Ivy sank in a breath and covered her face with her palm. “You gonna have to stop teasing me.”
Zack released a soft chuckle, “I can’t promise that, wifey….”
Ivy shook her head and relaxed on the bed; their small argument had made her head throb slightly.
“Please Bryan, when they find Susan, inform her I’m here. I don’t want her to grow anxious…” Ivy said as she massaged her head gently.
“Yes ma’am.” Bryan nodded and left the room.
A few hours later, the detective arrived with two other police officers. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Anderson. I’m Detective Finn,” he smiled softly, extending his hand for a handshake.
Ivy returned the smile and took his hand. “Nice to meet you, detective…”
“We’ve come to collect your statement to confirm the events leading up to the kidnap. I hope you have recovered enough to answer our questions,” he asked, still with the same smile.
“Sure…” She replied, and he began. She answered all the questions in detail, then he revealed their investigation.
“We found some evidence that suggests someone else might be involved in your abduction,” the detective said, his expression serious. “Perhaps that individual is the real mastermind, Isabelle might just be the accomplice.”
Ivy’s eyes widened, her heart racing with possibilities. Could it be someone she trusted? Someone close to her? But amidst these possibilities, she strongly suspected one individual she once trusted, someone who had sworn to make her life miserable. “Who is it, detective?”
The detective hesitated before he continued. “We…. are not sure yet, but we have a few leads. We will need your help to investigate further…”
“I sense you are afraid to tell who this individual is…” Zack, who had been silent ever since, finally spoke up. “Care to tell us, detective…”
His face was etched with a frown, compelling the detective to let it loose. “Mrs. Anderson, have you come in contact with any of the Blacks recently?
Zack’s face turned sour. “That rascal….”
Ivy sighed. How could she forget she had more than one enemy, probably many who felt she was standing in their way or had ruined their plans. “Well, recently I ratted out on Jake Black for the crime of pedophilia,” she told him, crossing her arms and relaxing on the headboard.
“Currently, he is under surveillance, the ones monitoring him have yet to suspect any suspicious activities, but I will delve deeper to investigate. With what I’ll find, I believe Isabelle’s claims are true,” he stated with determination to get to the bottom of the situation. “You will need extra security, Mrs. Anderson, to ensure your safety…”
Zack turned his gaze to Ivy. “Did you hear him? He thinks you need professional security by your side at all times…”
Ivy bit her lips, obviously not liking the idea of entourages following her around. But what choice does she have, now with this new information of another threat. “Thank you, detective. Please do inform me if you think there is also another individual behind my abduction.”
The detective wrinkled his brow, thinking she might suspect someone else. “Is there someone you strongly suspect…”
Ivy’s mind drifted to the words of her sister declaring war against her, but still, she decided not to dwell on her assumption without proper investigation.
“I have offended a lot of people though. Who knows if there are more than two behind my abduction. But I’m just saying, please continue with the investigation…”
The detective nodded. “I should take my leave….”
“Thank you, detective…”
The moment the detective left the room, someone burst into the room with a face filled with concern; her eyes were watery as she stared at Ivy with relief. “Ivy! I’m so glad you’re safe…”
She hastened to Ivy and encircled her arms around her in an embrace. “Thank goodness, do you know how scared I was? I ran around like a mad woman searching for you…”
Even if she didn’t say it, Ivy already knew she did…
Ivy chuckled and held onto the gentle clutch. “I know you were worried; that’s why I wanted them to find you as soon as possible before you turned the police station upside down.”
Susan released from her embrace and looked at Ivy incredulously. “How did you know I went to the police station..?”
The expression on her face made Ivy burst into a fit of laughter. “Because I know you, Susan,” then her face turned a bit serious. “Seriously, Susan, did you really turn it upside down?”
Susan gave an awkward smile, “Well…, I only clamored for the cops to find you…”
Ivy guessed she was right; she really did make a fuss.
“Ahem…” Someone sitting around the corner cleared his throat; it was a subtle signal to Susan that she was squashing his wife. Susan turned her gaze to the figure elegantly sitting on the sofa, his intimidating aura sent her into a state of unease. She gulped, reflecting on her behavior if she had offended him in any way.
While she was still lost in her thoughts, her hands were still wrapped around Ivy, which only irked Zack more.
“You are squashing her….” His voice was stern, jolting Susan to shoot out of the bed, unfolding her hands from around Ivy. “I…. I’m sorry, Sir…”
She shuttered through her words as his countenance matched with his icy tone.
Ivy’s mouth wavered, unable to speak; sometimes she really couldn’t comprehend her husband. “Hubby… she wasn’t squashing me,” she managed to say, staring at him in disbelief of his behavior.
“Yes, she was,” Zack insisted, still with a grim face. Just then, his phone rang, and he excused himself out of the room, relieving Susan from tension.
Only when he left did Susan let out a sigh. “He is scary; I still don’t know how you got married to him…”
Ivy snorted; how she got married to Zack was a story she would never forget for the rest of her life….
Susan then sat beside her, “I think he got the message I sent. That’s how he knew you were kidnapped…”
“Yes, he did. Thanks, Susan. If you hadn’t called him, maybe I would have been in a messy situation right now…” Ivy’s face lit up with a warm smile…
Susan smiled back, then her phone dinged. “Director Tim might be expecting you for the afternoon shoot… I’ll just tell him you’re not feeling well…”
Just as she was about to inform Director Tim, a pop-up message in her notification bar made her furrow her brow, her eyes squinting in concentration.
“What is it, Susan?”