13—Love After Heartbreak

The murmuring among the employees grew louder.

“Miss Sinclair, we'd appreciate your cooperation. We can explain everything at the station.” The officer said to Anna.

Anna shook her head, taking a small step backwards.

“I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what this is about. I just arrived at work, and suddenly there are three police officers waiting around my desk. You can't expect me to follow you without an explanation.” she said.

One of the officers exchanged a glance with his colleague before reaching into his pocket.

“Your ex-husband, Jacob Williams, filed a complaint against you this morning.” the officer said.

Anna's lips parted.

“He reported that you assaulted his pregnant partner yesterday and threatened her life.”

For several seconds, Anna couldn't speak.

Then she let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “I'm sorry, what?”

“You heard me, ma'am.”

“He's lying!” Anna exclaimed, her voice rising. “I didn't touch that woman! I didn't threaten anybody. What kind of nonsense is this?”

A few employees exchanged surprised looks.

One of the officers raised his hand, asking her to lower her voice.

“Please calm down. We're only here to investigate.”

“Investigate what exactly?” Anna demanded. “That man threw me out of his house yesterday. He had already prepared divorce papers, and I signed them. I left peacefully. I didn't attack anybody!”

She could feel her hands trembling.

Was Jacob seriously trying to ruin her life because she refused to beg him to stay?

The officer opened a small notebook. “Did you have an argument with him yesterday?”

“Yes, of course! He was throwing my belongings out of the house. His mistress insulted me, and I defended myself verbally. But I never laid a finger on her.” Anna responded, her voice calm, she didn't want to yell at them.

“Did you threaten her?”

“No!”

“Are you sure?”

Anna stared at him. “Do I look like someone who doesn't understand the difference between arguing and threatening somebody?”

“Miss Sinclair, please cooperate.”

“I am cooperating! But you're making it sound like I'm some criminal.”

Her voice cracked towards the end.

She looked around and noticed that almost everyone in the department was watching her. Some had already taken out their phones, probably enjoying the unexpected drama.

Anna swallowed her embarrassment.

She had only wanted to come to work, do her job, and forget about the terrible things that had happened the previous day.

Was that too much to ask?

“Can I at least call someone?” she asked.

“Who?”

“My lawyer.”

The officer nodded. “That's fine. But we still need you to come with us.”

Anna reached into her handbag and brought out her phone.

Before she could dial, another voice interrupted.

“What's happening here?” Elliot Hayes stood a few feet away, with his bodyguards, two staff, one hand tucked into his trouser pocket. His suit was perfectly fitted, and his expression was unreadable as he examined the scene.

Anna almost sighed in relief. Of all the people she could have encountered at that moment, her boss had to appear again.

One of the officers stepped forward. “Good morning, sir. We're conducting an investigation involving one of your employees.”

Elliot's gaze moved towards Anna coldly. “Which employee?”

“Miss Anna Sinclair.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Anna?”

She nodded, looking at him helplessly. “Apparently, I'm a criminal now.” she murmured to herself.

Elliot studied her face for a moment before looking at the officers.

“What's the allegation?” he asked the officer.

“Her ex-husband filed a complaint against her. He claims she assaulted his pregnant partner and threatened her.” the officer replied.

Elliot's expression changed slightly.

He looked at Anna again. “Is that true?”

Anna's eyes widened.“Seriously? You too? I mean…No sir…I…” she almost forgot Elliot was her boss.

“I asked you a question.” Elliot glared.

“And I said it's not true! I didn't touch anybody. I had enough problems yesterday without adding assault to the list.”

Elliot watched her for another second before turning back to the officers.

“Do you have any evidence to support the allegation?” he questioned.

“That's part of what we're investigating, sir.”

“Then investigate properly. You can't walk into my company and start questioning my employee in front of everyone without explaining the circumstances.” Elliot said, his tone cold to make the officer himself feel scared.

The officer's expression tightened.“Sir, we're acting on a formal complaint.”

“And I'm not stopping you from doing your job. I'm asking you to do it professionally.”

Anna looked at Elliot in surprise.

She hadn't expected him to defend her.

He had always struck her as the sort of man who barely noticed what happened around him unless it directly affected him.

Apparently, she had been wrong.

Elliot glanced at her.“Do you have any witnesses from yesterday?”

Anna immediately remembered the taxi driver. “Yes. The driver who was supposed to take me away. He pulled a gun on me. I was almost kidnapped.”

The officers exchanged looks.

“A gun?” one of them repeated.

“Yes! My boss saw everything. He was there when the driver threatened me. He even disarmed him.”

Elliot nodded. “I can confirm that. I found her inside the taxi with a man pointing a firearm at her. I disarmed him, and the police arrived shortly afterwards.”

The officer began writing something in his notebook.

“Did you report the incident?”

“I believe the officers who arrived at the scene handled the suspect,” Elliot replied. “You can check the report.”

Anna looked between them.

“Exactly! So why am I the one being questioned? Shouldn't you be investigating the man who tried to kidnap me?”

“We'll look into that as well, ma'am.”

Elliot's jaw tightened.

“Then perhaps you should start by finding out why her ex-husband is filing complaints against her less than twenty-four hours after throwing her out of his house.”

Anna turned towards him.

For once, she had nothing sarcastic to say.

The officer closed his notebook.

“Miss Williams, we'll need you to make an official statement. You're welcome to have your lawyer present.”

Anna nodded reluctantly.

“Fine. But I'm not admitting to something I didn't do.”

“That's understood.”

Elliot looked at the officers.

“Give us a moment.”

They stepped a little away, allowing him to speak to Anna privately.

He lowered his voice.

“Do you have someone who can represent you?”

“I'll call my friend.”

“Good. And don't sign anything you don't understand.” he told her.

“Yes sir…wait…” Anna looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you helping me?”

Elliot's eyebrows rose. “Would you prefer I let them drag you out of here?”

“No, but…” Anna pressed her lips together.

There he was again. That irritating attitude.

“Thank you, Sir Elliot.”

He gave a small nod. “Get your things and go home, I'll have someone cover your desk and don't worry about the police, I'll take care of them.”

Anna frowned. “I'm not resigning.”

“Did I say you were resigning?” he asked, staring at her annoyingly.

“No, but the way you're sending me home—”

“Miss Sinclair,” he interrupted, looking directly at her. “You're being questioned by the police. Do you honestly expect to sit at your desk and continue working?”

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

Unfortunately, he had a point. “Fine.”

“Good.” He turned and walked away with his bodyguards and the staff.

Anna watched him disappear down the corridor before releasing a frustrated breath.

Arrogant man.

She went home, the police had left before her though, Elliot said he would take care of it and he did.

—

The moment he fully settled down in his office. Elliot picked up his phone.

“Get me everything you can find about Jacob Williams,” he instructed the person on the other end.

He paused, glancing towards the door. “And find out who hired that taxi driver yesterday. I want to know who was behind the whole thing.”

He ended the call.

Something about Anna's situation wasn't adding up. And he intended to find out exactly what was going on.