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Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Valerie remained calm and composed the entire time. However, when Juliette was being taken away, she secretly recorded a short video, clearly capturing both Juliette and the person who appeared to be the wealthiest in the room.
The lead officer gave Vaterie a meaningful glance and said, “Next time, be more careful about the friends you make. Not every friendship is worth pursuing.”
“Thank you, officer,” Valerie said with a polite smile, looking entirely well–behaved.
The officer then took her statement and left quickly.
In a good mood, Valerie hummed a little tune as she walked toward the car where Phillip was waiting. She got into the car without a second thought.
In her previous life, Juliette had not only entered the entertainment industry as a dual–role actress and singer but had also found her biological parents and become a wealthy young lady.
Her success was largely tied to her group of friends.
Now, after Juliette had found herself in such a mess, Valerie wondered, ‘Would this group of friends still treat her the same? Could everything go as smoothly as it did in her previous life, leading her to become a winner in life? That doesn’t seem so certain anymore.
Phillip, glancing at the obviously cheerful Valerie through the rearview mirror, drove her home. After dropping her off, he hesitated for a moment before dialing Aiden’s number.
Aiden had just landed when he received Phillip’s call.
Seeing the caller ID, Aiden immediately assumed that Valerie had gotten herself into trouble again. After all, Phillip had worked for him for years, and it was rare for him to make a call.
He answered the phone and said, “What’s going on?”
Phillip carefully chose his words before replying, “Aiden, I think something’s off with Mrs. Walker.”
Aiden stretched and casually leaned back in his chair. “What’s the issue?”
Phillip hesitated, then said, “Not long after you left tonight, Mrs. Walker went to the police station.”
Aiden’s relaxed demeanor faltered. His brows furrowed slightly. “What happened?”
“She went there to… file a report. Mrs. Walker reported Miss Scott.”
“Miss Scott?” Aiden asked, clearly confused.
“Yes, Mrs. Walker’s best friend–Juliette.”
Aiden crossed his legs, silent for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Phillip cleared his throat before continuing, “I don’t know all the details, but after Mrs. Walker filed the report, the police responded quickly. I drove her to the bar, and she gave me a room number, telling me to report them for drug use… I didn’t expect that, not long after, Juliette and about ten others were escorted out. Looks like it was real.”
Aiden’s eyes narrowed slightly as he processed this. His brow furrowed unconsciously.
Phillip went on, “But I don’t understand. Juliette is supposed to be Mrs. Walker’s close friend, right? They’ve been like sisters. Why would Mrs. Walker report her for drug use? Was she trying to get her to turn things around?
“That’s a pretty extreme approach, isn’t it? One wrong move, and she could end up in jail, ruining her reputation forever.
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Chapter 24
“If that’s not the case, why would Mrs. Walker do something like this?”
Phillip was clearly perplexed.
At this, Aiden leaned back in his chair, eyes half–closed in thought. He fell into a long silence.
Since that night he had forced her, she seemed to have changed.
Her sudden softening made him consider several possibilities. He thought, ‘Maybe she has finally come to her senses and wants to continue our relationship properly.
‘Or perhaps she is playing a game of pretending to surrender, hoping to lower my guard so she can sneak off with her lover while my attention is diverted. That seems like a very real possibility.‘
But the changes in her were starting to reach a point he couldn’t understand.
When it came to Arianna, she was confident and arrogant, a kind of bad that was almost striking in its boldness.
But with him? She reverted back to that fearful, wary demeanor, like someone facing a predator. And what surprised him even more was that, after he walked out, she went and caused this huge mess…
Aiden thought, ‘If she just wants to throw me off and prepare for an escape, she doesn’t need to go this far. So what exactly is she trying to do?”
Aiden turned his gaze toward the window, where the moonlight was dim and the air had a hint of dampness. It reminded him of the panicked look in her eyes.
Valerie woke up feeling refreshed and, as expected, found a missed call from Juliette.
She thought, ‘This group of people come from families with some influence, so by now, their families will have been notified of what happened.
Those who could be bailed out had been, and those who needed to be detained were in custody. Without exception, their families had been contacted.
Juliette, having been raised by her uncle and aunt, would never dare to call them. So the call had to come to Valerie.
Valerie didn’t rush to return the call. Instead, she took her time getting ready–brushing her hair, doing her makeup. By the time she was done, she received a call from an unfamiliar number. The area code was from Reano City.
She answered the phone with a calm, obedient tone. “Hello.”
“Hello, this is Reano Police Station. May I speak with Valerie?”
“Yes, this is she.”
“Can you tell us what your relationship is with Miss Scott?”
“She’s my best friend,” Valerie replied, her voice laced with worry. “She was arrested last night. What’s happened to her?”
“We need you to come to the station.”
“Alright.”
Valerie knew what to expect. She grabbed her bag and had Phillip drive her to the police station.
Meanwhile, scenes were unfolded on the other side.
“Rowan, someone’s here to bail you out. Hurry up and come out!”
Chapter 24
When he heard his name, Rowan slowly walked out, heading toward the door.
The men and women were kept in separate rooms.
As Rowan passed Juliette’s cell, she quickly grabbed his arm. “Rowan, I swear, this isn’t my fault. It’s all Valerie’s doing, Once she’s here, I’ll explain everything. My only intention was to introduce her to you…”
Rowan impatiently shoved her hand away and sneered, “You couldn’t even make the introduction, but you managed to get all my friends thrown da jail. You really know how to handle things!”
Juliette’s face drained of color, and she stammered, “Rowan…”
Rowan turned and walked away without a second glance.
Juliette, in silence, prayed that Valerie would hurry. She thought, ‘Valerie trusts me completely–if I explain things properly, Rowan will surely believe me. and our friendship will survive this.‘
She still counted on him to help her get into the entertainment industry. She was going to be a big star, and Rowan’s connections couldn’t be cut off.
She thought, ‘Damn Valerie! Once I am out, I will make sure to take her down a notch for this.‘
When Rowan walked out, his older brother Wally Johnson was already waiting for him
As he saw him, Rowan’s already dark expression grew even more stormy.
Rowan’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked around. Then, he saw Valerie standing at the counter in the distance. Her demeanor was distant yet elegant, radiating a cold, noble air.
She looked like a single red flower standing tall on a lofty peak–stunning, yet untouchable.
As he saw her like this, something deep inside him was stirred, as if some long–forgotten chord had been struck.
But soon, Rowan realized what it was like to lose face.
