Con

CHAPTER 86

Elijah’s POV

+25 BONUS

I walked into the police station, the familiar scent of disinfectant hitting me as I approached the front desk. Serena had asked to see me urgently, something about having important information. I found her in a small interrogation room that they used for visiting prisoners, looking nothing like her usual self. Her hair was disheveled, dark circles marred her eyes, and she seemed to have aged overnight. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel an ounce of pity for her.

“What’s going on, Serena?” I asked as I sat down across from her, not wanting to beat around the bush.” Why did you want to talk to me?”

She glanced up, her expression weary. “I need to tell you something, Elijah. Something important.”

“What is it?” I asked straightaway, trying to gauge if she was telling the truth.

“I’m not the one behind everything,” she said quietly.

I frowned, taken aback. “What do you mean? You’ve done so many terrible things, Serena. Are you trying to pass the blame onto someone else now? And why didn’t you say that in court, huh?”

She shook her head, a hint of desperation in her eyes. “Elijah, I’m serious. I was just a pawn. There’s someone else, someone higher up.”

I scoffed, not believing her for a second. “And who might that be? Who’s the real mastermind, Serena?”

“I can’t say,” she replied, her gaze dropping to her hands folded on the table. “Not unless you can get me out of here, protect me.”

I leaned back, crossing my arms. “You expect me to believe this? That you suddenly have a change of heart and want to do the right thing? I think you’re just trying to stall, Serena, I don’t buy it.”

She looked up, desperation clear in her eyes. She glanced at the officer guarding the door, before she leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Elijah, please. You have to believe me. I’ll tell you everything, but you have to get me out of here first.”

I shook my head, standing up. “I can’t help you if you won’t help yourself, Serena. You made your bed, now you have to lie in it.” With that, I turned around and started walking out of the room.

I heard Serena’s sobs. “Please, Elijah…” she cried out.

I paused and turned back to face her. She was devastated, her tears flowing freely and her shoulders. racking hard.

I

“All I did, Elijah, was because I love you,” she cried, her voice breaking. “I hate Sophia because I realized it was her that you liked and loved all along. I did everything for you, but you never learned to love me. You couldn’t see me the way you saw her!”

She spoke with great emotion. I was stunned. I hadn’t realized Serena still had such strong feelings for me after all this time. And to hear her say that about Sophia… I felt a pang of guilt. Had I been blind to the -pain I’d caused Sophia and Reese?

I’m the reason that Sophia and Reese were almost hurt badly.

CHAPTER 86

+25 BONUS

The room’s stark lighting cast harsh shadows across Serena’s tear–streaked face. She looked at me with desperation in her eyes, her voice trembling as she declared her love once more.

“Elijah, please, you have to believe me. I never wanted any of this. I just… I just wanted us to be together. Sophia, she was always in the way. You and I… we belong together!”

Her words hung in the air, filled with agony and misery. I could see the sincerity in her eyes, but it was too late. Too much had happened, too many lies had been told. I knew deep down that Serena had orchestrated everything, manipulating situations to her advantage.

Before I could respond, Serena lunged toward me, her hands outstretched as if to grab hold of me. The guard by the door reacted instantly, stepping between us and grabbing Serena by the arms.

n me.

“Ma’am, you need to calm down,” he said firmly, his grip firm as he pulled her away from Serena fought against him, her voice rising in desperation. “No, Elijah, please, don’t leave me. I love you, I would do anything for you.”

I watched as she was dragged out of the room, her cries echoing down the corridor. I felt a little sympathy for her, but I knew that she’d brought this upon herself after all that she had done.

As I left the police station, Serena’s words echoed in my mind, leaving me shaken. Her confession, her undying love for me, and the dark path it led her down–it was all too much to process. She had admitted to wanting Sophia out of the way, claiming there was a real mastermind behind it all.

I wonder if it’s true that there’s someone else involved. I can’t think of anyone else who would want to do those things to Sophia and Reese.

I felt a sudden urge to see Sophia, to make sure she was okay, and to let her know that Serena was now behind bars.

Sophia, everything will be alright, I wanted to tell her, I’m here for you at all times and I’ll make sure that you and Reese are always safe.

Driving to her apartment felt like an eternity. My mind raced with thoughts of what I would say to her, and how I would comfort her. I wanted to be there for her, to be the rock she could lean on in this storm of

chaos.

As I parked the car and made my way to her building, my heart thumped hard and fast in my chest. I took- a deep breath and rang her doorbell, hoping she would answer.

CHAPTER 67