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Chapter Forty Eight

"Meredith," Mom called, her jaw tightly shut.

I stood up, letting her know I acknowledged her presence. "Y-Yes!"

I inhaled sharply when a sudden gust of energy hit me, making wind blow me back for just a second. My eyes widened when I heard lightning outside, followed by the rumbling of clouds. The weather... changed.

"Let your mother handle this," she snapped coldly, her eyes glaring at William Kei.

Oh, she's really mad.

I quickly escaped out the room behind her, only for a snow wall to appear and cover the doorway. It was at least six inches thick, not letting any sound out. To be able to control the weather so much that she changes the temperature in here, cold enough to let snow bypass!— it means a lot about her emotions. I let out a heavy sigh, thanking that Mom interrupted us at the right moment. However, her emotions just saved me last second.

"Miss Meredith?" One of the police officers asked. "Are you alright?"

I looked to my right, seeing the cluster of police officers that tried to stop Mom. Letting out an awkwardly nervous laugh, I waved them off, saying, "Yes, yes! Of course! I'm just very uncomfortable right now."

A female officer behind the rest of the group let out a sigh, muttering, "I was going to ask something, but that may further your nervousness."

"Oh, no! Don't think too much about that," I assured, my hands behind my back. "What was your question?"

"I wanted to ask if you'd like to visit Dexter, the other outlaw," she said, looking up at me with a solemn expression. "I was unsure, but I figured that if you could handle William Kei, maybe you'd like to confront the person who previously hurt you." A shiver ran down my spine, but I remained silent, letting her continue before answering. "Recently, we've already decided his sentence, which should be around five to ten years, depending on if he decides to further develop any wild actions."

"So, your suggestion was for me to visit Dexter?" I asked, trying to clarify.

The police officer nodded firmly.

I peered down at my hands, my fingers clasping each other as I tried to decide. I have to go take Stephanie home before it gets dark. Do I even have enough time to talk to him? My heart pounded lightly, and I gulped down the nervous lump in my throat. But... I want him to answer my questions. I have questions about what his life was like living that way. I want to spill my emotions forwardly with topics I couldn't bring myself to discuss before. Looking up, I gave the police officer a short, awkward laugh.

"I guess I would like to," I told her, shrugging a little. "I mean, confrontation would probably leave me satisfied at the end."

She nodded, understanding, and gestured for me to follow her as she said, "Come this way. It might take a while, but Dexter should be ready in the other interrogation room."

~~~

"Both of you should know how this works," the police officer said, "I and four other officers will be watching, so if we catch any funny business, the interrogation is over. Understand?"

I nodded, ignoring the presence in front of me until the door to the interrogation room shut. Turning in my seat, Dexter sat in front of me, his eyes cold and blank. Unlike William Kei, he wasn't ravenously strapped in his chair. Only a pair of handcuffs were on his hands as they rested on the table. He's probably disinterested in all of this. I can understand why. My leg kept jumping up and down nervously, and I let out a huff. I think I'm starting to calm down around him, but it's still getting to me.

"Can you just spit out what you want to say?" Dexter suddenly snapped, annoyed. I jolted in my seat a little, seeing his unamused expression. "This is pretty time consuming as it is."

"I just have a question," I said calmly, "though I expect to receive your answer, even if it's not likely." My hands clasped each other, and I sighed, feeling like someone had thrown away my confidence as a person. I sound like an idiot saying all that. Looking up at Dexter, I asked in a quiet voice, "What the actual fuck went through your head to hurt Stephanie the way you did?"

"Who?"

"Ryan's little sister," I retorted quickly, my voice louder this time. "The one you raped and left pregnant, with- with a child she was in no state to have!" I couldn't help but raise my voice at him because my emotions were flaming when he couldn't even remember her after what he did. "The one you emotionally traumatized and scarred because you had no damned self-control for your own body and took it out on someone who didn't provide consent whatso-fucking-ever! Do you remember her now, Dexter?!"

Dexter was left stunned for a while, words trying to get to him but unable to be used by him. I must've shaken him up a bit when I raised my voice. My jaw was clenched tightly, and I felt my hands gripping my arms.

"Well?" I asked, breathing heavily. "What stupid and lame excuse do you have for your behavior?"

"I can't answer your question," he mumbled quietly. My eyes widened as my gaze became sharp, staring at him in a hostile manner. He has nothing to say? After all that— after raping Stephanie and assaulting me— he has NOTHING to say?! Before I could berate him again, he added in, "It would tarnish William Kei's morals, and I can't do that to my master."

I was taken aback by his mention of morals, about to say that William Kei's morals were utter bullshit from the start. However, in that moment, it was then I realized that William Kei was the source of Dexter and Leo's (past) negative behavior. Because he was the one to parent them, it made sense why Leo's past thoughts were similar to Dexter's. Their thoughts on relationships were twisted by William Kei... to make consent unknown. This is just frustrating. I can't blame him for his morals, but the blame for sexual assault is solely on him.

Dexter didn't question my sudden silence, and after a while of basking in the information I discovered, I leveled my breathing.

"How long have you been away from your biological parents?" I questioned suddenly, making him jolt by the silence breaking.

He peered down at the table, answering, "Basically since birth. I've never seen them in my life, but I'm thankful William Kei adopted me from whatever spawn of the demons they were."

My jaw clenched tightly. His whole life— William Kei abducted a child from a couple's hands and basically pried open the darkest traits in a human. He lied to Dexter about his life— his parents!— and used him like a tool. Now, Dexter faces the consequences he sees as failures.

"That first one was actually my only question for you, and that second one was out of nowhere, but now I have one more," I informed him. He looked confused by my words, but I brushed it off. My hands clasped each other, and I stared down at the table, asking in a small voice, "If you had a chance, would you like to see your parents?"

"Huh?"

Dexter's face contorted into shock, and he appeared startled by my question. There was a sparkle in his eyes, and I knew what he was thinking. I want to. I want to see them. It faded away quickly, and he peered at the handcuffs on his hands, a conflicted expression on his face. He looks hurt. Maybe I shouldn't have asked. I closed my eyes, inhaling gently. Standing up, my hands hit the table lightly, snapping his attention to me.

"That's all I wanted to ask," I said, baring a glance at him. "You don't have to answer my question. I can understand how conflicting it must be. Sorry for asking."

With that, I left the interrogation room, letting Dexter's eyes follow me on my way out.