THE TYRANT'S CONTRACT BRIDE

CH.18

~Meanwhile~

Serena's body jerked forward as the sleek town car suddenly came to a halt. Red and blue lights were flashing behind the tinted windows.

The Police! Serena gasped inwardly. Why were they here again?

Jenkins put a reassuring hand on her trembling fingers. "Stay inside, Miss Bolting. I'll handle this."

His authoritative tone did little to calm Serena's frayed nerves. He stepped out onto the desolate road, the door clicking shut behind him.

She strained to make out his muffled words as he approached the blockade of patrol cars. Though she couldn't hear the exchange, Jenkins' rigid posture and terse gestures made it clear he was pissed off.

Serena's stomach twisted into knots. They were so close to whisking her away from this nightmare. But now the flashing lights seemed to mock her, trapping her like an animal caught in their sights.

Her throat burned with unshed tears as she watched Jenkins run an agitated hand through his dirty blond hair.

A heated argument was ongoing outside.

"On whose authority are you detaining my client?" Jenkins demanded, struggling to keep his voice level.

The taller officer met Jenkins' fiery gaze without flinching. "Orders came directly from Detective Davis based on new evidence against Miss Bolting."

"What new evidence?" Jenkins seethed through gritted teeth. "You can't just whisk her away without -"

"Save your protests for the judge, Counselor," the officer cut him off brusquely. "We have orders to take Miss Bolting into custody immediately, by force if necessary."

Force? Jenkins shot a worried glance back at the car where Serena sat obliviously. He drew a steadying breath. "That won't be necessary. I'll...explain the situation to her."

The officers nodded curtly, their stance making it clear this was non-negotiable.

He stalked back towards the car after what seemed like a lifetime with a grim face.

Serena instinctively shrank back when he wrenched open the door.

"I'm sorry, Miss Bolting," he said through gritted teeth. "They have new evidence and are demanding we return to the station immediately. No arguments."

Serena's world tilted. She blinked back hot tears, her perfectly composed mask cracking. "But...you promised..."

Jenkins looked pained as he held Serena's devastated gaze. "I know. Believe me, I tried reasoning with them... the officer in charge was adamant. He said the orders came directly from that prick Davis himself."

Serena felt the blood drain from her face. Of course, it was Davis - that weasel had been gunning for her since the start.

Her hands trembled and a wave of despair washed over her. "What new evidence could they possibly have?"

Jenkins shook his head grimly. "He didn't say. Just that it was enough to hold you until the trial concludes."

Serena felt her throat tighten. She stared unseeing out the tinted window. Her cheeks burned with humiliation at the thought of being paraded into a drab cell.

The harsh fluorescent lights, the pitying looks, the grating sounds of inmates screaming through the night - she had hoped to escape that nightmare.

"This is unlawful detention. They can't do this!" The rawness of her voice surprised even her.

Serena's perfectly manicured nails dug into the buttery leather seats as she fought for composure.

"I'm afraid they can." Jenkins placed a calloused hand over her white-knuckled fist, his touch gentle yet firm. "For now, we have to comply. I'll get to the bottom of this, you have my word. Remember, antagonizing them won't help."

Serena knew he was right. However, that did little to dull the sting of injustice. She was the victim here, not a criminal! Squeezing her eyes shut, she offered a tiny nod.

Jenkins sighed. He knew that look - the internal war between the fragile woman and the unbreakable celebrity persona she showed the cameras. For a moment, he saw the raw vulnerability she hid.

Jenkins turned the key with resignation, and the engine rumbled to life. He glanced at Serena, her composed facade cracking as a single tear traced down her porcelain cheek.

The sedan eased into traffic, police cruisers forming an escort. Jenkins kept his expression neutral, but his knuckles turned white on the wheel. This reeked of a setup. Someone was pulling strings to keep Serena imprisoned.

Serena couldn't bring herself to look back as their car pulled away, the flashing lights were now her new permanent shadow.

Jenkins kept his eyes trained ahead, his jaw muscle twitching. "I'm truly sorry, Serena." His voice was low, laced with regret. "I fought them as hard as I could, but..."

His words trailed off, leaving the weight of their situation hanging heavy between them. Serena bit her trembling lip, struggling to maintain her fragile composure.

She was Serena Bolting - picture of poise, darling of the entertainment world. And yet here she was, a fallen idol being frog-marched to a cold, unforgiving cell.

The silence stretched until Jenkins cleared his throat. "This setback changes nothing. We'll get through this."

"Will we?" The words slipped out, little more than a hoarse whisper.

Serena watched his knuckles tighten on the wheel. When he spoke again, his voice burned with conviction. "Yes. Whatever new 'evidence' they think they have, it's circumstantial at best. You're innocent, Serena. I know it in my gut."

His faith should have been reassuring. But all Serena could latch onto was the cruel reality unfolding around them. She was trapped, her freedom torn from her grasp just when it seemed within reach.

The first treacherous tear trailed down her porcelain cheek, soon followed by others. Serena's chest hitched with the effort of holding back a tidal wave of anguish and anger. She was powerless...a marionette jerked about by unseen strings of injustice.

Jenkins shot her a pained look but remained silent, allowing her to feel the storm of emotions without judgment.

Serena finally found her voice, ragged and brittle. "How...how could this be happening?"

Jenkins shook his head grimly. "I don't know. But I promise you, we'll burn their whole damn case to the ground. They're making a huge mistake here."

His words did little to soothe the maelstrom of emotions raging inside Serena. She pressed her lips together hard, fighting back the sobs that threatened to consume her.

Serena stared sightlessly out the window as the city whipped by, blurred shapes and flashing lights. With each passing mile, her old life seemed to slip further away, replaced by an inescapable nightmare.

Serena had never felt more alone, more powerless. Yet somewhere deep down, a flicker of defiance burned. She was innocent, goddammit. And she would be damned if she'd let them bury the truth without a fight.

Jenkins watched helplessly as Serena succumbed to the torrent of emotions. Her delicate frame shook with muffled sobs, elegant fingers pressed against trembling lips in a futile attempt to contain her anguish.

The usually unflappable lawyer felt his own throat constrict at the sight of his client's despair. He ached to offer some reassurance, any words that could penetrate the darkness clouding her eyes. Then again, what could he possibly say that would salve wounds so raw?

At a stoplight, Jenkins risked a sideways glance at the tragic figure beside him. "Serena," he began gently, choosing his words carefully. "I can't begin to imagine what you're going through. But you have to believe that this setback is only temporary."

Her luminous eyes, reddened from crying, lifted to meet his earnest gaze. For a fleeting moment, a glimmer of her indomitable spirit shone through the cloud of sadness.

Jenkins pressed on, "The truth cannot be buried forever. We will expose whatever lies they're trying to construct against you."

Serena's lips parted as if to respond, but seeming to think better of it, she simply nodded. A fragile flower stem bending in the harsh wind yet somehow staying rooted.

Drawing a shuddering breath, she turned her gaze back toward the window, watching the city's skyline with haunted eyes as the police escort followed closely behind.

Jenkins's hands clenched tighter around the steering wheel. When he had emerged to face the stern-faced officers earlier, their resolute expressions had struck him like a physical blow.

Now, replaying that tense confrontation, his jaw clenched anew. He risked another look at Serena. Though her posture was ramrod straight, her delicate fingers fiddled incessantly with the hem of her blouse.

Jenkins recognized the telltale sign of her fragile grip on composure. The young lady's determination to stay strong was evident, as she understood shedding more tears wouldn't help.

"Hey," Jenkins said gruffly, drawing her attention. "You still with me?"

Serena's head turned slowly, her eyes refocusing as she blinked back the veil of emotion. "Unfortunately," she murmured, a brittle attempt at humor.

Jenkins felt his lips twitch despite himself. "That's my girl. We can't let those jackasses see us sweat, right?"

A ghost of a smile played across Serena's lips before fading. "I'm trying, Jenks. I really am. But this is..." She trailed off, shaking her head helplessly.

"I know." Jenkins kept his eyes on the road, giving her space. "Believe me, I argued till I was blue in the face back there. But you saw how it went."

Serena nodded, her expression hardening slightly. "What did Davis supposedly find that gave him the right to do this?"

"That's just it - they refused to tell me details." Jenkins scowled. "Just kept blabbing about 'new evidence' and 'orders from the top.' As if that's enough to trample all over your rights."

"Of course," Serena muttered bitterly. "Because making sense or following procedure is too much to ask from that arrogant prick."

Jenkins shot her an approving look. "There's that fire I was looking for. Don't you dare let Davis and his goons extinguish that spirit."

Serena held his gaze for a beat before exhaling slowly. "I'll do my best. But Jenks...what if this new 'evidence' is legitimate? What if they really do have something on me this time?"

Jenkins worked his jaw for a moment before responding. "Then we fight it. With everything we've got. Because I don't for one-second buy that you had anything to do with Diana's...with what happened."

Adding to the concern, he had attempted to reach out to The President after their departure from the police station, but unfortunately, he was unable to make contact.

Jerkens was perplexed by this, considering that he expected the man to have already made countless calls to ensure his daughter's well-being and confirm that she had been cleared of all charges.

Just what exactly was going on?