August pushed open the weighty library doors, her thoughts awash with concern. Two long days had elapsed since Jack's last response, leaving her increasingly anxious about his well-being and perplexed by his ominous silence.

"Is he unwell?"

"Does he not wants to work on this project with me anymore?"

An onslaught of questions besieged her mind as she ventured out into the crisp afternoon air, she decided to approach one of Jack's friends tomorrow to inquire about him.

As she reached for her phone to call her driver, August felt a rush of anxiety that seemed to freeze her heart. Her apprehension deepened when she found herself face to face with two stern police officers blocking her way. Shivers ran down her spine as she tried to figure out why they were here. August had never been in trouble with the law before, so this situation was bewildering.

"Is there an issue, officers?" August inquired, her voice quivering with disquiet.

The taller officer exchanged a furtive glance with his partner before redirecting his attention to August. "Miss Willson, we require your presence at the police station," he intoned with an unyielding seriousness.

"But, why?" August asked, her confidence unwavering in the belief that she hadn't entangled herself in any unlawful affairs.

"It's related to the disappearance of Mr. Jackson Davis," August's eyes widened in stark disbelief. 

"J-Jack," her voice trembled, barely able to articulate her shock. 

August's fear grew as she agreed to go with them, her mind racing, her worry for Jack at the forefront of her thoughts.

Once they arrived at the station, the officers wasted no time in getting to the point. "We're looking for Jack," the shorter officer said, his gaze piercing. "Do you know where he is?"

The question took August by surprise, but she responded with candor, "I haven't heard from him in two days. The last time I saw him was at the coffee shop."

"Why were you at a coffee shop?" one of the officers inquired.

August replied, "It was a rainy evening, and we sought shelter in a nearby cafe."

The officer persisted, "Evenings, you say? But school usually ends around 3 in the afternoon, correct, Miss. Willson? What were the two of you doing? By any chance, Miss. Willson, are you Mr. Davis's girlfriend?"

"No, we're just project partners, nothing more," August answered, her voice trembling under the weight of their scrutiny.

The relentless barrage of questions from the officers left August bewildered, her heart pounding as she struggled to comprehend why she was being treated with such suspicion.

As the interrogation heightened, the police station's entrance exploded open, and two anguished figures stormed in. Jack's parents, Mr. Johnathan Davis and his wife, Mrs. Jennifer Davis, entered, their faces contorted with despair. Jennifer's grip on August's arm was unyielding, wrenching her away with fury etched in her eyes.

"Where is our son, and what have you done to him?" Jennifer demanded, her voice brimming with desperation.

August was petrified, her quivering voice attempting to elucidate, "I don't know where Jack is. I haven't seen him since the coffee shop. I swear I don't know where he is."

Jennifer erupted, "you fucking wench, you liar, what the hell did you do to my son, you witch" Her rage propelled her to violently pull at August until a female officer intervened, separating them.

"Please, Mr. and Mrs. Davis, calm down. I understand your distress, but we're in a police station," the senior officer implored with empathy.

August's parents arrived shortly after, Benjamin scarcely acknowledging her presence while Melany, with frigid eyes and hidden satisfaction, relished the prospect of soon ridding herself of August.

"What's going on, officer? Why have you brought my daughter here?" August sobbed, seeking refuge behind her father, who, for the first time in her life, was standing up for her.

"We believe, Mr. Willson, that your daughter may be involved in Mr. Davis's disappearance," Benjamin turned his gaze towards the officer, then to August, who vehemently shook her head in denial.

"What evidence do you have against her? She's a minor, her record is spotless, no complaints against her. And here you are, accusing her of making someone disappear. It's preposterous! I'll sue you for falsely accusing my daughter," August's heart warmed at her father's defense, the first time he had acknowledged her as his daughter.

"Calm down, Ben," Melany interjected, placing a hand on his shoulder. Benjamin's expression remained stoic.

"Mr. Willson, we do have evidence," the officer insisted.

"What evidence?" Melany inquired, her concern more for her own reputation than for August's innocence.

"Miss Willson claimed she took a cab home that night, but our investigation shows there was no cab service that picked her up," August swallowed hard, her lie exposed. She had resorted to falsehood because she feared Melany's reaction to the truth about Alexander's involvement on that night.

"I... I took a ride from a stranger to get home that night," August confessed quietly, her gaze avoiding Melany's penetrating eyes.

The police immediately seized upon her lie, intensifying the pressure. August's anxiety deepened as she began to comprehend the gravity of her deceit.

If this wasn't enough, a phone call reached the police, sending shockwaves through the room.

"We have some distressing news, Mr. and Mrs. Davis. I'm sorry, but a body has been discovered, and it's confirmed to be Mr. Jack Davis," panic and disbelief gripped the room.

"J-Jack's dead," August stood there as if her soul had been sucked from her.

"We have another piece of evidence against your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Willson. We found a bracelet clutched in the deceased's hand, and it belongs to your daughter," August, now bereft of her senses, wept openly. Her bracelet found in Jack's grasp had cast her as the prime suspect.
"We'll have to take your daughter into custody, Mr. Willson," the officer declared. When one of the officers reached out to grasp August's hand, she suddenly snapped back to reality, grasping the gravity of the situation.

"NOOOO, Dad, please, I didn't do anything. I swear on Mom, I swear, please, help me!" She pleaded, her cries, and screams echoing through the station. But her voice was drowned out by the swirling accusations and suspicions surrounding her. August was thrust into a nightmarish reality, ensnared by a growing storm of allegations and fear, a fate she had never foreseen..

.

.

On the other side...

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Brother, that was exceptionally cruel of you. You could have let her off with a warning," Elijah chuckled, but Alexander simply smirked.

"Alex is already showing her mercy, Eli. If I were in his place and she had dared to lay a hand on me, I would have shattered every bone in her body and left her outside some goddamn hospital," Lucian said, his voice carrying a sinister edge.

"Good Lord, brother, that's borderline psychotic." Elijah exclaimed, a look of disgust on his face. 

"Please, say that again" Elijah chuckled, demonstrating that he was equally unhinged.

"She needed to learn. She thought she could escape consequences. This was a lesson for her; next time, she won't even dare to meet our gaze," Alexander declared proudly. He took pride in what he had done to an innocent soul.

"But, Alex, was it necessary to eliminate Jackson? You know he's Davis's son," Elijah inquired. Lucian burst into laughter.

"Oh, my dear, naive brother, our dear brother here killed two birds with one stone. Our little pet learned her lesson, and Davis is about to lose his business because he no longer has any heirs," Elijah exchanged a perplexed look with his brothers.

"But what about his other son? What was his name, Chris-"

"Don't mention that motherfker's name. He's already teetering on the edge of death, and soon he'll join his brother in hell," Alexander said, causing the other two to erupt into laughter.

Alexander stared at the whiskey in his glass, his voice filled with a chilling resolve.

"Didn't I warn you, my dear August, that every action has its consequences? I hope you are ready for it's time to face the repercussions of your choices."

He smirked, well aware that she would never understand what had hit her.

oohhhhh. Alexander is not somebody you can mess with. He is hell bent on teaching August a lesson. 😓

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