Eventually, Harrison was taken to the police station and detained for questioning.
He had not been charged with any crime.
Still, the situation was serious enough to keep him there while the police investigated the assault involving the mysterious woman he had rescued the previous night.
His assistant and Julian were both there, doing everything they could to get him released.
Inside the questioning room, Harrison sat rigidly in his chair, his patience wearing thin.
Then he turned toward his assistant.
“Who started this?” he demanded.
“And what exactly is happening?”
His assistant exchanged a worried glance with the lawyer beside him.
“We’re still trying to find out,” the lawyer replied carefully.
Harrison clenched his jaw.
“Then find out.”
He leaned forward, his voice dropping.
“Who is behind this?
Who wants to ruin me?”
His biggest concern wasn’t the questioning itself,it was the news.
If word of his detention reached the public, the consequences could be devastating.
His major shareholders could lose confidence in him and hesitate to commit further funds to Whitmore Group.
Worse, Harrison was on the verge of signing one of the biggest contracts of his career.
He couldn’t afford to lose it,not now.
Not after everything he had worked for.
“That contract is almost finalized,” Harrison said, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
“I can’t let this interfere with it.”
For the first time, genuine panic flickered across his normally composed face.
Julian noticed.
Harrison Whitmore rarely panicked.
Something about this situation was different.
Julian approached one of the officers again.
“Officer, you’ve questioned him enough.
He hasn’t been charged with anything.
Why are you still keeping him here?”
The officer barely looked at him.
“We’re following procedure.”
“Procedure?” Julian scoffed.
“You’ve barely listened to anything we’ve said.’
“Mr.
Julian, please step aside.”
Julian stared at him in disbelief.
He returned to Harrison’s assistant and lawyer, lowering his voice.
“They aren’t even willing to hear us out.”
The lawyer nodded grimly.
“Which means someone may be pulling strings.”
Harrison heard him,his expression darkened.
That was exactly what he had been thinking,someone powerful was behind this.
Someone who had enough influence to make the police ignore the usual pressure from a man like Harrison Whitmore.
But who?
Before anyone could answer, the atmosphere inside the station suddenly changed.
A woman walked through the entrance.
She was dressed in a modern, elegant gown that fitted her perfectly.
A luxurious handbag hung from her arm, while a glittering gold necklace rested around her neck.
She walked with confidence,Slowly and majestically.
The moment the officers saw her, their attitudes changed.
They immediately straightened.
Some greeted her respectfully while a few officers hurried toward her, offering warm welcomes.
One of them even instructed another officer to bring her a drink.
Julian stared as his eyes widened.
He looked around the room, then back at the woman.
It was almost as if her presence carried more weight than Harrison’s.And he finally understood.
The woman walked deeper into the station and was offered a comfortable chair by the police chief himself.
She sat down gracefully, crossing her legs as she calmly observed the room.
Then her eyes shifted toward the questioning room.
Towards Harrison.
Ashley Whitmore….Harrison’s stepmother.
Julian’s jaw tightened.
So this was the person behind everything.
Inside the interrogation room, Harrison suddenly looked toward the glass partition.
The moment he saw her, he froze.
Ashley.
His stepmother sat comfortably on the other side, watching him with an almost satisfied expression.
Harrison’s mind raced.
How did she know?,How did she know about Valentina?
How did she know where he had been?
How had she managed to get him detained so quickly?
Someone must’ve been spying on him and every move he made since last night.
But who?
Ashley slowly stood with a smug smile appeared on her face.
She walked towards the questioning room with calm, deliberate steps.
When she entered, Harrison’s eyes hardened.
“What are you doing here?”
Ashley gave a soft laugh.
“Oh, Harrison.”
She looked around the room before turning her attention back to him.
“You really thought you could keep everything from me?”
Harrison’s fists tightened.
“What did you do?”
Ashley smiled.
“Everything that needed to be done.”
Harrison stared at her.
Then Ashley leaned closer.
“The police are only the beginning.”
His eyes narrowed.
“What do you want?”
Ashley straightened and adjusted her handbag.
“Your precious reputation can disappear overnight.”
Harrison’s expression changed.
“And that girl…” Ashley paused.
” Valentina.”
The mention of her name immediately caught Harrison’s attention.
“What about her?”
Ashley smiled.
“She is already at the Whitmore villa.”
Harrison’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“She is being taken care of.”
His jaw tightened.
“You brought her there?”
“I made sure she had somewhere to stay.”
Ashley stepped closer..
“But don’t mistake my kindness for concern.”
Her voice became colder.
“If you refuse to cooperate with me, I will destroy your reputation.”
Harrison’s breathing became heavier.
“And the girl?”
Ashley gave him a knowing look.
“I can make her life very difficult too.
Anger surged through Harrison.
“Don’t you dare touch her.”
Ashley simply smiled.
There it was.
The reaction she had been waiting for,she had found his weakness.
Harrison knew exactly what Ashley was capable of.
And he couldn’t allow Valentina, an innocent stranger who had already suffered enough, to become another victim of their family conflict.
He also couldn’t afford to lose the contract he had been fighting so hard to secure.
That contract meant more to him than money because It was connected to the promise he had made to honor his late mother.
He couldn’t let Ashley destroy everything.
Harrison stared at her for several seconds before finally speaking.
“So, what do you want?” His voice was filled with fury.
Ashley laughed.
A mocking, satisfied laugh.
“So you can be this soft after all, my dear Harrison.” She scoffed.
Harrison’s eyes burned with anger.
“I’ll do what you want.”
The words came reluctantly.
“But don’t stain my reputation.
And protect that girl.”
Ashley smiled.
“Now you’re talking.”
She took a slow breath.
“My request is simple.”
Harrison waited.
“Listen to your father.”
His eyebrows immediately rose.
“What?”
Ashley smiled.
“Yes.
Listen to him.”
She stepped toward the door.
“My husband has been trying to make you understand for years.
It’s time you finally listened.”
Harrison stared at her in disbelief.
“You’re threatening me just to make me obey Father?”
Ashley stopped at the doorway.
“I’m giving you a choice.”
She turned back to him.
“You have twenty-four hours to decide.”
Harrison’s face hardened.
“And if I refuse?”
Ashley smiled.
“Then you’ll find out exactly how much power I have.”
She walked out,the door closed behind her.
Harrison remained completely still.
For the first time since he had entered the police station, he had nothing to say.
His stepmother had outplayed him.
And now he had only twenty-four hours to choose between his freedom, his reputation, Valentina’s safety, and everything he had worked to build.
But one question remained in his mind.
Who had been spying on him from the beginning?
And how did Ashley get to play the card so well the police believed her?