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The officers glanced uneasily at Zayden. But the moment he spoke, they had no choice but to act.
The captain gestured for his team to cuff Sam.
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Zayden’s fists clenched at the sight of Quinn lying unconscious on the floor. His instinct was to rush to her side–but he forced himself to stay still. If he made one wrong move, the Fairchilds would say they were working together, and Olive would walk free.
Quinn’s face was ghostly pale, her body still. His chest twisted with pain, but he swallowed it down.
“When did law enforcement get this sloppy? You take a statement from one side and assume that’s enough? You ignore the person lying unconscious, don’t collect a single piece of evidence in this room? What is this -poor time management, or am I just too unimportant to warrant proper procedure?*
“O–of course not, Mr. Zayden,” the captain said, sweating as he forced a smile.
The Fairchilds fell silent. No one dared speak–Zayden wasn’t bluffing. If he was acting this boldly, it meant he had proof. Any attempt to intervene now would be suicide.
Colton glared at Olive, still huddled in Betty’s arms. What a disaster she’s turned out to be.
“We’ll fully investigate this and ensure justice is served.”
Under Zayden’s gaze, medics were called to take Quinn away, doctors examined Norman’s condition, and the smashed vial on the floor was collected as evidence.
Zayden provided a certified allergy assessment–both Quinn and Norman were confirmed to be highly allergic to silverleaf.
Lab results from the cup confirmed high concentrations of silverleaf, and Olive’s fingerprints were found on the broken bottle.
The evidence was overwhelming.
Olive was arrested and taken to the detention center.
Three days later.
Quinn woke to the faint scent of the Tranquil Pill. Her eyes opened slowly–and saw Zayden sitting beside her with his arm in a sling.
“You’re awake. How do you feel? Still uncomfortable?”
He looked pale. The altercation with Sam had torn open his stitches, worsening the injury. He hadn’t left her side for the last three days.
Quinn shook her head. Then, spotting the Tranquil Pill on the pillow beside her, she shot upright. “My grandfather–did I give it to him? Is he okay?”
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Chapter 50 Price Paid
She exhaled in relief.
Finished
“The doctors said as long as he doesn’t come into contact with allergens again, he should recover fully. Don’t worry.”
Quinn glanced at Zayden, realization dawning. He must’ve gone to the Fairchild estate. He knew everything. She’d only survived thanks to him.
“Zayden… thank you.”
He gave a tired smile. “Do you really still have to be so formal with me?”
His voice dipped. “I thought… maybe we were finally getting better.”
Quinn avoided his gaze, changing the subject. “He’s been exposed to the silverleaf for so long. Is it okay without the Tranquil Pill now?”
Zayden didn’t push the conversation. He smiled faintly. “Modern medicine’s come a long way. The Tranquil Pill’s basically just a highly concentrated herbal blend. The doctors analyzed it and are synthesizing the ingredients into tablets now. So, no–it’s not some magical cure. Don’t worry.”
“And Olive?”
Detention Center.
Still in the same clothes from that day, Olive didn’t look remorseful in the slightest. When Quinn walked in, she actually smirked.
“You got lucky, Quinn. That’s all it was.”
Her smile was cold and sinister. “If Zayden hadn’t stepped in, what would you have done? What did you ever have to fight me with?”
Zayden didn’t follow Quinn inside–he knew better. If he walked in, Olive would only put on a show.
Quinn stared at her through the glass. “I never needed to fight you. You’re perfectly capable of destroying yourself.”
She flicked her gaze down to the shackles on Olive’s wrists. “And look–here’s the result.”
Olive suddenly lunged, slamming her fists against the glass.
“Don’t get cocky! This isn’t over! I haven’t lost yet–you’ll see!”
“Those who go too far always end up destroying themselves,” Quinn said coolly. “I’ll be waiting. Come at
me.”
Olive laughed. It was high, brittle, and crazed.
“You’re pathetic, Quinn, The Fairchilds don’t love you. The only person who ever did–your precious grandpa–he’s never going to wake up. And Zayden? Please. You think he’s doing all this because he likes
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So she knew about that.
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“I don’t need anyone to like me. I only need the people who hurt me–and hurt my grandfather–to pay?
Her voice was calm, her expression steady. But the air around her was ice cold.
“And if you ever so much as think about touching my grandfather again, I’ll make sure your next sentence lasts a lifetime.”
Olive’s confidence cracked. Her bravado crumbled as she slumped in her seat, watching Quinn’s tall, unyielding figure walk out without ever looking back.
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