Chapter 294 A Reassuring Smile
The sirens wailed, cutting through the air, and soon enough, the cops showed up. The once chaotic café started to quiet down as they made their presence known.
Officer Byron, leading the charge, stood at the entrance, looking all serious as he took in the scene. He sniffed the air, catching a hint of gasoline, and frowned. "Who called the cops?" he asked.
A middle-aged guy with glasses stepped up, looking pretty anxious. "Officer, thank goodness you're here. I called. I was just having my coffee when I heard that woman screaming. She pulled a bottle out of her bag and threw its contents at the person across from her. It smelled like gasoline. It was terrifying."
Byron glanced at the guy with glasses, then at Anne, who was pinned to the floor. "And then? What happened after she threw the gasoline?" he asked.
The guy with glasses thought for a moment. "She seemed really unstable. After throwing the gasoline, she shouted something about making the other person pay, then pulled out a lighter. I knew it was serious, so I called the police right away. Someone tackled her, and we managed to restrain her."
Byron nodded and then called out, "Where's the victim?"
Alaric, looking pretty composed despite his slightly messed-up shirt, stepped forward and handed over his ID. He looked at me and said, "I'm a friend of the victim. This lady here is the victim."
Byron took Alaric's ID, a flicker of surprise crossing his serious face. He checked the ID carefully before handing it back to Alaric with respect. "I didn't expect you and your friend to face such danger in our area. That's on us. Thankfully, it didn't get worse."
Alaric nodded slightly, staying calm. "Please make sure to investigate thoroughly to prevent such dangerous incidents from happening again."
Byron nodded and then quickly walked over to me. I was still shaken, my body trembling.
Seeing my condition, he softened his expression. "Miss, there's no need to be afraid. I'm the officer in charge of this case. You're safe now. Please tell me everything that happened."
I took a deep breath to steady myself and explained how Anne had hired a hacker to breach the Howard Group's network, set up a meeting with me, and then unexpectedly threw gasoline on me in the coffee shop, trying to set me on fire. Byron listened carefully, while a young officer behind him took notes. After questioning me, Byron turned to the remaining crowd in the coffee shop and started interviewing them one by one. Some people shook their heads, sighing at the horror of such an incident in an ordinary coffee shop. Others whispered curiously about my relationship with Anne. Most were still in shock, saying nothing.
By this time, Anne had been pulled up from the floor, her hands cuffed behind her back. Her eyes were still filled with fury as she glared at me, shouting, "Why are you arresting me? She's the real culprit! She took everything from me. Don't let her fool you!"Byron walked up to her, his voice steady. "You can explain everything at the station. For now, just cooperate with the investigation."
Anne got even more worked up. "Cooperate? Why should I? It's because of her that I just got out of prison. I only wanted justice. She drove me to this!"
Her voice was high-pitched, echoing through the café and making everyone gasp.
Byron frowned and repeated, "We're just doing our job. We'll look into everything you mentioned. Now, please be quiet and don't obstruct justice."
But Anne wasn't having it. She kept thrashing and cursing, ignoring the cops and everyone around her.
Byron sighed and told the officers holding Anne, "Take her away."
As Anne's shouts and struggles faded, the chaos in the café finally started to calm down.
Byron turned to me, speaking politely, "We may need your cooperation for the ongoing investigation. Rest assured, we will handle this according to the law and ensure justice is served."
I nodded slightly, giving him a tired smile.
Once the police had left, Alaric looked at me with concern. "Diana, are you alright? I really think we should head to the hospital for a check-up. That gasoline came out of nowhere, and I'm worried it might have hurt you."
I glanced down at my gasoline-soaked clothes, feeling a mix of embarrassment and guilt. "Alaric, I'm really sorry for dragging you into this and wasting your time. You should go back to work. I can handle this."
But Alaric shook his head gently, his voice firm. "What are you talking about? I chose to come with you. How could this be your fault? Besides, our company is now responsible for the Howard Group's network security. You're my client, and ensuring your safety is part of my job. And beyond work, we're friends. How could I leave a friend in danger?"
He gave me a reassuring smile.
Unable to refuse, I followed Alaric to the hospital. Throughout the journey, he was attentive to my emotional state, constantly checking to make sure I was okay.
At the hospital, the doctor conducted a thorough examination.
After the check-up, the doctor looked at us seriously. "While the tests show no immediate physical damage, considering your exposure to gasoline and the shock you've gone through, I recommend staying overnight for observation. This is to rule out any potential complications, such as inhalation pneumonia."
Hearing this, I hesitated, about to say I felt fine and didn't need to stay. But Alaric spoke first, "We'll follow your recommendation and stay for observation. It's safer to have medical supervision."
He then turned to me, his gaze firm yet gentle. "Diana, listen to the doctor. Stay overnight for observation. It's better to be safe and have any issues addressed immediately."
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