Grace Lorenz remained calm.

"That voice message was left for you. You have the right to know its contents."

Evelyn pressed further.

"What did he say?"

Grace's tone was formal.

"According to regulations, suspects cannot access evidence. Once the trial concludes, whether you're the murderer or not, I will tell you."

Evelyn fell silent.

Grace, that stubborn stickler, had actually learned to toy with people.

She took a step back, feeling somewhat helpless.

Grace spoke seriously again.

"Stay put. Trust that we won't wrong an innocent person."

With that, she turned and left.

Long past off-duty hours, Grace didn't go home. Instead, she headed directly to the morgue.

The duty staff saw her.

"Dr. Lorenz, working this late? That case isn't urgent. Why not perform the autopsy tomorrow?"

Grace shook her head.

"Determining the cause of death sooner will clear the suspect's name faster."

The staff member looked surprised.

"You think she didn't do it?"

Grace usually wore a cold expression around outsiders, but now she said,

"She's not that type of person."

She then entered the morgue.

The detention center conditions were basic. Solving this quickly could mean an earlier release.

She yawned, glanced at the corpse on the autopsy table, and pulled a small bread roll from a drawer. After a couple of bites, she began her work.

She hadn't eaten dinner tonight.

Evelyn sat in the solitary confinement cell, quietly replaying the day's events.

Leo Lowell's death was too sudden, catching her completely off guard.

It couldn't have been her subordinates; they wouldn't frame her.

Then who?

Evelyn frowned, suddenly thinking of one person—Isabella.

Leo's secret. Isabella paid $15,000 monthly to keep him quiet. This time, she couldn't come up with the $500,000, so she resorted to killing him in desperation?

What kind of leverage was so powerful it drove her to this?

No.

When Evelyn left the Ashcroft residence, Isabella had already returned to her room. She hadn't gone out.

...So she had an accomplice!

Evelyn's reasoning was clear, but trapped here with her phone confiscated, she couldn't contact the outside world. She could only pin her hopes on Grace.

She didn't know how much time had passed before footsteps approached.

Several police officers stood outside the door.

The young officer who arrested her earlier reported to another man,

"Captain Durant, this is the murder suspect, Evelyn Ross."

Captain Durant, around thirty years old, scanned her with sharp eyes. He snapped at the young officer,

"The case is clear enough! What's the holdup?! Take her to the interrogation room immediately."

The young officer hurriedly opened the door.

As soon as Evelyn stepped out, Captain Durant shoved her.

"Quit dawdling! Think you can escape the law?"

Evelyn stumbled, frowning as she shot a cold glare at Captain Durant.

"What are you looking at? Move it!"

Evelyn clenched her jaw, knowing better than to resist outright. She quickened her pace to the interrogation room.

Captain Durant grabbed her arm, forced her into the interrogation chair, and snapped the safety buckle shut with a click, treating her like a violent criminal.

Evelyn balled her fists.

Captain Durant sat down, all business.

"Name."

"...Evelyn Ross."

"Age."

"22."

"Gender."

Evelyn took a deep breath, aware Captain Durant was humiliating her. Suppressing her anger, she said,

"Female."

Captain Durant glanced at her and continued,

"Relationship to the deceased?"

Evelyn: "He was my uncle."

Captain Durant flipped through some documents.

"The deceased repeatedly demanded $500,000 from you to pay off gambling debts? So you resented him. When he approached you, you kicked him away?"

Evelyn took another deep breath, acutely feeling the other's malice.

She looked at Captain Durant and said slowly,

"Is this leading the witness?"

Captain Durant immediately glared at her.

"I'm just stating facts! You only need to answer yes or no!"

Evelyn lowered her gaze.

"I have the right to remain silent until my lawyer arrives."

"Right my ass!" Captain Durant slammed his notebook on the table.

"This is the U.S.! Every citizen has a duty to cooperate with investigations! Especially a suspect like you! Answer my questions now!"

He stood up.

"We have both witnesses and physical evidence! Only your fingerprints were at the scene! Leo Lowell was impaled by a steel bar. If you don't admit to accidental manslaughter, we'll have to consider premeditated murder!"

He walked up to Evelyn.

"Tell me, did you hold a grudge against the deceased?!"

Evelyn tightened her jaw, looked up at Captain Durant, and said slowly,

"No."

"You're lying!" Captain Durant barked.

"If you didn't resent him, why kick him when he lunged at you? You should have dodged!"

Evelyn clenched her fists.

Because she'd lived alone since middle school. She had no sense of security, knowing no one would protect her. So when attacked, her instinct was to fight back!

But she knew nothing she said would help now. She chose silence.

Captain Durant sneered.

"Fine. Think staying silent will get you off?"

He walked to the side and suddenly switched on a bright lamp, aiming it directly at Evelyn!

The light was blinding. She wanted to raise her hands to shield her eyes, but her wrists were cuffed. She couldn't move.

She turned her head away, but couldn't escape the intense glare.

Even with her eyes closed, everything was a painful red.

Within five minutes, her eyes felt dry, sore, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

Captain Durant's voice came through.

"Talk! Admit to accidental manslaughter!"

Evelyn inhaled sharply.

"I didn't kill anyone."

Captain Durant sneered.

"Still stubborn? Then we'll keep the light on for two hours! If you don't confess, you'll spend the night here!"

Evelyn's eyes hurt more and more. Tears streamed down. She desperately wanted to rub them.

Just over ten minutes had done this.

A whole night under this light would probably ruin her eyesight!

Meanwhile, outside the police station.

Alexander Vance arrived swiftly with his lawyer.