Chapter 143
She looks…gaunt.
“Mom…” I whisper.
My mother looks up.
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She freezes like she’s seen a ghost.
“Ellie?” Her voice breaks on my name as she stands too fast, hands flying to the bars between us. “What-my baby, how are you here?! What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be-”
I roll closer, my chest tight, my pulse pounding so loud it drowns out everything else. “Did you do it?” I ask, skipping every greeting, every pleasantry. “The faud the money laundry! Tell me you didn’t! No one is telling me anything, mom!”
Her eyes flick past me, to the guard standing just out of earshot.
Then she shakes her head. She seems so small, terrified.
“N-no,” she whispers. “But, honey, we can’t talk about it here.”
“Mom,” I beg, “Anything. Please I’m in the dark.”
She hesitates, her hands tightening over mine on the bars.
“They say the firm-Vivian’s father’s company-filed the charges,” she continues quieter, softer. “Extortion. Fraud. They claim they have evidence.” Her mouth trembles. “Ellie, they aren’t letting me out. Not soon. Maybe not at all.”
The room tilts.
I grip the bars so hard my fingers ache. “That’s not possible. You wouldn’t—”
“I know,” she says quickly, tears spilling now. “I know. But they’re powerful. And they’ve already decided. I don’t know why he would-”
She stops, like she can’t even think about it without breaking.
I lean forward, forehead nearly touching the bars. “I’ll fix it,” I say, fierce and desperate. “I don’t care how. I promise you. I
will.”
She presses her hand to my cheek, hand cuffs jingling. “Ellie. You’re sick. On your near deathbed. You need to go back, don’t worry about me—”
“I swear,” I say, my voice cracking. “I won’t let them do this to you.”
Sarah is forced to pull me away before she can answer.
“Time’s up.” The guard echoes.
Back at the clerk’s desk, he looks nervous as we show up again.
I wheel up, pale and sweating, my hands trembling so badly I have to brace one against the counter.
“I need to file for bail,” I say. “Or a review. Or something. There has to be something.”
“Miss, it doesn’t matter who you are, that won’t be possible.”
I explain. I plead. I argue. I cite procedures I barely remember from class. I ask for exceptions, for temporary release, for compassion.
Chapter 14%
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Every answer is the same.
Denied.
Not authorized.
Out of jurisdiction.
Above your clearance.
Every door closes in my face with a polite smile.
By the time Sarah steers me back outside, my hands are numb, my vision dim at the edges.
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs, one arm wrapped tight around my shoulders. “Ellie, I’m so sorry.”
I nod, because if I open my mouth I might scream.
Then-
No pain. No dizziness. It’s suddenly gone.
I freeze. Usually that only happens when-
Sarah stares. “Ellie?”
“What the “I start.
“Ellie?”
The voice cuts through the air, sharp with alarm.
We turn.
Dominic stands a few yards down on the steps, eyes locked on me like I’m some ghost. His jaw is tight, his shoulders tense, grocery bags in his arms.
“What are you doing out of bed?” he demands, surprise bleeding through the irritation.
I don’t answer that.
I just stare at him, really stare, and suddenly everything clicks into place with terrifying clarity.
The relief.
“Dominic,” I say, standing, stepping toward him before he can react.
He stiffens. “Ellie-”
“Take me to your father,” I say, the words tumbling out fast and desperate. “Right now.”
He blinks. “What?”
“I need him,” I insist. My chest tightens as the ache threatens to creep back in, faint but real. “Please. I don’t have time to explain.”
He hesitates, eyes searching my face.
So I grab his hand.
My fingers lock around his like it’s instinct, like my body knows something my pride has been fighting for weeks.
“Please,” I whisper, clinging to him.
Chapter
He looks down at our joined hands.
Then back at me.
And whatever he sees there makes his expression harden.
“Okay,” he says quietly. “I’ve got you.”
He pulls his phone out instantly, “Yeah. Yeah, bring the car around.”
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