Shattered Heart's Plea

Chapter 06: Betrayal

Chapter 06: Betrayal

***

Zoe had drifted into a deep sleep while Khlea recounted the events that had unfolded during her stay in the hospital. She only stirred when the enticing aroma of coffee and freshly baked bread mingled with the familiar voices of her friends, filling the hospital room with a comforting sense of normalcy.

Her eyes wandered across the room, absorbing the scene. Khlea sat at one end of the sofa to the left of the bed, with Gavin's head resting on her lap as he slept. By the table near the pantry area, Blake was preparing food with Lilianna's help. Ashley sat at the edge of Zoe's bed, gently patting her feet.

"Tone it down a bit, will you?" Zoe gently sat up on her bed, scratching her eyes to clear her vision.

As if they had seen a ghost, their eyes widened as Zoe glanced at each of them. Gavin abruptly woke up and joined the others, who swarmed around her bed, bombarding her with questions about what exactly had happened at the incident in the museum.

"You could've asked my parents what happened, or even Jayke," Zoe said as she took a bite of the bread Ashley handed to her.

"Well, you see—there have been reports here and there about what happened at your infamous Archive Museum," Lili said as she sat beside Zoe on the bed. "Honestly, we weren't sure which one to believe."

"It's not like your parents are just going to tell us what happened—after all, it's quite a sensitive matter," Gavin said, pulling out two rolls of grey paper. "Your sister will probably object to you seeing the news, but you're an adult and have a right to know."

Infamous Group 'Anonymous' Convicted for Robbery and Destruction at Zoe Andrea Hernandéz's Archive Museum

Attorney Khaelie Hernandéz Leads Prosecution

"Anonymous?" Zoe's brow shot up as she read the first paper. "Is this the same criminal gang that attempted to raid the Golden Court Bank last year?" she asked as she set the paper down.

"Golden Court Bank? What's that?" Lilianna asked.

Zoe's eyes shifted immediately to Khlea and Ashley who, too, were looking at each other. She turned back to Lilianna who was patiently waiting for her question to be answered.

"Golden Court Bank is a financial institution that hosts the vaults of elite families belonging to the distinguished Sovereign Twelve," Zoe explained, her expression carefully neutral as she glanced at the others. "It was raided a year ago with the same reason for why normal banks are robbed. But it took the whole group of Anonymous to even get inside one of the vaults."

"But that's not the point—," Gavin cut through the brief silence. "The real question is how these suspects were detained. They were given the name Anonymous for a reason." Gavin shifted to sit back down.

"So, is it confirmed then? Are they the suspects?" Zoe asked which she had hoped she didn't.

"You're the prime witness, you should be the one who can answer that," Gavin looked at her with surveying eyes.

Zoe narrowed her eyes. There may be suspects, but not the ones that the others are expecting. Monsters—creatures—cannot exactly be convicted as murderers for a crime.

You lying piece of—Kinsley! Zoe clenched her hands into tight fists as she thought about how many plot holes Kinsley opened by lying to the general public about the attack.

"I nearly died that night, I think I have the right to not know who the suspects were," Zoe turned to Gavin.

"Nevertheless," Gavin cut through. "It's all over the news. You know how famous you are as well as your businesses. Every attorney and politician who wants to be in favor of your family is interested in taking the case."