The Bitter Truth

Chapter 22 ~ Jaime

Bonus ❤️

The sun had set a few hours ago, but Jaime remained focused on her computer screen, the bluish glow reflecting off her face in the dimly lit office.

Little by little, her fellow peace and orderly officers finished their work and called it quits for the night. Yet Jaime stayed, waiting, watching for the last computer beside her own to dwindle.

    Finally, the office was deserted, and Jaime was left alone, held captive by curiosity. The silence pressed in; she could hear the faint hum of the air conditioning and the distant sounds of the city in the background. Exhaling sharply, she turned her attention back to the desk, where a file lay tantalizingly close. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for it, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins.

    It was the file from the morgue—the mysterious Wheinian mother—the Jane Doe.

    She clicked a few times on the mouse, pulling up the proper sites to access the information she needed, and then inputted the details.

    Her eyes widened in shock when the data poured back in; one file she had access to, but others were still confidential.

    Burrowing her brows in concentration, she opened the file, a hospital record mixed with an officer's statement. The DNA was a match for the woman hospitalized, finally giving the name Lucia Oathide.

    Lucia was found wandering the streets in the middle of the night with a broken arm and a lacerated head after falling from a steep hill. It was also revealed the woman was early pregnant, and the baby still had a viable heartbeat after the incident.

    Looking at the date, Jaime realized the baby must be Saija.

    Was this when Ronny was told she had passed?

According to the officer's report, Lucia, who claimed to be a factory worker, insisted she had slipped and that no foul play had been involved. She also stated she was not married and had no children. She was treated for her injuries and left on her own accord.

    Why did she say that? Where was Ronny?

As she reached for the next file, a vivid red warning flashed on the screen, accompanied by a sharp beep demanding a password. Frustrated, she clenched her teeth and decided to move on to the subsequent file. Until something piqued her interest—the title caught her eye. It stated, 'Demotion of status: Refuge.'

Status from what?

A light flickered in the hallway, drawing her attention. She peeked up from her computer, her heart began to race, the sudden shift in the atmosphere making her feel uneasy.

"Mildez? Is that you?" a scratchy voice called out, one that belonged to one of the officers, Samuil.

She gathered her belongings—a few scattered papers, her coffee mug, and the remnants of her lunch—placing them into her worn leather bag with deliberate slowness.

"Yeah! Just leaving!" she called back, forcing a lightness into her voice as she straightened up, hoping to mask the anxious flutter in her chest.

"What are you doing here so late?" he asked as she tried to squeeze past him in the doorway.

She paused awkwardly, her lips curling into a practiced smile that didn't reach her eyes, desperate to evade a chat.

"I just couldn't get something out of my mind," she replied.

Determined to slip by, she lowered her gaze, her heart racing, and attempted to sidestep him. However, as she moved, his arm shot out like a barricade, blocking her escape. Time seemed to freeze as her heart lurched; the warmth drained from her cheeks, leaving her pale and trembling. She stood there frozen, unsure how to proceed as he inched his body closer to hers, making her uncomfortable.