Free Web NovelChapter 21: Chapter 21: The Drama Is About Me?
This was exactly what Hector Donovan was waiting for her to say. He immediately lowered his head, pretending to consider it seriously.
After a long moment, he said, as if uncertain, "I wouldn’t go so far as to say I have enemies, but I did offend an executive in the industry a few days ago."
The female police officer pushed the glasses up her nose, her fingers flying across the keyboard with a CLACKETY-CLACK. "What’s her name? What’s her position? Why did you make an enemy of her? And how did you realize something was wrong and decide to call the police?"
Hector Donovan had already rehearsed his story before he arrived, so he recounted the entire sequence of events clearly and without hesitation.
When she heard how the executive, a woman named Jacqueline Jennings, had tried and failed to strong-arm the big star before her and had even suffered a bit of a loss in the process, the female officer’s hands were a blur on the keyboard. Her eyes, fixed on the computer screen, were sparkling with excitement.
The other staff, who had been working on different cases, and even a few small-time crooks who had been brought in next door, all dropped what they were doing and stared over, their eyes wide with interest.
Arabella Donovan, who had been standing silently to the side like a piece of the background, quietly took a step back, putting some distance between herself and her older brother.
’Gossip really is a primal human instinct. Gossiping people have gossiping souls. The way these onlookers are staring, they’re going to burn a hole right through him!’
Hector Donovan, long accustomed to being the center of attention, felt his expression stiffen. For the first time in his life, he was experiencing what it felt like to be mortifyingly embarrassed.
Perhaps realizing her own behavior was a bit unprofessional, the female officer cleared her throat and shot a warning glance at the crowd. "What are you all looking at? You have nothing better to do? Besides her, have you made an enemy of anyone else? Past grudges count, too."
After speaking, as if worried Hector might have reservations, she added, "Rest assured, every word you say here, every character I record, is classified internal information. Nothing will be disclosed without the concerned party’s permission."
Arabella discreetly scanned the surrounding people, who were all pretending to be nonchalant but couldn’t help sneaking glances over from time to time.
’Sure, what you’re recording is a secret, but what all these pairs of ears are hearing isn’t! I seriously suspect this officer is a professional gossip-monger herself!’
Mr. and Mrs. Donovan looked away, one staring at the ceiling, the other at the floor, both struggling to hold back their laughter.
Hector was already convinced Jacqueline Jennings was behind this, so he naturally wouldn’t drag other names into it and interfere with the police investigation.
Just as he was trying to figure out how to brush off the question, a young male officer in his early twenties ran out from the adjacent interrogation room.
"Vaughn, one of the guys cracked under questioning and changed his story. The drugs weren’t for Hector Donovan. They were for his sister."
"What?" The three members of the Donovan Family shot to their feet. In contrast, Arabella, the person in question, looked completely bewildered. It took her a moment to process what she’d just heard.
’What is this? The drama I was enjoying is about... me?’
Hector, however, had no time for that. He grabbed the young officer who had run out and demanded coldly, "Is that really what he said? Where is he? Where?"
The young man was startled but could understand the victim’s family’s state of mind. He did his best to calm him down. "Hey, calm down first. According to his confession, their original plan was to drug you and knock you out, then take intimate photos with you. After that, they were going to use your name to call your sister out, and then..."
What would happen "then" was self-evident. Hector’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
If finding out Jacqueline Jennings had used people close to him to get at him had left Hector feeling frustrated and wronged, it was still within his expectations and hadn’t caused a huge emotional stir.
But now, knowing that the target was Arabella, Hector was genuinely about to explode with rage.
The female officer taking the report tapped her fingers on the desk, drawing everyone’s attention back. "This is an important lead. It also means the scope of the investigation has narrowed. The perpetrator is very likely a common enemy who has a grudge against both you and your sister. Do you have any ideas on that front?"
"...Yes."
"Name, identity, reason."
"The same one I just mentioned. As for the reason, it’s because my sister stepped up to be the beauty who saved the hero when I was about to be forcefully taken away by Jacqueline Jennings. She single-handedly took on all eight of her behemoth bodyguards, grinding Jacqueline’s arrogance and sense of superiority into the dust. That’s how she offended her." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
The female officer’s hand paused. She turned, slid her glasses down her nose, and peered at them over the frames. "And your sister is... this young lady beside you?"
Arabella grinned and gave a little wave, like a lucky cat. "That’s me."
In an instant, every gaze in the hall focused on Arabella.
After seeing that she was just a small, delicate-looking girl who seemed too weak to withstand a gust of wind, everyone’s expression went completely blank.
"..." ’You have got to be kidding me!’
Enduring the female officer’s intense "Are you seriously not lying to me?" stare, Hector Donovan affirmed with unwavering certainty that everything he had said was true.
Finally, under the dazed and strange gazes of everyone present, the group concluded their routine questioning for the day.
"We will now focus our investigation on the Ms. Jennings you mentioned. We will notify you of any progress."
"How long will it usually take to get a result?"
Hector was not satisfied with this outcome. Until Jacqueline Jennings was arrested, he couldn’t set his mind at ease.
"I can’t guarantee a timeframe. I can only say we’ll begin investigating as soon as possible. As long as there’s evidence, we will definitely bring the person to justice. You can rest assured on that point."
Hector’s brow was tightly furrowed. Just as he was about to say something more, his sister’s inner thoughts timely floated over.
’You could actually check their private bank transfers. A person as arrogant as Jacqueline Jennings might just be reckless enough to use her own account to contact them. Even if she didn’t, you could follow that lead.’
A glint flashed in Hector’s eyes. He suddenly turned to Fawn Nicholson, who had been silent in the corner the entire time, and asked, "How much did Jacqueline Jennings pay you to harm me like this?"
Fawn Nicholson shuddered, her gaze toward Hector growing even more venomous.
Hector couldn’t understand why she hated him so much, nor did he care to find out.
He never expected an answer from her in the first place. When he saw the female officer look thoughtful and then make a call to have someone check transfer records, he knew his goal had been achieved.
It was late at night by the time the questioning ended. Hector and his family were just about to walk out of the police station when they were stopped by a rushing Sheldon Webb and Director Grant.
"What are you guys doing here?"
Sheldon Webb frantically grabbed the two of them and gave them a thorough once-over. Only after confirming they were both unharmed did he finally relax, saying irritably, "News about you is all over the place. How could I not come?"
Arabella and Hector exchanged a look. "What news?"
Sheldon Webb simply pulled out his phone and shoved it in front of them. "See for yourself."
The four members of the Donovan family hurriedly crowded around. Looking closely, they realized that some paparazzi had secretly taken a photo of them as they got out of the car and entered the station. Paired with the picture was a sensational headline.
"Film Emperor Hector Donovan Suspected of Arrest in Pay-for-Play Scandal"
Hector Donovan: "???"
