Becoming strangers again (Lily and Ryan)

Chapter 79

RYAN

This isn't a place I expected to find myself at any moment in my life, yet here I am. Sighing wearily, I moved my gaze back to the infuriating man who has been asking me the same question over and over again.

"Can I at least get a bottle of water?" I asked him, rolling my eyes when he frowned at my request. Despite the fact that he wants to get nonexistent information from me, he has to tread with caution as to avoid being slammed with a lawsuit despite the fact that he was actually trying to do his job. "My throat is parched from having to repeat the same thing over and over again."

He nodded at the other young man seated next to him, silently signaling for assistance. The young man promptly exited the room, disappearing for what felt like an eternity before reemerging with a bottle of water clutched tightly in his hand. With a nonchalant demeanor, he dropped the bottle in front of me, the cool condensation glistening against the plastic surface. I arched an incredulous eyebrow, my distrust evident as I refused to make a move towards it.

In response to my hesitation, the man beside me emitted a scoff, the sound laced with annoyance. "You don't honestly expect me to do everything for you, do you?" His words dripped with impatience, fueled by the frustration of our ongoing stalemate. "I'm not your personal attendant, Mr. Williams, and this certainly isn't your luxurious abode."

Frustration coiled in my chest, as I struggled to contain my mounting agitation. "Someone has orchestrated Sophia's demise and neatly pinned it on me," I retorted, my voice edged with bitterness. "Am I expected to blindly accept whatever is thrust upon me without knowing who my enemy really is?"

As his agitation intensified, he reached a breaking point, pinching the bridge of his nose and leaning forward, his hands now firmly planted on the desk. "Are you, in any way, insinuating that the water could potentially be poisoned?"

With a deadpan expression, I delivered my retort, "I suppose we'll have to take a sip to find out, won't we?"

His eyes flared with anger at my defiance. "You can either accept this water, or I'll take it away. And believe me, you'll have fall on your knees and beg for it before it's offered to you again!"Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Instead of cowering, I responded to his fury with a smile, which only served to stoke his ire further. "Listen carefully, blondie," I rasped, my tone unnervingly calm. "Be mindful of your words, or I'll ensure our roles are reversed once I'm out of here." "Oh, you mean if you get out of here?" he sneered.

My smile widened, a confident gleam in my eyes. "I will," I asserted firmly. Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on the desk, locking eyes with him. At that moment, the presence of the other man in the room faded into insignificance. "Do I strike you as someone who would take the fall for a crime I didn't commit?"

The door opened, pulling my attention away from the man whose name I care not to know. The man moved gazes between me and blondie. "what is going on here?"

"He threatened me." Blondie blurted out, jabbing his finger at me.

"He wants me on my knee." I replied calmly.

The man walked in further into the room and sat down. "I am James, and I will be taking over this interrogation." He glanced at the other men and they quietly walked out of the room.

As the left, Mr. Waper, my lawyer walked in. I glanced at him and frowned. "Tell my father I want another representative." For whatever reason I refuse to let Stephanie's father handle this case.

He arched his brow. "I beg your pardon sir."

Leaning back, I intertwined my fingers and fixed my gaze on Mr. Waper. "You heard me, Waper," I reiterated firmly.

With a resigned sigh, he turned on his heel and exited the room. My attention then shifted to James. "So, are you going to regurgitate the same inquiries those fools asked, or do you have something fresh for me?" I inquired, my tone laced with impatience.

A chuckle escaped James's lips. "Your confidence leads me to believe you already have an escape plan in mind," he remarked, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"That wasn't a question," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow in response to his observation.

"Can you reiterate what you disclosed to them, Mr. Williams?" James redirected, his tone now more businesslike.

Letting out a weary sigh, I ran a hand down my face, feeling the weight of the interrogation bearing down on me. "My were to fetch Sophia and bring her to my office because she was the only one capable of saving the company's reputation," I explained, my frustration evident in my voice.

He twirled his pen thoughtfully. "And how, exactly, was she supposed to do that?" he probed further.

"Because she was the one who submitted the stolen designs," I replied flatly, a hint of frustration creeping into my tone. It seemed it was time to redirect the narrative and make them realize they were barking up the wrong tree. "She was hiding from someone." James's interest piqued. "What do you mean by that?"

"At first, I assumed she was hiding from us," I explained, "but given that she was murdered, it's clear she wasn't actually evading us. It's possible that the same person who was after her is the one who killed her."

"Are you going to elaborate on that?" James pressed for more details.

"When she resigned," I continued, "she informed her supervisor that she was relocating to an Asian country. However, we later discovered that the Asian country she claimed to have moved to was Singapore. Our investigation revealed she never left the country, prompting us to pay a visit to her mother." I blinked. "And the rest, as they say, is history."

"So you believe the person she was trying to evade ended up being her killer?" James inquired, leaning forward with interest.

I nodded in confirmation. "Are you going to try that?" I redirected the conversation, gesturing towards the untouched water. He glanced at it skeptically, scoffed, and decided to take a sip before handing it to me. I accepted the bottle and emptied its contents in one go. "How can we be sure she wasn't hiding from you?" James pressed further, his tone probing.

With a solemn expression, I slowly lowered the now-empty bottle. "I entertained that possibility initially, but my perspective shifted after her untimely demise," I confessed.

"You've shared your narrative, Mr. Williams. Now, allow me to offer my perspective," James began, his tone measured as he prepared to deliver his analysis. I listened intently, curious to hear his conclusions drawn from our discussion.

"I believe she was hiding from you," James continued. "She knew you would pursue her once you discovered she had stolen the design. And that's exactly what happened. Unable to tolerate the tarnishing of the company's image and reputation that you had worked so hard to build, you tracked her down and ultimately ended her life."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his assertion. "Is something amusing?" James inquired.

"What you just suggested," I replied, my amusement evident, "does it sound logical to you?" I probed, questioning his capacity for rational thought. "Why would I contemplate killing someone who could potentially aid my company in overcoming this predicament?" "Because you have other means of rectifying the situation," James retorted, rising from his seat with a sense of authority. "Just this afternoon, the CEO of YAEW Group publicly apologized to your company, admitting that they had falsely accused you."

My father had proceeded with the plan without my knowledge?

"It seems the mess was resolved without her involvement," James continued, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "That certainly speaks volumes about her significance in assisting your company in resolving the crisis."

"You've got the wrong person," I insisted, my resolve unwavering.

James chuckled dismissively. "Allow me to be the judge of that." With a click of his teeth, he delivered the final blow. "Your lawyer attempted to secure your bail, but it was unsuccessful. You'll remain in our custody until the forensic team determines the time of her death and we corroborate the exact timing of your associates' arrival at her residence. Only then will you be free from this."

And with that, he exited the room.