Chapter 27

That morning, the atmosphere at The Jackal's headquarters was strange. Alice walked down the usually crowded corridor, but today, everyone she met seemed to shy away, their eyes avoiding her gaze. The sound of her steps echoed in the strange silence, creating an uncomfortable silence. She tried to act okay, but her heart was racing, and anxiety crept into her mind.

Every time she said hello, the response was only soft and disjointed, as if a distance had suddenly formed between her and the other members. "What's wrong with them?" she wondered, trying not to show her confusion.

Passing by a room that was usually a gathering place, Alice heard a loud noise coming from inside. Without thinking, she approached to listen more clearly. What she heard surprised her.

"Jimmy, I can't believe we found that letter!" Miranda's voice sounded full of uncertainty. "This means... Alice is still connected to MFH. Can we really trust her?"

"Miranda, the fingerprints are on the letter! We can't ignore this evidence," Jimmy replied, his voice firm but laced with doubt. "We have to tell the others. If she really is a traitor, we can't let her be here."

Alice felt something very uncomfortable come over her. She wanted to scream, wanted to deny all the accusations, but all that energy was stuck in her throat. She tried to stay calm and listen further.

"So, you're sure she's planning to betray us? She's going to report everything we do to the MFH?" Miranda asked again, her voice trembling.

"Just look at the contents of her letter. She's willing to do anything for MFH, even if it means betraying us!" Jimmy replied in a frustrated tone. "We can't trust Alice anymore. She'll ruin everything."

Tears began to well up in Alice's eyes, but she held them back. The pain she felt went much deeper than mere accusations, it was the betrayal of people she once considered friends. She didn't know what letter they were talking about, but every word they spoke was like a thorn piercing her heart.

"This can't be true..." she whispered to herself. "They can't possibly believe that I... betrayed them."

Suddenly, the door to the room opened, and Jimmy and Miranda stepped out. They were both surprised to see Alice standing outside, her face pale and full of fear. The two looked at each other, confusion clearly painted on their faces.

"Alice...," Miranda began, but Alice didn't give them a chance to speak.

"I didn't know about the letter!" she shouted, her voice loud and full of emotion. "I never planned to betray anyone! You have to believe me!"

But when she saw Jimmy and Miranda's faces, the will to defend herself seemed to disappear. Both looked indecisive, but there was no conviction in their gazes. Jimmy shook his head, as if he wanted to ignore everything he had just heard.

"Alice, we... we're just discussing what we found. That evidence..." Jimmy tried to speak softly, but Alice didn't want to hear.

"Evidence? What evidence can you use to accuse me? I didn't do anything!" Alice felt her heart getting heavier. "I don't want to be kicked out of here again. I've suffered enough!"

Miranda looked even more emotional. "We don't want to make you feel this way, but... this is serious, Alice. If anyone else hears about this, they can think the same. Trust is everything here."

"I did everything I could to prove myself!" she cried, tears beginning to flow. "But now, you're questioning my loyalty? Do you even know how hard this has been for me?"

Both were silent, seemingly confused by Alice's emotions. Her disappointment and pain were getting harder and harder to contain, and she felt the desire to defend herself overflowing. "You know who I am! I'm not a traitor!" she shouted, her voice growing louder. "I don't want to go back to a place where I'm rejected and unwanted!"

Jimmy and Miranda looked at each other again, this time with deeper guilt. "Alice..." Miranda began, but Alice didn't want to hear any more.

"I need time to think," she said in a flat voice, turning and walking away from them. She didn't want to see them, didn't want to hear anything that could break her heart even further. Every step felt heavy, as if the burden she had to carry was increasing.

Anxiety enveloped her as she walked down the corridor, not knowing where to go. All she wanted was to fight for her place in The Jackal, but now it all felt futile. She could feel the eyes of the people around her; some cast suspicious glances, while others showed sympathy, but it all felt like an invisible wall separating her and them.

When she arrived at the information room, Alice paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. The room was a place that had always given her comfort, but today, she felt alienated in the place she loved the most. Carefully, she stepped inside and locked the door behind her, hoping to spend some time alone.

Inside, it was quiet and calm, but before long, her mind was filled with the voices of the debate she had just heard. She sat on one of the chairs, biting her lower lip, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to fall. Why was all this happening? Why didn't they believe her?

Hoping to distract her mind, Alice reached for a book lying on the table. She began to read, but every word seemed to flow without meaning. Pain and uncertainty clouded her mind, making it difficult to focus.

Not long after, the door to the room opened, and a familiar figure appeared. It was Jhonny. He looked surprised to see Alice, and his facial expression showed concern.

"Alice, are you okay?" he asked, his steps quickly approaching Alice.

Alice raised her head, but could not hold back the tears that finally fell. "No... not good." Her voice sounded weak and hopeful.

Jhonny looked at her intensely, as if trying to read what was going on in her mind. "What's going on? Why does everyone seem different to you?"

Alice shook her head, feeling her heart pounding. "They... they don't believe me, Jhonny. There's a letter going around, and they think I'm still connected to MFH. They think I'm a traitor."

Jhonny's face instantly changed, his eyes blazing with anger. "Who spread that information? This can't be allowed!"

"I don't know! Jimmy and Miranda talked about it. I don't know who made the letter, but... but those fingerprints... they're not mine!" She felt desperate, eager to prove her innocence.

Jhonny frowned, trying to digest everything Alice had just said. "I'll find out. We need to stop all this before it gets worse."

"Don't you understand? It's not just about the letter. It's about trust," she said, her voice beginning to tremble. "I can't let myself be accused like this. I don't want to lose everything again."

Jhonny stepped closer, looking at her deeply. "Alice, I'm here to help you. You won't be alone in this. I believe in you. We will find the truth."

A sense of hope returned to her, though it was still shrouded in pain. "But what if others don't believe me? What should I do if they still consider me a traitor?"

"Don't let them determine who you are," Jhonny replied, his voice firm. "I will stand by you. We will prove your innocence."

Alice looked at Jhonny, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of relief. "Thank you, Jhonny."