Chapter - [ 2 ]

Anna Harris

When I reached at my home, I saw my house and neighborhood swarmed with the media people and police cars parked outside. It gave my fears a booster doze. I was scared to leave my car and face the ugliest and ruthless group of human world-the media, who for their success can destroy someone's life, present and future.

My phone again vibrated. Aiden was called me again. Sighing to myself, I pressed the phone on my ear.

"Where are you Anna?" He asked.

"I am outside our house but can you tell me what the police and media are doing outside our house?" I questioned him to ensure my family was alright.

"Stay in your car, okay. Mr. Robin is going to fetch you inside otherwise the media won't let you come inside easily. Please come here first. You'll know everything once you're here." He said and I could hear commotion in the background.

I ran my fingers through my hairs. In a blink of a moment, my life was derailed. I waited for Mr. Robin, Dad's P.R to rescue me from those vultures.

After waiting for five minutes, Mr. Robin finally showed up escaping from the eyes of the crowd. His forehead creases relaxed as soon as he spotted my car parked a few yards away from my house.

He slipped on the passenger's seat before anyone could notice him and eventually finding me.

"Take a u turn and park the car at a distance. We can't let you expose to the crisis Anna. We are already screwed and the stunt you pulled last night worsened our situation. We have no excuse to save you from the humiliation. What have you done Anna?" Mr. Robert sounded disappointed and sympathetic at the same time.

I looked down in shame. I couldn't match his eyes. My impulsiveness brought shame upon my family and almost ruined my future in the country.

"I am sorry Robin." I pressed my lips tightly to prevent myself from crying again.

"Don't say anything Anna because it won't reverse anything. I have pressing situations to handle and you added more to it." He said in a disinterested tone.

I kept silent and retreat the car from the sight of media. Parking the car at the backside of my house, I quickly ran inside to see my family standing in the living room, my Mom crying in my aunt's arms, Aiden is standing in a corner with a grave expression on his face while my Dad was surrounded by police officers.

Our whole house was in a chaos.I could hear loud commotions coming from everywhere which means only one thing, police raided on our house.

What did my Dad do this time?

"Anna.." Aiden's eyes fell upon me and he ran to engulf me in his arms which also navigated others' attention on me.

"Thank God you're fine." He kissed my hairs. I hugged him tightly and let my pain break the last barrier stopping it.

"Shhh calm down Anna. I am here. We all are here and that's our strength." He wiped my tears but his eyes said more than he tried to hide.

He wasn't ashamed of me which sickened me more from inside.

"What's going on here? Why the police is searching our house?" I asked him in an inaudible whisper to avoid being eavesdropped.

A grim expression settled on his handsome face," We are bankrupt Anna. The Police is here to take Dad with them ror interrogation as our share holders accused him of selling our confidential informations to a multinational company. We are ruined Anna." He told me and I couldn't find proper words to curse my fate.

My emotions too abandoned me. I didn't feel anything, it was all numb and blank for me.

"Look who finally graced us with her presence." Lucas, my father's younger brother said in a mocking tone.

Mom, Dad and the others present there looked at me. Dad's face told many stories but he showed no emotions so I could decipher his mental state.

My insides burnt listening to his voice, he always finds a way to get into my nerves.

"Miss Harris, it's good that you come here on your own otherwise we were about to send a team to fetch you here." A lady police officer approached me." I am chief investigating officer Melinda Fisher. We want you to cooperate with us." She said in her professional tone.

"Sure officer." I shook my head avoiding my parents' suspicious stares on me.

My Mom didn't approve my living style, she wanted to groom me into a 'perfect woman' for the suitors of a rich family so we could grow our business more with the help of my rich ass husband's money. So, often we weren't on good terms.

"Miss Harris look , I am going to ask you a few questions which may disturb you but it's a part of our investigation which we can not avoid for a long time. I hope you understand and cooperate with us." Melinda said and I knew where it would go.

I looked down on the floor unable to look directly in my family's direction.

"Miss Harris, we saw a video clip of you entering in a hotel room with a man whose face wasn't clear in the cameras and we suspect that your father used you to sell the confidential files. So, I want you to tell us the truth.Why were you at the hotel Marigold last night?" She asked and I knew I couldn't hide it any longer.

"Miss Harris?" She called out my name not getting any response from me.

"I..I was..with my boyfriend. We had a date." I partially lied.I went on a date where my boyfriend never showed up and I end up fucking a stranger.

She looked at me quizzically.She had hard time to believe me,"So, Miss Harris you're saying that you were on a date at the hotel with your boyfriend ? May I know his name?" She shoot next.

"Benjamin Makenzie, he is also a share holder in our company." I told her and prayed that she believe me.I had no guts to elaborate the latter part of the night.

Melinda shared a look with her fellow officers. Something was going inside their heads. I just hoped it wouldn't turn out to be my biggest nightmare.

"Mr. Benjamin Makenzie is one of the accusers of your father's fraud. I thought at least you'd tell us the truth but anyway, it's our job to find out the truth by hook or by crook." She said.

"Wha...what are you saying officer? Benjamin, my Ben accused my Dad of a scam that I believe he can never do. What a blasphemous joke! My father loves his company more than anything or anyone this whole fucking world." I said not sure of what to believe or what to refuse.

"I don't know Miss Harris what's going on in your family but I can assure you that it is Mr. Benjamin who is our prime witness, who is ready to give his testimony against your father." She said.I could see a flash of sympathy flickered in her eyes.

I hate being pitied.

"Hard time to believe my dear niece that your lover fucked us all." He scoffed pursing her lips into a thin grin.

"Mr. Lucas we do not want to be interrupted during our investigation." She reprimanded him.

"It doesn't change the fact officer." He rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile,a policeman came rushing from outside and whispered something in her ear, her eyes snapped shot in my direction though I couldn't read her mind.

"Ahem..Mr. Harris." She turned to face my Dad," We have received orders from the federal court to arrest you." She said and we all were left stunned .

"Non sense, this is all bullshit. I haven't done anything and why would you think that I can dig my own grave. I built my company from scratch when my father abandoned it thinking it was his worst investment. I will not tolerate any kind of false accusations against me. Do you get that?" My Dad lost his patience and he wasn't wrong.

For the first time in my life, I was agree with him. I believed him that he could never welcome his doom.

My mind drifted off to Ben, my heart constricted inside my chest. He backstabbed me.

Did he ever love me?

I begun to see things clearly but it was too late to find my salvation.

"Mr. Harris, let us do our job and please cooperate with us otherwise we have to use harsh measures to take out out of here. There are multiple charges against you and hiding your income sources is one of them. If you are not guilty then we believe you'd be free soon but till then you'll be on police remand." Said Melinda and motioned her men to arrest him.

"Liam...Liam..please officer don't take him away. He is innocent. Liam please do something." My Mom ran to stop them from taking my father away.

Aiden rushed to hold her as her cries became uncontrollable. She loved my father deeply even when he cheated on her openly.

I couldn't move from my spot. My legs freezed unable to run and stop them from taking my father, our shield away. Dad turned his head behind to give a last glance at us.

"Save me Anna."

Three words.

These three words kept echoing in my head. My Dad said these words to me before leaving with the police.

I let my family suffer. It's not my father or Benjamin but I, who must be blamed for this tragic day. I rebelled against my family and trusted Benjamin signing my shares on his name as my father had problem in accepting a man who didn't come from a rich household. I wanted to prove him wrong but instead got fooled myself.

I wanted to be with Benjamin at any cost.

"You bitch...it's you..it's you Anna.You brought that bastard in our lives." Mom screamed thus snapping me back in the reality.

"Mom please don't blame Anna. She has nothing to do with this crisis." Aiden came in my defense.

"You will not say a word Aiden." Mom pointed her finger at him with red eyes. Her body was shaking in anger whereas I stood there quite ready to bear her wrath. I deserved all of it.

"Mom please-" He still tried to stop her but it was too late, she marched towards me and before I could register anything, she slapped me hard across my left cheek.

"Why did you do this Anna? We are your family. Your father loved you more than anyone. You let him become the scapegoat in the conspiracy that your lover schemed against us. You ruined us Anna. You finished our family. " She cried hard slipping on the floor, I saw my failure in her tears .

She was right.

It wasn't Benjamin but I, who despite of warnings from everyone,decided to trust my heart and welcome the devil in our lives leading us to our doom.

"Aiden,take your mother in her room while I talk with the lawyers. I promise you that my brother and your father won't stay in their custody for long. I'll bring him back to home with the sunrise." Lucas said but I hardly believe a word he said. He always envied my father and pulled every possible strings to swallow my father's wealth.

Could it be him?

He caught me staring at him and the look he gave me,it sent chills run down my spine.

He was definitely upto something big but what? I had to find out before he led the current situation to worst.

"You've fucked up big this time Anna." He spat a sarcastic remark to get a rise out of me .

Ignoring him, I dragged my exhausted body to my Mom's room. She didn't mean a word. It was a wife who saw her husband in danger. I knew my Mom and how soft her heart was.

I was about to push the door open when my phone pinged indicating a video message. I decided to ignore it but my phone rang seconds later.

It was Benjamin.

Blood rose in my veins seeing the audacity of the man who dared to call me after putting me and family on the brink of our doom.

I answered the call to give him a peace of my mind.

"My dear Anna. I hope you're doing fine. I saw the news of your father on the T.V.He doesn't deserve all this but you don't worry. I will save him on a condition." I couldn't miss the viciousness in his tone, he was smirking to himself.

"Do not ever dare to contact me Mr. Benjamin Makenzie. I'll not spare you. Mark my words in your thick skull." I hissed trying to keep my anger at bay. This man didn't deserve my emotions not even my hatred.

"Oh my sweet Anna you really got a feisty mouth to insult me, your Ben. I am hurt Anna." He said pretending to be hurt.

"Fuck off Benjamin." I barked at him and about to cut the call when he said something that I didn't expect.

"You must watch the video I sent you before you disconnect my call, Anna." He said in a serious tone.

My heartbeats again accelerated.With trembling fingers, I opened my gallery and played the clip. My other hand clamped my mouth.

It was my video with a man who was kissing me in the lift or I should say, I was ravishing him.

My throat dried. It was clearly evident that I was slutting with him.

Tears cascaded down my eyes.

"Just imagine what popularity you and your family gain if this video will be circulated on the internet?" He gloated.

"Why are you doing this Ben?" I had sounded a complete fool but I couldn't stop myself from asking him.

"You want answers, Anna then come and meet me at my house. I have a preposition for you." He said and disconnected the call before I could ask him more questions.

My heart sank in the bottom of my stomach.

What possibly he could offer?