“Alright.” Shane knew his decision had upset her. Hence, he left to give her some space.
After closing the door behind him, he spotted Jackson outside, and his face instantly darkened.
“Shane…”
“You know Jacqueline was lying about what happened earlier, right?” fixing an emotionless stare at Jackson, Shane asked in a voice as cold as ice.
This was what Natalie had told him.
She said that Jackson already found out that Jacqueline was lying.
Jackson’s expression froze momentarily, then he nodded and sighed in resignation. “Yes. Jacqueline framed Natalie. Natalie didn’t push her.”
So it’s true.
Shane’s hands balled into fists and the temperature around him seemed to plummet drastically.
Sensing the anger simmering in his friend, Jackson apologized sincerely, “I’m sorry, Shane. I never thought Jacqueline would do something like this either.”
“Then why did you still cover for her?” Shane grabbed his collar and snarled.
Jackson parted his lips and answered calmly, “She’s the woman I love. Wouldn’t you do the same for Natalie too?”
His comeback rendered Shane speechless.
He slowly released his grip on Jackson and said through gritted teeth, “Make sure this doesn’t happen again!”
“Understood.” Jackson straightened his wrinkled collar.
Shane drew in a breath to suppress his anger before saying, “Tell Jacqueline that if she pulls something like this again, I won’t be as forgiving.”
“Why don’t you tell her that yourself?” Jackson peered at him.
Shane spun around so that his back was facing Jackson. “No thanks. I don’t feel like seeing her now.”
Jackson could understand how he felt. After all, the girl he always thought to be kind and innocent turned out to be so manipulative. It would be impossible not to get mad.
“Alright. I’ll relay your message to her,” Jackson said with a nod.
With that, Jackson took his leave as he had a surgery later on.
Meanwhile, Shane stood by the door and lit a cigarette, smoking in silence.
The next day, Natalie headed to the police station with Shane.
As the suspects in this case, Harrison and Susan were still detained in the interrogation room.
Natalie and Shane were led there by the inspector, who stopped outside the door to announce, “They’re inside.”
“Thank you.” Natalie nodded brusquely, then looked at the man beside her. “Wait for me outside. I’ll go in by myself.”
Shane nodded slightly in response.
Natalie pushed open the door to the interrogation room and went in.
The two people inside stood up at the same time upon seeing the door being opened.
“It’s you?” Susan’s expression instantly soured when she saw that it was Natalie.
Harrison also spoke from beside her. “Nat, you’re here.”
He wasn’t all that surprised to see Natalie because he already guessed that she would come for her mother’s sake.
Natalie walked toward the table and stopped opposite the two of them. Then, she coldly swept her gaze across them both.
Harrison instinctively avoided her eyes when he noticed the resentment and rage in them.
But Susan forced herself to meet Natalie’s gaze and stammered, “W-What do you want? Why are you looking at us like that?”
“Are the two of you responsible for my mom’s death?” Natalie’s nails dug into her palms as she questioned in a flat voice.
Something flickered in Susan’s eyes, but vanished as soon as it came. Then, she curled her lips into a sneer and spat, “Your mom fell down on her own. What does it have to do with us? Stop talking nonsense.”
Natalie shifted her gaze to the father.
Harrison’s grip on his walking cane tightened, and he finally nodded. “Susan is right. Your mom really fell down on her own.”
“I don’t buy that! Not for one second!” Natalie slammed both palms on the interrogation table. “Everyone knows that the two of you were on bad terms with my mom. Could it really be a coincidence that she fell down in your house? I’m willing to bet my life that there’s more to this than what you’re both saying!”
“Sure, go ahead. Think whatever you want.” Susan folded her arms over her chest and scoffed. “Even though you refuse to believe it, the truth is right in front of you. Your mom’s death has nothing to do with us. It was her own rotten luck. If only she’d paid attention to where she was going, she wouldn’t have slipped!”
