A Glimmer of hope

Mia jerked up, her widened eyes almost popping out of their sockets as Mia stared at him. 

"Justin?" Mia gasped, her lips trembling in shock. 

"You see? What more lies are you going to tell, huh?" The man said, waving his fingers at Mia. 

"I'm sorry, they threatened to kill me if I didn't spill the truth," Justin blurted out without a tinge of remorse in his eyes.

Mia heard her heart shatter into pieces as the man she had wholeheartedly loved made her take a fall for a crime she had never thought of committing.

To her, Justin was the only one who could ever love her. But now, everything that she had thought was true was all a lie. A deep lie that she never saw from the beginning.

"How could you do this to me, Justin?" Mia whispered in a cracked voice, her heart burning in rage and betrayal.

"I'm sorry, boss, you've got to understand," he muttered.

Mia's heart clenched and she growled loudly and then raced toward him, blinded by anger and pain.

"Hey!" The cop growled, but before he could get to me, her hands were already stuck in his hair, pulling out strands of hair from his scalp and earning an agonized scream from him.

She desired to kill him for lying to her and deceiving her.

She wanted to make him pay for what he had done to her, even if it meant committing a true crime this time.

The man beside Justin grabbed her and tossed her to the ground, glaring hard at her.

"How dare you try to show off your dirty colors here, huh? Mark my words, even your agents won't be able to save you from us!" The man growled, shaking his clenched fist at Mia.

The interrogator stepped forward and grabbed Mia, forcing her on her feet.

Mia dropped her head, tears threatened to spill out of her eyes but she held them back, swearing silently that she wouldn't cry.

She slumped into the chair and buried her flushed face in her palm, trembling in anger and shock. 

The interrogator banged his fist on the table, and she jumped but didn't look at him. 

"He told us everything you've been doing. We don't need to interrogate you anymore," the interrogator said and she raised her head, glaring at him. 

"What do you mean you won't ask me any more questions? I'm the victim here!" Mia retorted. 

The men exchanged glances and shared a mocking laughter that pierced through her soul. 

The man stopped laughing and leaned closer, mischief darting across his eyes. 

"You are the mafia queen, there is no need to prove you are not since your underling has exposed you. Get a lawyer if necessary, but be rest assured that you're going to jail," the man muttered. 

Mia's jaws dropped in shock and she gasped, unable to comprehend what was going on in their minds. 

"Get up. It's time to get into the lock-up," he muttered. 

Mia huffed, shaking her head in disagreement. 

"No! This is wrong, he had it all set up. The bastard is lying to you all!" Mia screamed but none of them listened to her. 

She knew they wouldn't listen, but she had no other choice but to keep screaming out her innocence even if she ended up in a place she didn't belong— jail. 

As the man dragged her off, she craned her neck backward and caught Justin smirking at her. He didn't look like the man she had fallen in love with, he looked nothing like the man she had courted for years. 

Mia felt her heart break even more at the thought of going to jail for a man who promised to sacrifice everything for her sake. 

The man dragged her into the detention cell and slammed the door shut, locking it up while he cursed at her loudly. 

Mia slipped down to the cold floor and buried her face in her palm, sobbing quietly. 

"Why is she crying?" One of the women asked as they watched her in awe.

"That is just a show she's putting up. She will get out soon," the loud woman snapped. 

Mia directed a glare at her and she slammed her mouth shut, cringing back. 

No one said a word to Mia as she sat on the ground, wallowing in pain and anger. 

Hours passed, and slowly, it unfolded to a day. It was a day of no hope, a day of wallowing in deeper pain and agony, left with no one to speak with aside from the inner voice in her mind. 

She couldn't even look forward to the future like she always did whenever she was in a tight corner. 

Mia had concluded that the future was neither bright nor bleak. There was no future, only death existed ahead. 

"Hey!" A soft voice startled her, snapping her back to reality. 

She slowly swerved her head to the side and stared at the lady sitting down next to her. 

The lady seemed to be her age mate, or perhaps, a bit older. 

The lady's sharp dark eyes roamed around Mia's face and body as if she was searching for something on her. 

Her beautiful face was cold and unreadable, and her icy, sharp eyes seemed so commanding and intimidating.

"I've been watching you since you arrived," the woman said, her words cutting through Mia's silent analysis.

Mia raised her brows, wondering why she hadn't seen her ever since she arrived.

"You claim to be the mafia queen?" The woman muttered, scoffing slowly.

Mia sighed and looked away, tired of hearing the same words over and over again.

"Hey, can't you talk? Did the accusations get your tongue?" The curt words of the woman pricked Mia's heart, forcing her to snap a glare at the woman.

"Shut your trap and leave this place because you know nothing!" Mia growled and gasps from the other women filled the room.

The woman seemed unshaken by Mia's threat. She remained seated on the spot, a knowing smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

She chuckled and leaned closer to Mia, hitting her hot breath on Mia's neck as she tilted her neck towards her ear.

"You think I'll fear you just because you come here and claim to be the mafia queen? Quit the act, I know who the real Mafia queen is," she whispered, and Mia's heart dropped into her belly.

She jerked her head to the side and stared at the smirking woman with widened eyes.

"What did you say? Do you know who she is? Who is…" 

The woman raised her hand, signaling her to speak in low tones before drawing closer.

"I know your useless boyfriend set you up, and I'm also aware that the cops were bribed by a hidden organization," the woman said, and Mia gasped, slapping her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Don't worry too much, you won't be going to jail. There is someone that will help us." 

"Who?" Mia whispered, bubbling in excitement and renewed hope.

The woman smiled, her dark eyes twinkling as she leaned towards her ear.

"I will help you escape, but not without a payback, do you agree to this?" The woman asked.

Mia gulped hard and stared intently at her face but couldn't make out anything from the blank expression.

She knew this was her only hope to avoid going to jail, but she couldn't help but wonder what this woman could ask of her after helping her escape death.

What if she forces her to do something worse than the crime she has been accused of?

What if… 

"Are you interested?" The woman cut through her thoughts and she looked up, her eyes gleaming.

Without thinking twice, she parted her lips and responded, "Yes, I agree."