The Devious Games | Englot | GirlxGirl

Chapter 41 - Retaliation

POV CHARLOTTE

The terror hasn't let up since that day.

No matter how much I've tried to dismiss Victoria as the mastermind, the evidence keeps pointing back to her.

This isn't just a coincidence-it's a deliberate, calculated attack.

The anniversary house P'Fa gifted me burned to the ground, reduced to smoldering ashes mere days after someone breached the security of our mansion.

Tina's leading the investigation, but she's already certain-this was no accident.

It was arson, pure and malicious.

I had planned to offer the house to my cousin when she arrived from England next month, a place of comfort for her to settle into. But now, all that awaits her is a pile of charred rubble-a cruel, unwelcome greeting in Bangkok.

Yesterday's argument didn't just end with the shattered remains of a heated exchange-it extended its reach, leaving Tina, Heidi, P'Faye, and Yoko as collateral damage in a battle they had never meant to fight.

The weight of it sat heavy on my chest, as if every unspoken word between us had formed into a solid mass pressing against my ribs.

If I could have pulled her back from the edge before she lashed out. She always did that-when things spiraled beyond her control, she wielded her words like weapons, striking before anyone else had the chance to wound her.

_____

Flashback

"Char, the arsonist was methodical," Tina's voice echoed in the living room, edged with barely suppressed frustration. "There's nothing to follow-not a single piece of evidence left behind. We've had to classify the case as negligence or a natural disaster," she continued, though the tension in her tone betrayed how much she resented that conclusion. "The electrical short circuit only complicates things."

P'Fa's cold laugh sliced through the room like a dagger. "You call yourself a captain?" She leaned casually against the wall, her eyes glinting with a dangerous fire. "You can't even crack a case like this? Perhaps you should reconsider that rank you're so proud of," she taunted, each word a sharpened blade.

The cursed sofa, where P'Fa and I had shared some of our most intense moments just days before, now bore witness to our war council. I struggled to keep my composure, my stomach churning at the irony-how quickly warmth can turn to frost.

Heidi's expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief, while Tina held her ground, her jaw tightening at the insult.

P'Faye, who had been lounging next to Yoko, suddenly snapped to attention. The usual laid-back demeanor vanished as she shot P'Fa a reproving glance.

"Come on, Engfa," she said, her tone laced with urgency. "There's no need for this. What's with the attitude?"

But Engfa Waraha was past the point of reason.

The storm had been brewing for days, and it seemed there was no way to avoid its wrath now. Not even P'Faye's calming influence could quell the fury simmering beneath her surface.

"I'm following the protocol, P'Fa," Tina replied, her voice measured but strained. "Without evidence of arson, we have to rule it a natural fire. It doesn't matter what we believe-we need proof."

P'Fa's eyes narrowed, her gaze burning into Tina. "And where was I wrong in calling you out?" she asked, her voice dropping to a venomous murmur. "You're helpless, aren't you? This has left you baffled. Maybe it's time you handed in your badge."