Chapter 12 Walking on Thin Ice

If Serena wasn't mistaken, that man was likely watching her from the shadows at this very moment, carefully observing her every move. Everything he had done so far was aimed at exposing any flaw in her reaction. If she showed even the slightest hint of nervousness or guilt, it wouldn't escape him. She knew all too well that if he finally caught her, it wouldn't be as simple as having a nice chat over coffee. No, it would be far worse than that. Thinking back to the chilling danger he exuded last night, a shiver ran down her spine. Even though this was a society governed by laws, and he wouldn't literally kill her, a man like him would likely have far more creative and terrifying ways to torment someone—worse than death. If she fell into his hands, she could imagine horrors far beyond her worst nightmares, and there'd be no escape, no one to save her. Seriously? All of this just because I accidentally slept with him? It wasn't as if I'd betrayed him in some unforgivable way! Did he really have to be this relentless, hounding me like a ghost as if determined to see her ruined? Was it really that serious? At this point, it felt like she was walking on the edge of an icy cliff, and one wrong step would send her plummeting to her doom. Serena felt utterly panicked inside, but her expression remained calm and collected. "Miss Wren, can you tell us where you were between 10 PM last night and 4 AM this morning?" the police officer repeated the question. "I'm not sure how to answer your question," Serena frowned, her face now showing a touch of confusion. The officer was stunned. Was his question really that complicated? "Her reaction is ... unbelievable. Could she be any more clueless?" Leo muttered to himself from the third floor, shaking his head in disbelief. "A question that straightforward, and she can't understand it?" Damien's brow twitched, his cold gaze sharpening with a trace of something unreadable. His lips pressed into a thin line as if deep in thought. "What's going on? Did Ms. Wren commit a crime? The way that officer's questioning her, it sounds like an interrogation." "Could be ... but doesn't she have some kind of mental issue? You can't hold people like that accountable for anything, legally speaking." "Is her condition really that severe? No wonder Liam hasn't shown up." Low whispers had started to spread through the hall. However, Serena seemed completely oblivious to the murmurs. She stood there, dazed as if she had no idea what was going on. On the other hand, the police officer was feeling the pressure mount, unsure of how to proceed. "Officer, did I do something wrong?" Serena blinked, finally speaking, her eyes wide and full of innocent confusion. Her tone was timid, mixed with a hint of anxiety, fear, and a bit of wounded vulnerability. From the third floor, where Damien continued to observe her, his eyes flickered slightly. "No, no, you didn't," the officer sighed, clearly flustered. Her innocent, almost pitiful demeanor stirred an unexpected sense of guilt in him. And, considering he wasn't there on completely legitimate grounds, he felt uneasy. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Ms. Wren. This is just a routine inquiry. We just need to know where you were last night." His tone softened, far less severe than when he'd first started questioning her. "Oh, I went to the Mystique Club for a spa treatment last night, and then I went home and went to sleep," Serena replied thoughtfully, nodding to herself. Her eyes were clear and guileless, her expression so earnest that it felt like doubting her would be a crime in itself. Her answer was vague and general, lacking in specific details or timeframes, but it was precisely this simplicity that made it hard to question. Not far away, Evan's eyebrow twitched. The way she could lie so smoothly without blinking was nothing short of impressive. If he didn't already know the truth, even he might've believed her. Upstairs, Damien's expression grew colder, a subtle trace of something darker lingering on his lips. "Alright ... very well." The officer visibly relaxed. At least he could say he'd fulfilled his duty. They say dealing with smart people is exhausting, but after years in the police force, he was starting to think the opposite might be true. Talking to Serena just now had been surprisingly draining. Damien's eyes narrowed. He might have only been suspicious of her, but his suspicions were never without reason. Yet despite his close watch, her reactions had given him nothing. Could she really be uninvolved? Or was she simply that good at hiding the truth? "Check the Mystique Club," Damien said, his gaze still fixed on Serena below. His voice was calm, each word leaving his mouth with slow, deliberate precision. He hadn't seen anything suspicious in her behavior, but that didn't mean he believed her. "Alright," Tad responded immediately, eager to redeem himself for earlier failures. "As a police officer, I can assure you, she's not lying," Leo chimed in, rolling his eyes. "Do we really need to investigate this further?" After years on the force, he prided himself on being able to tell when someone was lying. And right now, he was convinced Serena was telling the truth. Tad paused, momentarily uncertain. Truth be told, he agreed with Leo. He didn't think Serena had lied either. "She's just a clueless gray bunny. Is it really worth wasting all that time?" Leo muttered under his breath, exasperated by the whole ordeal.