Chapter 4

"Even if Hannah dies, then so be it," Marvin said indifferently.

I stared at him. This was the face of the man I had once been hopelessly in love with, the same face that now filled me with absolute disgust.

"Do you really have to go this far, Marvin?" I asked.

"This far?"

Like he had just heard a joke, Marvin grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the table and poured it over my head. The icy liquor ran down my hair, stinging the cuts on my face.

"You call this going too far? You've disgusted me for three years, Hannah. This is just the interest!"

He smashed the empty bottle onto the floor and sent glass shards flying in every direction.

"Let me tell you something. I've had the security footage from the scene 'reprocessed.' The current airtight evidence shows that you were driving the car. The police are on their way to arrest you right now!"

I wiped the liquor from my face and looked at him coldly. "Aren't you afraid of karma for fabricating evidence?"

Marvin burst into a wild, arrogant fit of laughter. "Karma? I, Marvin Cooper, am the damn law in Ashwood! If I want you to live, you live, and if I want you dead, you damn well die!"

He grabbed Alyssa by the wrist, his eyes full of malice. "You're going to jail tonight. Not even God can save you."

I took a deep breath and turned to leave, just as he roared behind me, "Stop! Did I say you could leave?"

I ignored him and quickened my pace as I bolted out of the club. The moment I burst through the main doors, I spotted several police cars with flashing lights speeding toward the slums.

Marvin hadn't lied. He had indeed called the police.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Nathaniel's number. "Nate, I can't hold out much longer."

On the other end of the line, Nathaniel's voice sounded deep and cold. "Don't be scared, Hannah. I've arrived."

…

I sprinted all the way back and managed to reach the slums just ahead of the police cars.

Just as I ran up to my dilapidated rental apartment, several police cars screeched to a stop and completely blocked the narrow alley. Blinding high beams flashed on me and nearly made it impossible for me to open my eyes.

The car doors opened, and several police officers quickly stepped out with dead serious expressions. Immediately after, a black Maybach slowly rolled to a stop behind the police cars.

Marvin stepped out with Alyssa in his arms, looking as though he had arrived to watch a show.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, he didn't even flinch as he stepped into the muddy puddles with his leather shoes.

"Officers, that's her," Marvin said, pointing at me. His tone was determined and cold. "She was the one who hit someone on Coastal Street last night and fled the scene. She used to work as my maid, but she stole my car keys and took the car out for a joyride, only to cause such a disaster."

Beside him, Alyssa pretended to wipe her tears away. "How could you be so foolish, Ms. Huston? You have to take responsibility if you hit someone with a car. What good does hiding here do?"

The lead officer walked up to me and drew out a pair of handcuffs. "Hannah Huston, correct? We suspect you're involved in a hit-and-run that occurred last night. Please come with us."

I gave Marvin a cold look and said, "You're really something, Marvin. I can't believe you even came up with an auto theft excuse."

Marvin smugly raised an eyebrow. "The evidence is ironclad, Hannah. You can talk all the trash you want right now, but it won't change a thing. Just confess nicely and save yourself some trouble."

Stepping closer, he lowered his voice so only the two of us could hear. "I told you. You're worth less than a stray dog after leaving me. This is what happens when you defy my words."

An officer stepped forward and grabbed my wrist.

With a sharp click, the cold handcuff was about to lock around my wrist, but I didn't resist. Instead, I looked up at the pitch-black night sky.

The timing was perfect.