Filed To Story: Finding the Secret Daddy for My Baby Novel
Shocked, Imogen said, “This is a mistake. I was just grabbing something for a friend.”
The cops had gotten their orders to capture Imogen, not allowing her to explain herself. They cuffed her and took her into the car. Meanwhile, Shirley hadn’t gone that far. She saw Roy standing by the roadside solemnly with a few cars around him. Shirley got into one of the cars and saw Zacharias, whom she had told not to come, reviewing the store’s surveillance footage.
“Imogen has been captured. Your plan worked perfectly!” Zacharias praised her. Shirley had remained calm after finding out what the situation was, and that itself was worth praising.
“We’ll meet her at the police station next. I want to know why she did this.” Shirley still felt agonized. She couldn’t accept this betrayal.
“Sure. We’ll swing by the police station right now. We found another phone in Imogen’s room. She has deleted the text messages, but we’re getting someone to recover them. We’ll retrieve her call history, too,” said Zacharias. Now, they had enough evidence to prove that Imogen was involved in the kidnapping.
Meanwhile, Imogen was in the police car, panicking. She could only think of one person who could help her-Shirley, the one who trusted her wholeheartedly. She knew that Shirley, being her best friend, would defend her right away and clear her name. “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m Zoravia’s vice president’s bodyguard. I need to call my team now,” said Imogen, panicking.
“We’ll talk when we’re back at the police station. I don’t care who you are, but we have the power to arrest anyone suspected to be a criminal.”
“I need to make a phone call!” Imogen argued.
The police station was within sight. Imogen was eventually locked in a room, awaiting interrogation. She pleaded to make a call several times, but her requests were denied. She panicked as she paced around.
Soon, Shirley and Roy arrived. The number Imogen called belonged to the ringleader of the kidnappers, and the cops were trying to recover the deleted text messages. “They’ll recover the messages in ten minutes. We just have to wait,” said Roy.
“We have time. It’s not like she can run away,” answered Shirley. The friendship she shared with Imogen was already lost. After she saw how conniving Imogen was, she knew there was no friendship between them all along, she was only using Shirley to her advantage.
Ten minutes later, the lost messages were recovered. Shirley, through the messages, saw how Imogen exposed her true identity. She was also the one who came up with the abduction plan. The proof of betrayal sitting right before her suffocated Shirley for moments. She held up the paper and asked the cops to let her meet Imogen.
The cops knew who Shirley was, so they promptly brought her to where Imogen was locked up. Imogen was in a rut, but when she heard someone coming, she quickly held the steel bars and tried to see who it might be. To her delight, it was Shirley. “Shirley? Shirley you’re finally here! I thought you wouldn’t come.” Imogen heaved a sigh of relief, thinking Shirley had come to save her.
However, she noticed that Shirley wasn’t smiling. She was cold and indifferent. you have to prove that I’m innocent and tell them to release me.”
Shirley turned to the cop. “Give us ten minutes, please. Thank you.”
The cops left. Once they were gone, Shirley turned back to the steel bars, looking at the panicked Imogen while staring into her eyes. “Imogen, why did you tell the kidnappers everything about me?
When did you start working with them?”
Horrified, Imogen stared at Shirley in disbelief. She played dumb. “What are you talking about, Shirley? I don’t get it.”
“Stop playing dumb. See for yourself.” Shirley hurled the paper into the cell.
Imogen bent down and picked them up. When she saw the text history, she froze. It was her chat with the kidnappers. “Listen to me, Shirley. They made me do this. They were desperate for money, so they came to me. They know you and Mr. Flintstone share a deep bond, so they made me tell them everything.” Imogen’s eyes were getting red. She was trying to regain Shirley’s trust.
“Stop explaining yourself. I know full well what kind of person you are. Even back at the base, you only approached me because I was from a good family. You never saw me as a friend, only something you could use.”
Imogen froze. She didn’t think Shirley had seen through trying to regain Shirley’s trust.
“Also, you sold me out to the kidnappers for money. on a platter to them.” Shirley’s eyes flared with rage.
Since she couldn’t regain Shirley’s trust, Imogen sneered. “When did you realize it, Shirley?”
“Your operation was sloppy. It took me five years, but it’s not too late to see your true colors now,” said Shirley coldly. “You’ll pay dearly for this.”
Horrified, Imogen held the steel bars. “Do you think everyone has your luck, Shirley? You were born to privileges I never would have access to my whole life! What’s more, you have the lover that I’ll never get my whole life! Don’t call me greedy! If you were in my place, you’d end up on this side of the cell, too!”
“Good begets good. You’re bad to the bone. Even if you were in my place, you’d still end up on that side of the cell anyway,” retorted Shirley coldly. Imogen had finally shed her mask. Shirley thought Imogen would at least feel guilty, but she had overestimated this woman. She’s clearly beyond salvation.
“Of course, you can say that. Do you think you’re some sort of saint? You told me you had no feelings for Zacharias, but you still made him yours anyway. I thought you’d never try to make a move on the man I like. You betrayed me first!” Imogen sneered.
Shirley said calmly, “That was just your ploy to keep me out of the race. You managed to make me feel a little bit guilty, but I’m glad I didn’t refuse him because of your tricks. From now on, Zacharias is mine.”
Imogen’s face contorted with rage. She held the bars, snarling, “You’re not worthy of him!”
Shirley smiled. “Well, it’s not your place to comment. You will pay for your actions.”
Imogen finally realized she had to be punished for her crimes, but she sneered. “Do you think I’m just going to give up? I never give up, no matter what. As long as I’m alive, we’ll meet again, Shirley. I’ll hound you like a vengeful ghost.”
Imogen hated Shirley for exposing her; she hated Shirley for what she did to her.
“Do you think you’re going to an ordinary prison? Still thinking of tasting freedom, eh?” Shirley added coldly, “Treason either ends with a death sentence or a lifetime in prison. We’ll never meet again.”
Shirley was about to leave, and Imogen finally felt terror. She extended her hand, pleading, “Wait, Shirley. Can you get me a reduced sentence? I don’t want to stay in prison my whole life.”
Shirley left without looking back. She’d rather show mercy to anyone but Imogen.
Imogen held the steel bars, slowly sliding to the ground in despair. She closed her eyes, tears of fury and dismay streaming down her cheeks. She’d been trying to make a good life for herself, but all her efforts were ruined because of one little idea. She regretted doing this. If she hadn’t asked anyone to kidnap Shirley, she wouldn’t have noticed her schemes. Alas, there was no turning back time, and she had to pay for her actions.
When Shirley came out, Roy approached her. “We can leave now, Miss Lloyd. Imogen has to stay back for further investigation, and we’re not extraditing her.”
Shirley nodded. She wouldn’t care about Imogen’s case anymore. When she returned to the suite, Zacharias stood up and approached her.
He held her hand. “We have three days of vacation before we go home. Will you spend some quality time with me?”
Shirley nodded. “Of course.” All she wanted to do was hold on tight to the people she loved and never let go.
“I’ll pack some clothes, then. We’re leaving in half an hour,” said Zacharias. He then leaned down for a kiss. “Don’t think about anything else when you’re with me.”
Shirley smiled and nodded. “I won’t think about anything else but you.”
Zacharias ruffled her hair. She’s grown a lot after this trip, and she’s more direct about her feelings for me.
Half an hour later, under the escort of Flor’s police cars, Zacharias and Shirley were led to a resort reserved for them.
Away from the bustle of the city, the roses in the resort bloomed like fairies. When Shirley got out of the car, she thought she had landed in a fairy-tale kingdom. “It’s gorgeous.” Shirley sighed. The air was filled with the scent of roses.
Zacharias took Shirley’s hand. “Let’s go. Let’s enjoy ourselves over the next three days.”
Shirley followed him into the resort. A group of servants were welcoming them, giving them presents and flowers. Shirley took the flowers. A steward said, “Sir, madam, please take a break on the second floor. We shall serve afternoon tea shortly.”
Shirley was stunned. Madam? Do these people not know the relationship we share? Do they think I’m his wife?
Zacharias held his laughter in. He put an arm around Shirley’s shoulder and said, “Let’s head to the second floor then, madam.”