Odyssey Of Survival

Vanessa stepped out of the car, her boots landing heavily on the concrete as she slammed the door shut. Josh got out beside her, his face composed but serious. The precinct buzzed with tension even from outside—she could feel it in the air, like static before a storm. Her gut twisted with unease.

Something was wrong.

Her heart thumped harder with every step she took toward the building. It wasn't just the case. It wasn't just the gruesome scene from earlier. This was something else—something deeper. A gnawing suspicion that clung to her like a shadow.

The moment they entered the station, the atmosphere hit them like a wall.

Officers paced the hallway nervously. Papers were being shuffled too quickly. Whispers filled the space. Everyone looked tense, and no one met Vanessa's eyes.

Josh frowned. "What the hell is going on in here?"

A young female officer, uniform slightly rumpled and face pale, stepped forward. "We… we tried interrogating him," she said hesitantly. "But he won't talk."

Josh's face twisted with frustration. "We're dealing with a fucking murder here. This isn't a game. Treat him like a damn criminal!"

The officer flinched slightly but held her ground. She bit her lower lip nervously before answering, "It's not that we don't want to, sir. It's just… nobody wants to hurt him."

Josh narrowed his eyes. "And why the hell is that?"

She hesitated again before answering, her voice steadier this time. "Because we don't have anything on him. No fingerprints at the scene. No DNA. No fibers. Nothing. And…"

"And what?" Josh snapped.

The officer drew in a breath and, with a perfectly straight face, said, "Sir, with all due respect, nobody with that kind of face would commit a murder."

Josh blinked, stunned. "What the fuck are you talking about? What does his face have to do with anything?"

Her answer was painfully professional, delivered with unsettling sincerity. "He might be the most handsome man I've ever seen in my entire life."

Vanessa's temple throbbed.

No doubt.

She already knew who it was.

She didn't need to check the logs. She didn't need a lineup or a confirmation. That last line was all the proof she needed.

Her boots echoed sharply across the floor as she turned away from the conversation and stormed toward the interrogation wing. She didn't knock. She didn't pause.

And there he was.

Liam.

Sitting calmly in the cold steel chair, both hands placed neatly on the table in front of him, a pair of cuffs clasped around his wrists. His left hand and wrist were tightly bandaged.

He didn't look broken or angry. He looked… smug. Not the annoying kind—just the type that said everything was happening exactly the way he wanted it to.

Vanessa's jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

Her blood boiled.

She didn't say a word. She spun on her heel and left the room before she did something she'd regret—like tear the whole station down brick by brick.

Liam tilted his head slightly as the door slammed shut behind her. He smiled faintly and nodded to himself.

Just as I wanted.

Outside, Vanessa stormed down the hall until she saw Josh giving orders to two patrol officers. She didn't hesitate. Her voice cut across the station like a blade.

"What the hell is the meaning of this?"

The precinct fell silent in an instant.

Josh turned around slowly, brows furrowing at her tone. "Are you challenging my words, Officer Carter?"

Every cop within earshot froze. Publicly questioning the Chief wasn't just frowned upon—it was professional suicide. But Vanessa didn't care. She was too far past the point of no return.

"Yes," she said, her tone cold and firm. "I am."

Gasps echoed quietly. Someone dropped a pen.

She stepped forward, her voice rising with every word. "At first, I thought it was strange that you ordered an arrest based on your nephew's word. Now you bring a man in, an injured man, handcuff him like some serial killer, all without a shred of evidence?! What kind of joke is this, Chief?"

Josh's eyes narrowed. "He's a suspect in a murder investigation—"

Vanessa didn't let him finish. "No. He's a scapegoat. And you know it."

Just then, a male officer hurried toward them, his voice low but urgent. "Officer Carter," he said, trying to keep things calm, "please… watch how you speak to the Chief."

She shot him a glare, but he continued. "We checked. During the time of the murder… Liam never returned home. He was gone all night. He has no alibi."

That did it.

Vanessa slammed the heel of her boot into the floor, the loud thunk ringing out like a gavel in a courtroom.

"That's because he was with me, you idiots!"

Her voice reverberated through the station.

Everyone stared.

Josh blinked, stunned.

Vanessa's cheeks flushed, but her expression didn't falter. "He was with me the whole night. So unless you're accusing me of murder too, you're going to let him go."

Silence.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Josh shook his head slowly, his arms crossing tightly over his chest as he glared at Vanessa. "You're letting your feelings cloud your judgment," he said sharply. "You might just be sentimental because of his looks."

But Vanessa didn't even blink.

Her voice was colder now, firmer. "No. I'm stating facts. Liam forgot his house key at school yesterday. He slept at my place. The entire night."

Gasps whispered around them again. The tension in the precinct was so thick it could be sliced with a knife.

Josh's expression darkened. "You let a man you barely know spend the night at your place? That's highly unprofessional."

Vanessa's glare could've cut through steel. "What I do in my personal time is none of your business. We're talking about false arrest, not my dating life."

The room fell silent again. Nobody dared say a word.

Vanessa turned, scanning the room. "Who arrested him?"

One of the younger female officers slowly raised her hand, looking more nervous by the second.

Vanessa's eyes snapped to her. "Where?"

The officer swallowed hard. "I-I found him standing in front of the school gate. He was… just there. So I brought him in."

Vanessa looked at Josh, her face a mix of disbelief and vindication. "See?! He was in front of the damn school. That's proof right there!."

Josh remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together.

"He didn't flee. He didn't resist," she added, voice rising. "He stood there calmly and let himself be arrested. Does that sound like someone trying to escape justice? Or does that sound like someone who knows damn well he's done nothing wrong?"

Still, Josh didn't reply.

But the rest of the station was already shifting. Officers whispered among themselves, exchanging glances. The weight of Vanessa's words was undeniable.

Meanwhile, in a towering penthouse overlooking the city, luxury oozed from every corner. The skyline flickered in the background, neon lights casting a faint glow across the sleek interior.

Lilith sat elegantly on a velvet armchair, her long, toned legs crossed as she swirled a glass of red wine in her hand. She wore a silk black robe over her usual fitted nightgown, its plunging neckline offering a dangerous glimpse of her flawless skin. Her golden-blonde hair shimmered under the soft light.

Across from her, Leo was hunched on a low leather couch, phone in hand as he scrolled through confirmation emails. "Shipment's in," he said. "Everything checked out. Even the custom blades."

Lilith gave a slow nod. "Good."

Suddenly, the television screen behind them changed. The volume was low, but the words "BREAKING NEWS" in bold red caught their attention.

Lilith leaned forward and pressed the remote.

The screen came to life with the image of two news anchors—one a well-groomed man in his forties, and the other a stunning brunette woman with sharp makeup and a gleaming smile. They sat poised behind a sleek news desk.

"Well, Mark," the woman began with a chipper tone, "in what's shaping up to be one of the most gruesome crimes of the year, the police have already apprehended a suspect. Less than twelve hours after the body was discovered!"

The man beside her, Mark, nodded with approval. "Incredible response time. This is the kind of swift justice the city has been needing. Credit where credit is due."

The woman smiled, pride gleaming in her expression. "Indeed. Hats off to the police department for such an efficient operation. They didn't waste any time."

She touched the tiny earpiece in her right ear suddenly, listening for a beat. Her smile widened. "And now, we have an exclusive video of the suspect being arrested. Viewers at home, this is your first look at the face of true evil."

The screen faded into security footage.

The moment it appeared—Liam standing in front of the school gate, completely calm, hands casually tucked in his pockets—Lilith stiffened.

The footage showed officers surrounding him. Liam didn't resist. In fact, he barely moved. He simply turned, allowed himself to be cuffed, and walked with them without complaint.

The pretty anchorwoman, watching the footage live for the first time, unconsciously whispered, "Wow…"

It wasn't scripted. It wasn't rehearsed. It slipped from her lips without thought.

She blinked, visibly flustered, realizing she'd just reacted on-air—to Liam's face.

The male anchor coughed awkwardly, quickly switching topics as the screen returned to them. "Uh—well, as you can see, the suspect remains composed. We'll keep you updated on the investigation."

But the woman couldn't stop looking at the monitor.

Back in the penthouse, Lilith dropped her head into one palm, groaning. "For fuck's sake…"

Leo looked up, brows furrowed. "Wait, that's…"

"Yes," she snapped. "It's Liam."

"What the hell is he doing getting arrested?!"

Lilith didn't answer.

She just stared at the screen, her lips twitching.

Liam's face was still frozen on the broadcast. Even while being arrested, even in cuffs, there was that same unreadable smirk playing on his lips. Like a man who knew exactly what he was doing.

Lilith leaned back slowly, sipping her wine as the irritation melted into something else.

A crooked smile.

"That bastard…" she murmured. "Whatever he's doing—he's enjoying every damn second of it."

She shook her head, amused and exasperated all at once. "I swear… if he's playing some game again, he better make it worth the mess he's about to cause."

Leo exhaled. "Should we pull him out?"

Lilith smirked. "No. Let's see how deep he wants to dive this time."