive stance, reminisced about the time two years ago when she first sought his help, so vulnerable and desperate.
How did the girl who once depended on him for protection become so self-sufficient?
Sophia diverted her gaze, explaining, “A child of a friend from Foxfire County saw everything. He told us what happened.”
Elizabeth gave a subtle smile. “You and Dad haven’t stayed in touch with any old acquaintances in our hometown and you only move in high-society circles, yet now you’re claiming to have close friends in a destitute area like Foxfire County?”
Under Elizabeth’s sharp questioning, Sophia began to sweat, her discomfort more pronounced than during any police interrogation.
Oliver pulled Sophia closer, confronting Elizabeth with a stern look. “Am I supposed to report my friendships to you?”
Elizabeth gave a slight shrug and then spoke to the police. “I encountered some trouble while shooting in Foxfire County, and Nate was there to help me out.” She turned to Elijah. “It seems too much like a setup, doesn’t it, darling?”
She linked her arm through his and gazed up at him.
“This does seem overly coincidental. We should look into this supposed friend more closely.” Elijah glanced down at her, his expression softening into a quiet, proud smile.
The officer nodded in agreement. “Can you provide the contact details for this friend so we can investigate further?”
“I…” Sophia hesitated, then glanced at Yara, still unconscious on the hospital bed, and quickly revised her story, saying, “Actually, it was Yara who communicated with this friend. You’ll have to wait to ask her.”
Sophia assumed the police could do nothing while Yara remained unconscious.
Seeing right through Sophia’s fabrications, the officer sternly warned, “Intentionally lying to obstruct the investigation will lead to legal consequences.”
A flicker of fear passed through Sophia’s eyes, yet she firmly insisted, “I’m not lying.”
Faced with her insistence and no way to verify her statement at the moment, the police decided to move on and briefly recapped the situation involving Yara and Nate.
Oliver glanced at his phone as it buzzed. After reading the message, he stepped up and said, “The two persons implicated in Mrs. Sandra’s abduction have been apprehended in Byburn. They admitted Nate was behind the kidnapping and have formally confessed.”
The police officers let out a sigh of relief. “We will coordinate with the Byburn authorities for their extradition.”
Oliver shook his head. “Unfortunately, they fell sick while detained and have passed away, so extradition won’t be possible.”
His emphasis on “passed away” was accompanied by a significant look towards Sophia.
Sophia’s eyes widened in terror as she clung to Oliver’s arm. The realization dawned on her that this was no coincidence.
She now clearly saw the truth in Elijah’s earlier words—the Norris family indeed wielded enough influence to orchestrate such outcomes!
On the hospital bed, Sandra, feigning unconsciousness, had overheard everything. Initially, she was taken aback, but slowly, acceptance settled in.
She mused over her situation—what did it matter now? If she were to die, she was determined to drag Elizabeth down with her to whatever came next.
