Chapter 324

“What?” I was breathless, still struggling to gasp in clean air. Mia walked closer, her cold expression growing clearer.

“You’ve been a busy guy, Tim,” said Mia.

The world spun around me as Mia's words sank in. I staggered, trying to comprehend the magnitude of the betrayal. "Arson? Timothy would never..."

Timothy, now handcuffed, shot me a pleading look before being led away.

Aria's confusion mirrored my own. "What's going on, Evie? Why are they taking Timothy?"

I couldn't find the words to explain. The fire department continued to battle the remnants of the blaze as Mia reveled in the chaos she had orchestrated. "I suggest you keep your distance, Evie. Timothy's got some explaining to do."

I stood there, rooted to the spot, watching the man I cared about being led away in handcuffs. The anger within me transformed into a steely resolve. I needed to uncover the truth, expose the lies, and save Timothy from the tangled web that Mia had spun.

The cold steel of handcuffs bit into my wrists, and I glared at the officers as they hauled me onto my feet. Timothy and I were shoved into the back of a police cruiser, our wrists bound.

Anger surged within me, a torrent of emotions threatening to drown my reason. "How could you do this, Mia?" I seethed, my voice trembling with rage. "Timothy didn't steal anything from you. Why lie?"

Mia, leaning against another patrol car with a self-satisfied smirk, met my gaze with a cold indifference. "Evie, sweetie, you always had a soft spot for dangerous men. Blind trust can be a dangerous thing."

My fury reached a boiling point. "Dangerous? Timothy is not dangerous! He's a good man, and you're fabricating these lies to destroy him."

Mia chuckled, a sound that grated against my nerves. "You think you know someone, Evie. But love blinds you to the truth. Timothy stole from me, and he'll pay for it."

I shook my head in disbelief. "He couldn't have stolen from you if he didn't even know you had a gun. How do you explain that, Mia?"

Her eyes narrowed, a calculating glint in them. "Oh, he knew. And you probably knew too, given how much you love to play the innocent."

Anger surged through me like a tidal wave, my restraint shattered. "I never knew anything about your stupid gun until now! You're lying, Mia!"

The cruiser door slammed shut, cutting off my hoarse screams. I was being cuffed and arrested alongside Timothy, and perhaps being here had linked me to this incident. The anger simmered within me, but a gnawing fear took root – fear for Timothy, fear for myself, and fear of the unknown that awaited us.

As the patrol car pulled away from the scene of the crime, I couldn't tear my eyes away from Timothy. "Why is she doing this?" I whispered, leaning into him.

“It’ll be okay,” he said. “Just stay calm.”

I struggled against the restraints, my mind racing with thoughts of Aria and Lucas being left behind, probably questioning the whole thing.

As we arrived at the station, the officers separated Timothy and me, leading us in opposite directions. "Evie, don't say anything until my lawyer gets here," Timothy called out, his eyes desperate.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I won't, Timothy. We'll get through this."

In the cold, sterile atmosphere of the police station, I was booked, fingerprinted, and subjected to a barrage of questions. As I pleaded my innocence, the officers remained unmoved.

"Why are you lying about Timothy? He didn't steal anything from Mia. You're making a mistake!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over.

The officers dismissed my protests, their loyalty to the supposed victim blinding them to the possibility of deception. They weren’t even asking Aria about her perspective, as if they wanted a certain narrative to take place here.

Finally, I was led to a holding area, where I waited for the arrival of Timothy's lawyer. The minutes stretched into an agonizing eternity as uncertainty gnawed at me. The cold metal of the bench beneath me mirrored the frigid reality closing in.

As I sat there, I couldn't shake the image of Aria lying alone in the room. I needed to reassure Aria, guide Lucas through this chaos, and stand by Timothy's side. The anger that had fueled my defiance now transformed into a relentless determination.

My thoughts were interrupted by the clatter of approaching footsteps. A uniformed officer led Mia into the holding area, her heels clicking against the cold floor. She wore a smug expression as she looked me up and down.

"Enjoying your time in the slammer, Evie?" Mia sneered, her tone dripping with contempt.

I shot her a glare, my anger simmering beneath the surface. "What's your endgame, Mia? Ruining Timothy's life won't bring you any satisfaction."

She circled me like a vulture closing in on its prey. "Oh, sweetie, it's not about satisfaction. It's about teaching you a lesson. Dangerous men like Timothy only bring trouble. I thought you'd learn that by now."

I scoffed, unable to contain my disdain. "This isn't a lesson. It's a twisted vendetta. What did Timothy ever do to you?"

Mia's eyes narrowed, a cold calculation in them. "He got in my way. Now, I suggest you get comfortable. You're going to be here for a while."

The cold, sterile walls of the holding area seemed to close in around me as Mia walked away, leaving a bitter taste of frustration and helplessness in her wake. I clenched my fists, my anger boiling over as I shouted after her.

"This is insane, Mia! You're ruining lives with your lies!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the sterile corridor.

Mia turned, her eyes narrowing at my outburst. "Ruining lives? Oh, sweetie, you have no idea what real ruin looks like. This is just a taste."

I shot her a scathing look, my frustration reaching its peak. "Timothy doesn't deserve this. You're just sick! You’re a sick and twisted woman!"

Mia's lips curled into a malicious smirk. "Oh, darling, I’m sick? You’re the one involved with a murderer."

The officer by the door shot Mia a questioning look. "What do you want us to do with her?"

Mia glanced back at me, her eyes filled with a cold determination. "You know what? Release her. We're done here."

My eyes widened in surprise, my mind struggling to process Mia's sudden change of heart. "Release me? What's your game, Mia? Why not let me rot?"

She didn't answer, leaving me standing there, bewildered and still cuffed. The officer approached, unlocking the restraints that bound my wrists. As the cuffs fell away, a surge of defiance pulsed through me. Mia might have orchestrated this chaos, but I wouldn't let her control my fate.

"What about Timothy?" I demanded, my voice laced with anger. "He needs to be released too. You have no proof of your accusations."

Mia waved off my protests, her dismissive tone cutting through the air. "He's a dangerous man, Evie. I can't take the risk of him walking free."

"He's being framed! I was there, Mia! I saw what happened. Aria can vouch for us," I argued.

Mia shrugged, her indifference infuriating. "You don't know what he's capable of. He stole my gun, and who knows what horrors he might have committed."

I turned to the officers, my voice resolute. "You need to release him. You’ve got nothing on him!"

The officer exchanged glances, and one of them spoke with a tone of indifference. "We're just following orders, miss."

Orders. The word stung like a bitter betrayal. The truth had become irrelevant here.

"Come with me, Evie, we have some things to take care of," Mia ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument.

I squared my shoulders, defiance coursing through me. "I'm not going anywhere with you. You've caused enough damage already."

Mia's eyes narrowed, and a sinister smile played on her lips. "You don't have a choice. Now, come on."

I took a step back, my resolve unwavering. "I'd rather be locked up than follow you. I won't be part of whatever sick game you're playing."

Mia, undeterred, reached out and grabbed my hand. "Locking you up isn't part of the plan, sweetie. Now, come with me."