Chapter 841

Hearing that, the lead officer began to waver.He glanced at Tessa’s injuries again, secretly amazed.As much as he wanted to keep the woman here, there was no way to explain the marks around her neck.Tessa had already picked up on his hesitation. She simply lowered her gaze and sat off to the side, trembling like a frightened lamb.She looked as though she’d just suffered some unspeakable torment.In the end, the lead officer waved his hand. "Forget it. Once the questioning’s done, let her go. There’s no point keeping her here. She is just a fragile woman, after all."But Hector wasn’t convinced it was that simple.After spending nearly a whole day with Tessa, he had a pretty clear picture of what kind of person she really was.He’d basically figured her out.And that’s exactly why he felt she shouldn’t be released.If they let her go, she might cause real trouble.But the lead officer stood firm. "Enough. Either way, we don’t have concrete evidence."And besides, she got hurt whil

Chapter 842

The trainee officer found Tessa a bit pitiful.Now, seeing Hector still treating her so harshly, he felt the senior officer was going too far.But as someone who had just joined the force, he couldn’t speak too bluntly.So, all he could do was try to remind him in a more subtle way.Hector looked at the trainee, clearly frustrated with his naivety.Who on earth trained this kid? Couldn’t even read a room?And to criticize a colleague in front of a suspect—what was he thinking?Did he seriously lack that much awareness?Hector took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "We’re still on duty. Learn to prioritize."The trainee wanted to say more, but the moment he met the cold glint in Hector’s eyes, he froze.Only then did he realize he’d really overstepped.No matter what, Hector had been here long before him.What he just did was nothing short of publicly slapping his senior in the face, and worse, in front of a suspect.In the end, the trainee opened his mouth, glanced at Tessa,

Chapter 843

He looked at Hector, stunned, and couldn’t help but ask, "Officer Hector, are you serious?"Hector pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course I’m serious. It’s getting late—don’t waste time."With that, he left the holding cell, leaving only the trainee and Tessa behind.Tessa was genuinely a little surprised. She hadn’t expected the trainee to actually be of any use.And yet, somehow, he really had gotten her released.The moment she realized that, she was the first to recover.She looked at the trainee with a grateful expression. "Officer, thank you so much.""There’s no need to thank me—it’s just my job," the trainee said honestly, without a hint of caution. "Besides, you were just cooperating with the investigation. What was there to be afraid of?"Hearing that, a faint, bitter smile appeared on Tessa’s lips."But if it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t even get treatment for my injuries."As she spoke, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.Her voice was hoarse, but her face s

Chapter 844

Hector flinched under the lead officer’s sudden tone.He quickly took two steps back and bowed. "That’s impossible, sir. You’ll always be my lead officer in my heart. I’d never forget what you’ve done for me."Even if you gave me ten lives, I’d never dare do something like that."The lead officer finally seemed to relax, patting Hector on the shoulder."Alright, alright. I was just messing with you." He laughed heartily. "Look at you, looking so stiff. Why take it so seriously?"But that smile never reached his eyes.And Hector apparently noticed itStill, he remained respectful and humble, saying nothing more.He knew that in moments like this, saying too much could only lead to trouble.And he was well aware of what kind of man the lead officer truly was.That was why he stayed so cautious and deferential.These were the things the newer officers hadn’t figured out yet.Hector reassured him again. "Sir, I truly had no hidden intentions. I just happened to be assigned to this case.

Chapter 845

The lead officer hadn’t always treated him like this.But lately, Hector had started noticing something was off.It felt like, no matter what he did, the lead officer was always guarded around him.Not only that, Hector also realized that the major cases never seemed to come his way anymore.Why was that?Was the lead officer afraid he might surpass him or maybe threaten his position?Hector narrowed his eyes, connecting the dots from their earlier conversation. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.He let out a long breath.To be honest, he never had those kinds of thoughts to begin with.But the adult world was complicated.Even without desire for it, reaching a certain point meant others would begin pushing in that direction.The pressure would come, the expectations would rise, regardless of personal intention.That was just how things worked.Willing or not, the outside world had a way of pressing down, always backed by countless justifications.Hector shook his h

Chapter 846

Megan held Aurora’s hand gently and comforted her in a soft voice. “Alright now, Aurora, you have to give your mom some time to adjust.“If this had happened to me, I wouldn’t be able to accept it overnight either.”Aurora couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and helplessness as she listened.“Alright, don’t worry. Of course, I know what you mean.”She looked up and met the eyes of Leonard and Lucas, who both wore slightly cautious expressions, and she silently shook her head.“Do you really think I’m that fragile?”She spread her hands and shrugged. “No matter what happens, I’ll still live my life well. That’s what really matters.”Lucas’ lips curved slightly. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “That’s the Aurora I know.”Someone who wouldn’t be crushed by hardship, who had her own thoughts and goals—and always held onto them no matter what.Aurora lifted her face, looking up at him with a serious expression.She felt the warmth on her head and her heart swelled with