Chapter 6: The Arrest
872 Words
The flashing blue lights outside the mansion grew brighter with every passing second.
Police vehicles surrounded the estate from every direction.
Sirens wailed through the night.
Inside the grand hall, silence fell.
Alexander stared at the television screen, his expression unreadable.
Victor smiled smugly.
"I told you I'd come back."
"You framed me," Alexander said quietly.
Victor shrugged.
"Can you prove it?"
The front doors burst open.
More than a dozen armed officers rushed inside.
"Alexander Knight!"
"Don't move!"
The lead detective stepped forward with a folded document.
"We have a warrant for your arrest in connection with the disappearance of Victor Knight."
The detective froze.
His eyes widened.
"...Victor?"
Every officer looked toward the man standing beside the staircase.
One of them whispered,
"He's alive..."
Victor slowly raised his hands.
"Surprise."
The detective looked completely confused.
"Mr. Knight... we've been searching for you for five years."
Victor smiled.
"I know."
"Then why didn't you come forward?"
"I wasn't ready."
Alexander narrowed his eyes.
"Liar."
Victor ignored him and turned to the officers.
"My brother tried to kill me."
Gasps filled the room.
Isabella looked at Alexander in disbelief.
"No..."
Victor continued dramatically.
"Five years ago, Alexander wanted complete control of Knight Global."
"He arranged my disappearance."
"I barely escaped with my life."
The officers exchanged uneasy glances.
The detective looked toward Alexander.
"Sir..."
"...is any of this true?"
Alexander answered without hesitation.
"No."
Victor laughed.
"Of course he'd deny it."
He reached into his jacket and produced a small flash drive.
"I have proof."
The detective accepted it carefully.
"What is this?"
"Security footage."
Alexander's face hardened.
"Impossible."
Victor grinned.
"I've kept it safe all these years."
The detective handed the drive to another officer.
Minutes later, they inserted it into a laptop.
Everyone watched.
The video began.
A grainy recording showed a warehouse.
Two figures argued.
One looked exactly like Alexander.
The other...
Victor.
Suddenly, the video showed Alexander pushing Victor over a railing.
Victor disappeared into darkness.
The recording ended.
Silence.
Isabella's heart sank.
She slowly turned toward Alexander.
"Tell me that isn't real."
Alexander stared at the screen.
"It isn't."
"But it looks exactly like you."
"Because someone wants it to."
Victor folded his arms confidently.
"You've lost, brother."
The detective sighed.
"Mr. Knight..."
"...until this investigation is complete..."
"I'm placing you under arrest."
An officer stepped forward with handcuffs.
Isabella instinctively moved between them.
"No!"
Everyone looked at her.
"My husband didn't do this."
The detective spoke gently.
"Mrs. Knight, please step aside."
"I won't."
She looked directly at Alexander.
"Did you?"
His gray eyes met hers.
"I have never tried to kill my brother."
For some reason...
She believed him.
She didn't know why.
Maybe it was the certainty in his voice.
Maybe it was the way he'd risked his life to save hers.
Or maybe...
Her heart had already begun making a decision her mind couldn't explain.
She turned back toward the detective.
"The video is fake."
"You can't know that."
"I do."
Victor laughed loudly.
"You're defending him already?"
"You've only been married for a few hours."
He looked at Alexander mockingly.
"She's falling for you faster than I expected."
Alexander remained silent.
The detective finally spoke.
"Mr. Knight..."
"...please come with us peacefully."
Alexander extended his hands.
The handcuffs clicked shut.
Before leaving, he turned to Isabella.
His voice was calm.
"Listen carefully."
She stepped closer.
"In my study..."
"...there's a locked drawer."
"The code is..."
He paused as officers urged him forward.
"Seven..."
The detective interrupted.
"That's enough."
Alexander was escorted outside.
The mansion doors closed behind him.
Isabella stood frozen.
The man she'd married just hours ago...
...was gone.
Victor slowly walked toward her.
Now that Alexander had been taken away, there was no warmth left in his smile.
Only menace.
"You chose the wrong brother."
She glared at him.
"I don't believe a word you said."
"You will."
He leaned closer.
"Because by tomorrow morning..."
"...I'll own this mansion."
"And after that..."
His gaze swept over her.
"...I'll own you."
Isabella slapped him across the face.
The sound echoed through the hall.
Every servant gasped.
Victor touched his reddened cheek.
Then...
He smiled.
"Good."
"I like women with spirit."
He turned toward the staff.
"Throw her out."
Martha stepped forward immediately.
"No."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"What did you say?"
"This is Mr. Alexander Knight's home."
"And she is Mrs. Knight."
"We take orders from her."
Several servants nodded in agreement.
Victor's smile disappeared.
"You'll all regret this."
He stormed out of the mansion.
The moment he was gone, Ethan—his shoulder bandaged—hurried into the room.
"Mrs. Knight."
"You heard everything?"
"Yes."
He lowered his voice.
"Before Mr. Knight was arrested..."
"...he sent me one message."
"What message?"
Ethan handed her a small brass key.
"He said..."
"...if anything happened to him..."
"...only you could uncover the truth."
Isabella looked down at the key.
It was engraved with a single letter.
K.
Then she remembered Alexander's unfinished sentence.
"In my study... there's a locked drawer..."
She looked toward the second floor.
Whatever was inside that drawer...
Someone had desperately tried to keep it hidden.
And now...
She was the only person who could open it.
To Be Continued...
- Writer
