Chapter 82

Rudolf's POV
“I’ve got my men with me and I’ve already coordinated with the local police,” I said, trying to make things clear to her. “You’ve gone too far, Hannah. It’s time to face this.”
She started to back away, trying to break free. “Rudolf, listen! I can explain everything!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the noise of the store.
But I didn’t want to hear any excuses or defenses. The atmosphere in the store was quickly turning tense. Several other customers were watching, but I didn’t care. My focus was on Hannah.
She tried to run for the door, but I was close enough to block her path. Just then, two police officers who had been waiting outside entered the store and rushed toward us.
“It’s her!” one of the officers shouted, pointing at Hannah. “We’ve had a report on her.”
Hannah jumped back, but another officer grabbed her. “Hannah, you have to come with us. This is over.”
“I’m not going! This isn’t fair!” she shouted, trying to shake the policeman’s hand off her. However, it was useless, because they were able to control the situation well.
Meanwhile, I stood aside, feeling mixed feelings. On one hand, I felt relieved that she was finally caught and could be held accountable for her actions. But on the other hand, there was a sense of sadness seeing someone who was once so close, trapped in an act that made her like this.
After Hannah was brought before the police, they read her her rights seriously. She looked at me with a look mixed with anger and regret. “This is all your fault, Rudolf! You can’t do this to me!”
“I can’t let you continue living this way, Hannah. What you do has consequences,” I replied firmly, trying to keep my tone steady.
The police then began the procedure, taking Hannah out of the store. Meanwhile, I could feel the tension inside me starting to ease. This was the right move, and although it was difficult, I knew that this was the right time to close this chapter in my life.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight on my shoulders starting to disappear. After finishing my business with Hannah, I went straight back to the hotel where I was staying. I should be relieved, but the truth is, it’s going to take some time to fully heal.
Tonight, I need to rest. As soon as I get to my room, I call Mikayla. Her soft voice fills my heart with a sense of calm. “Mikayla, I wanted to let you know that Hannah has been caught.”
I can hear her sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. “Oh, Rudolf, that’s such a relief! I’m so glad to hear it! Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” I say, trying to sound calm even as the exhaustion creeps up on me. “I want you to know that this is the right thing to do. Now, they’re going to bring her back to our country.”
“That was great! I always knew you could pull this off. Thank you for protecting us, Rudolf. You’re great,” Mikayla replies, her tone warm and supportive.
Hearing her voice gives me renewed hope. “Nothing is more important than my family. I just want to be home with you and the kids,” I say, sincerely.
“We’ll celebrate later, okay? We’ll spend some quality time together,” she said with infectious enthusiasm. Her enthusiasm made me feel like all of this was worth it.
After a while of talking, I felt my heart lighten. Knowing that Mikayla was by my side, despite the distance between us, made me feel calmer. We shared plans for spending time together when I got back, and I could feel the warmth and affection that was so desperately needed.
After the conversation ended, a series of pent-up feelings began to take over me. I took a break, but my mind was still wandering, reminiscing about everything that had happened.
The next day, I was called to the local police station to give a full statement about the situation with Hannah. On the way to the police station, various thoughts were racing through my mind. I knew that this was my chance to explain everything that had happened, but I also felt a sense of tension weighing on me.
When I arrived there, I was greeted by the officers who had handled me earlier. They took me to an interrogation room, where I was to give a more detailed statement. “I will explain everything,” I said, trying to remain calm.
I began to describe my encounter with Hannah, how I learned that she had changed her identity and all the information I had managed to gather. However, as I explained, I was surprised to find that something new emerged.
“Rudolf,” one of the officers said, when I finished speaking. “There is something you need to know. We have just received additional information about Hannah.”
I gaped in disbelief. “What do you mean?” I asked, suspicious as I saw the seriousness on the officer’s face.
“After we caught her, we discovered that there was a bigger network behind her,” the officer explained. “She’s involved with a much more dangerous group than we thought. It’s not just about disguising her identity, but she’s also connected to a much wider criminal enterprise.”
My heart raced at the information. How could this be? Curiosity and fear began to creep into me. If all of this was true, then the situation at hand was not just a personal matter, but could threaten many people.
“Usually, people who commit identity fraud are involved in much more serious matters,” the officer said, emphasizing the importance of this information. “We were wondering if you could give us more information about your relationship with her and how you came to be involved in this.”
My shock deepened.
I felt like I was about to drag the shadows of my past into something deeper and more dangerous. Not only was I protecting my family, but now I had to make sure that no one else was threatened by Hannah’s decisions.
Taking a deep breath, I replied, “I’ll do whatever I can to help you get to the bottom of this. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”