Free Web NovelChapter 19: The break-in
Lyvana stepped out of her car in front of Aurora, dressed in a neatly pleated skirt and a crisp blouse. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
A white police car was parked in front of the curb.
A yellow warning tape stretched across half the sidewalk, blocking off the entrance.
Beside the tape, a policeman with a big belly stood, sipping coffee from a paper cup.
Inside, the boutique was a mess. Tables were turned over, and their beautiful clothes were scattered everywhere.
Two other policemen were in the back, taking notes while talking to Sarah and the sales staff.
Bertha rushed over as soon as she saw Lyvana. Her face was pale and she looked like she had been crying.
"Bertha, what happened?" Lyvana asked, her voice shaking slightly.
"Ms. Lyvana," Bertha said quickly. "Some people... they broke in."
Lyvana’s jaw tightened. "What?"
"Yes, Ms. Lyvana," Bertha said. "The alarm went off in the middle of the night, but by the time anyone got here, they were gone."
Lyvana looked around the room. Her mind was racing.
Did they steal her new designs? freewёbnoνel.com
One of the officers walked over to her.
"Ma’am, are you the owner?"
"Yes," Lyvana said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"We need a list of anything missing or damaged."
Lyvana nodded slowly. "Did you catch the culprits?" she asked them.
"Not yet," the officer replied. "We’re still gathering details, but once our investigation is complete, we’ll brief you on our findings."
Lyvana didn’t say anything. She looked at a shredded gown on the floor and felt a cold anger rising in her chest. She didn’t need the police to tell her who did this.
She scanned the room. Lucille stood in the corner, mechanically tidying up a fallen rack. She quickly rushed to her.
"Did they destroy the new designs?" Lyvana asked.
Lucille shook her head immediately. "No, Ms. Lyvana. I didn’t leave them out. I locked everything away in the storage room, in the back vault before leaving last night."
Lyvana released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
"You are a genius," she said with a smile.
Lyvana stepped away from the mess, walking toward the quiet back office. She dialed her grandmother’s house.
The butler answered on the first ring. "Montclair residence. How may I assist you?"
"It’s Lyvana. Please put my grandmother on the line."
"Of course, Ms. Lyvana. One moment."
After a pause, lady Glowen’s voice came through the line.
"Lyvana."
"There was a break-in at Aurora last night, Grandmother," Lyvana said, her eyes fixed on a broken mirror in the hallway. "The shop was ransacked."
She heard her grandmother gasp. "Oh, heavens! Are you hurt? Was anyone there?"
"No one was hurt grandmother," Lyvana said quickly. "But the police haven’t made any arrests yet. They are still gathering details."
"That simply won’t do," Lady Glowen said. "The police can be so slow with these things. Perhaps you should speak with Mark. He has so many connections. I’m sure he could help the police find these criminals."
Lyvana’s face went cold. Her grandmother still believed Mark was the hero of this story.
"I’ve got it under control, Grandmother. I’m already ordering a better security system. I just wanted to let you know so you don’t hear it from the news first."
"Call me the moment they find any suspects. And Lyva darling if the police don’t make progress soon, let me know. I have a few friends who can make sure they don’t stay clueless for long. If you need anything let me know. You’re a brave girl, Lyvana."
Lyvana felt a lump in her throat. "Thank you, Grandmother. I’ll take care of it right away."
As Lyvana hung up, she felt a surge of confidence. With her grandmother’s backing, she was confident all would be well.
After the police left, Lyvana and Lucille packed the design samples neatly into a secure file. Lyvana figured it was safer to keep the samples at her apartment until the new security was installed.
They walked toward the entrance as the others did the cleaning. But the moment they stepped outside, white light exploded in their faces.
Click. Click. Click.
The flashes were so bright that Lyvana had to squint. Suddenly, a swarm of reporters were surrounding them, pushing microphones to her face.
"Was Aurora targeted?"
"Do you suspect sabotage?"
"Have they arrested any suspects?"
"Is this related to your involvement with gang rivals?"
Where had they come from? The question about gang rivals made her blood run cold. She wasn’t involved with any gangs.
She had expected some news article reporting the incident but not a swarm of reporters.
As they struggled to reach her car, a large, buff man suddenly stepped in front of her. He was built like a wall, and he easily pushed the reporters back to create a path.
"Ms. Montclair," the man said. "I am Marco. Mr Blackwood sent me to protect you. Can I get your permission to get you out of here safely."
"Yes," she said. "Please, get us out of here."
Marco nodded once. He used his broad shoulders to carve a path through the reporters.
"Step back!" He barked at a photographer who tried to block their way. The man scrambled away, intimidated by Marco’s size.
They reached a sleek, black SUV that was idling at the curb. Marco pulled the door open and ushered them inside. The moment the door slammed shut, the noise of the shouting reporters vanished.
Lyvana sank back into the leather seat. Someone wasn’t just trying to destroy her shop. They were trying to destroy her name. By linking her to gangs, they were making her toxic to the fashion world.
They got to her apartment building, thankfully there were no reporters there.
Once they were inside her apartment, Lucille placed the file of designs onto her table.
"Are you okay, Ms. Lyvana?" she asked.
Lyvana nodded.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her arms. It was a call from Mark.
Lyvana stared at the screen.
"Lucille, go into the kitchen and make us some coffee. I need to take this."
"Alright Ms Lyvana," she said walking towards the kitchen.
She swiped to answer.
"Lyvana! My God, I just saw the news," Mark’s voice came through, sounding perfectly frantic. "Are you alright? Where are you?"
