3. A Test Or A Solution

Lori

"What the hell is going on?" I shouted as the officers, shoved me out of the lawyers office and towards the waiting squad car. 

"You are under arrest, Mrs Harper." One of them said flatly. My body boiled in fear, I had an inkling what was going on but maybe this was something else? I tried to console myself..

"For what?" I yelled back as they dragged me down.

"Fraud, embezzlement and Grand theft." It was him. It doesn't take a genius to know that Alex was behind this. I was too slow to act. To save myself and here he was, making the first move so I can pay for his crime.

"You don't understand, I didn't do those things. I haven't committed a crime in my entire life."

"That's not for you to say." The officer dismissed me. 

I laughed, panicked. "Are you serious? This is a joke right? I didn't do any of that?!" They ignored me, cold and robotic.

I tried to fight them off but they cuffed me so fast, I barely had time to blink. My heels scraped the pavement, my voice cracked. "I need to call my lawyer."

"You can call him from the station." The other officer snapped. The tears formed in my eyes, I fought it back, I didn't cry.m as I was shoved into the cop car.

They dragged me through the station like I was a murderer. I kept asking questions. Nobody answered. Nobody looked at me. Just paperwork. Cold hands. Metal cuffs. They sat me in an interrogation room. No clock. No window. Just a ticking vent and buzzing lights.

‎Then one of the officers came back and unlocked the cuffs. My wrists burned. As soon as the metal clicked off, I moved.

‎Fast.

‎I slammed my elbow into his chest, grabbed his holster, and yanked the gun from his side.

"Don't move!" I screamed, trembling with both hands that held the weapon. "Back away!" 

"Ma'am, put the gun down." The officer opposite me, held his hands out, trying to calm me. I knew if I give in, I'd go in for more charges. Assaulting an officer. I just had to end this madness somehow. 

"I didn't do this, you have to understand. I didn't steal anything!" I cried. "I am not a criminal." 

"Ma'am, we can..."

"I SAID BACK OFF!" I gritted. My vision blurry with every tears that streamed on my cheeks. "Back off, or I will pull the trigger." I held the gun to my temple, it became so hot. My face was drenched in sweats as the threats continued to roll-off my tongue. 

The door slammed open. Everyone froze. 

A tall man walked in broad shoulder's, black coat, cold eyes. I couldn't see his face clearly, that was because my contact lens had fallen off when that jackass, twisted my arm earlier. Everything was a blur. As he came closer, face was clearer a little. He looked familiar, I tightened my grip on the weapon. I felt the power in the room shift. He kept walking closer, closer. He didn't flinch when I pointed the gun at him.

He looked...calm. No, no. Bored.

"Lori Harper or should I say, Ashford. I'm out of my league here."

"Ashford is fine. Who are you?" 

"A client at the foundation." Maybe that's why he looked familiar yet I knew every client that donated to our foundation and I haven't seen him once. 

"Don't come any closer." I warned, my finger on the trigger. 

"You are not going to shoot yourself." He said, feeling confident. 

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do." His expression remained the same. Cold and bored. 

"Then tell me, why would I want to live?” My voice shook. “They ruined my name. My husband sold me out. Everyone thinks I’m guilty for a crime I don't know of. This isn't fair. I just want to die and end this."

‎“I can make it disappear.” he said cutting me off. ‎My hand trembled.

‎“What?”

‎“I can make it all disappear.” he repeated.

‎He stepped forward. ‎I stepped back.

‎“I swear, don’t test me.”

‎“I’m not. Do you think I would waste my time here, playing house if I think you would pull the trigger?" ‎He folded his arms across his chest, unbothered. "You wouldn't do that to yourself. That's why I am extending a helpful hand."

"You don't know me personally to do this. What's the catch?" He exhaled, sinking his hands in his coat. "Don't come any closer or I'll fucking shoot!"

‎“You can pull the trigger, Lori. Or you can marry me.”

‎I blinked. ‎“What did you just say?”

‎‎“Marry me. Or shoot yourself. Your choice.”

‎‎“You’re insane.”

‎‎“I’m your only option.” He was too confident to want to help me in this way. This meant only one thing, Danger. I was done with it. I couldn't...

‎I stared. “Who the hell are you?”

‎“Andrei Orlov.” ‎That name hit me like a slap.

‎Everyone knew that name. The quiet tech genius. The dangerous type. There were whispers about arms deals, international connections, frozen assets in his wake but none has been proven. What I didn't understand was how he became a client in my foundation. Did he lie? Or was he part of Alex clients he laundered money for? My head was banging with questions. 

The man was untouchable. And he was standing in front of me like I was a business deal.

‎“Why would you want to marry me?” I asked, still holding the gun.

‎“Because you’re already drowning,” he said simply. “And I need a woman who’s desperate enough to say yes.”

‎My knees felt weak. I tightened my grip on the gun. "Did Alex send you?”

‎He smirked. “Alex doesn’t have that kind of power. Not anymore.”

‎My chest rose and fell, heart pounding like a hammer in a metal drum.

‎“This

is blackmail.”

‎“This is a solution.” 

I broke down in tears. "‎Why me?"