Chapter 17
A week later, the investigation into Sadie was fully concluded, and a police officer handed the results to Jacob.
His eyes held a complex depth, but Jacob had no mind for anything else.
Sadie had revealed everything she knew. Based on her confession, the courthouse dispatched a special unit, capturing the remnants of the underground group before they could flee.
Sadie was merely a pawn, her purpose to breach the defenses of Jacob, the courthouse’s negotiator, for their benefit.
Even the planting of explosives on the vessel was orchestrated by them. through Sadie.
Jacob shot up from his chair, its legs scraping harshly against the floor. Without a second thought, he rushed out.
“I demand to see Sadie!”
Sadie looked far more haggard than when he last saw her, her gaze hollow like a puppet with strings.
Jacob charged in, grabbed Sadie, and bellowed: “Where’s Allison!?”
Sadie was slow to react, her eyes shifting toward Jacob after a long pause. She rasped: “Jacob, are you here for me?”
Jacob’s eyes burned red as he shook her violently, his voice rising: “I’m
Chapter 17
asking you! Where did Allison go!?”
“You sabotaged the ship, didn’t you? Did you take her!? Did you!?”
Finally snapping to awareness, Sadie began struggling frantically.
“Get off! Allison’s dead! Blown to ashes–didn’t you see!?”
“Shut up!”
Consumed by rage, Jacob slapped her across the face.
Sadie stumbled sideways from the slap, hair falling across her face.
After clutching her cheek for a long moment, she whipped around with venomous fury. A broken laugh tore from her throat.
“She’s dead! Dead because of you! Ha ha ha-”
“You put her on that ship! You! Jacob, want to know something? I pushed her down the stairwell that day! I flaunted that necklace on purpose when you celebrated my birthday–she was awake! She saw everything!”
Jacob’s pupils contracted violently, his entire body trembling.
His horror delighted Sadie. “And that child of yours?” she crowed. “We orchestrated the car accident! Bet you never guessed!”
“Pathetic fool–dancing to my tune. You destroyed the one you loved with your own hands. She’d already given up on you. You deserved it!”
Sadie’s piercing voice echoed in the room as Jacob’s eyes turned bloodshot. He lunged forward like a madman, clamping his hands around Sadie’s neck.
Chapter 17
“Shut up shut up shut up! You deserve to die-”
His grip tightened, robbing Sadie of breath. Choking, she thrashed wildly, the whites of her eyes rolling back as foam bubbled from her mouth.
She was being strangled!
“Captain!”
“Restrain him! Now!”
Amid the chaos, figures burst in, scrambling to restrain the frenzied Jacob. Sadie lay convulsing on the floor, her face crimson.
Someone strode forward and slapped Jacob hard across the face.
“Bastard! Trying to kill her?! Remember your position!”
Jacob’s mind buzzed, deaf to everything. Pinned to the ground, tears. streamed unrestrained down his face.
“Allison……”
“Allison, I was wrong……I was truly wrong.
“Please……come back……”
Jacob had violently assaulted others in the detention cell, violating the courthouse’s organizational discipline. He received a major demerit and was suspended from duty pending thorough self–reflection.
But during this period, he uncovered another piece of information.
Allison’s dossier had been classified at a security clearance level so high that even his credentials couldn’t access it.
Chapter 17
Jacob’s heart pounded violently upon learning this, a vague realization dawning on him.
That same day, he requested an audience with Commander Lin–only to be denied.
For seven consecutive days, he persisted. Finally, he intercepted Commander Lin outside his residence and threw himself to his knees before him.
The man was utterly disheveled, so haggard he was barely recognizable.
“Commander… I beg you, just tell me if Allison is dead or alive, please…”
The commander looked at the young man with complex emotions. After a long silence, he sighed heavily. “All I can say is Comrade Allison is alive. Beyond that, I can’t reveal more,”
When Jacob heard “alive,” it felt like light flooding his dark world.
He staggered to his feet and snapped a military salute.
“Wait for me… Allison,” he rasped. “I will find you.”
