The CEO's Amazing Ex-Wife Is Back! by H. Dally

Chapter 194 Chapter 194 All three women stared anxiously at the lawyer, waiting for his response to Thalassa's question.

Mr. Baelish shook his head. "No, I'm not saying she will be released. The evidence is enough to bring the case to court, which is already damaging, but we'll need something stronger to convict her. We need to link her directly to the more serious crimes-drug and human trafficking. What happened to the evidence you mentioned two days ago?" Thalassa's expression hardened as she recalled the sinking feeling she'd had when she found the safe empty. "I don't know how, but Linda found out what I was planning, and she had the evidence removed from the safe before I could get to it." The lawyer raised an eyebrow. "Had' it removed?" "Yes," Thalassa nodded, her voice firm. "From the way the safe was left open, it looked like whoever took it was in a hurry. The evidence was cleared minutes before I went into the room. Linda couldn't have done it herself-she was at the party downstairs the entire time. So were her sister and her daughter, Susan. She must have had someone else do it for her." Rita's face fell, her eyes filling with sadness. She glanced at Thalassa and asked softly, "Do you...Do you think it was... Karen?" Seeing the guilt in Rita's eyes, Thalassa could tell she was ready to blherself for Karen's actions. Gently, she placed her hand over the older woman's.

"It could be her, but I can't be sure," Thalassa answered honestly. "When Karen was arrested, she was ready to expose Linda to save herself. They might be sticking together now, but I doubt there's any real trust between them. Linda wouldn't risk giving such damning evidence to Karen." Luisa frowned. "If not Karen, then who else?" "Hey, you have visitors," an officer announced.

Linda glared at him through the bars of her holding cell, her eyes filled with disdain. She didn't appreciate his tone or the smug way he addressed her.

She hadn't slept all night, refusing to lay on the filthy, disease-ridden bed. Instead, she stood in the middle of the cell, seething.

As soon as she saw who had cto see her, a smile spread across her face. "Susan." Last night at the party, Linda had received a text from one of her contacts that someone was snooping into her past. Immediately, she knew Thalassa was involved, realizing why she had cleared her nand pretended to make peace.

Linda had known she had to act fast. She couldn't go upstairs herself to retrieve the evidence without arousing suspicion, so she'd instructed Susan to do it for her, giving her the code to the wall and safe. "Mum, oh mum." Susan croaked as they hugged each other through the bars. "I cto see you last night, but they wouldn't let me. How are you?" "I'm fine, sweetheart," Linda replied, her tone softening.

"This is so unfair. You don't deserve to be here, mum.

"No, I don't. But I'll be out soon, I promise." Linda nodded vigorously, then leaned closer and spoke in a hushed voice. "You didn't take a look at what was inside the bag, did you?" "No," Susan shook her head, her expression innocent. "You askednot to open it, remember? But what was in there, mother?" "I'll explain everything once I'm out of here." Linda reassured her, casting a cautious glance at the officer. "For now, I need you to do something for me." "Of course, anything." "Wherever you hid that bag, I need you to destroy it, along with everything inside, as soon as possible." Linda had hoped to use the evidence to blackmail her way out of trouble, but with the police closing in, it was too dangerous to keep it.

Susan nodded eagerly. "Okay. I'll tell Karen right away." Linda stiffened. "What do you mean by you'll tell Karen?" Karen's voice interrupted from behind, her footsteps echoing in the corridor. "Because the bag is with me," she said, stopping beside Susan.

Linda's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening in disbelief as she looked at her daughter. "Why would you give it to her?" she demanded, her voice rising before she caught herself.

Susan explained, "Last night, after the police cto arrest you, I panicked. Karen was in her room, so I gave the bag to her to hide it. I couldn't just let the cops take you away. I needed to defend you." Linda gripped the bars tightly, fighting the urge to slap her daughter across the face. How could she have been so stupid? "Leave Karen andalone." she commanded.

"But mum, I just-" "I said leave us alone, Susan," Linda hissed, her voice sharp.

Sulking, Susan turned and walked away.

"Hello, Linda," Karen greeted with a

smirk, a mocking glint in her eyes. "The last twe were in this situation, I was the one behind bars ver and you were standing right here on the outside. Funny how things change, isn't it?" Linda glared at her. "I don't have tfor your games. If you know what's good for you, you'll give the bag back to Susan." She'd always known how to manipulate Karen, so she expected this tto be no different.

To her dismay, Karen scoffed. "And why would I do that?" Linda's nostril's flared, but beneath

her icy exterior, her stomach twisted.

"Don't play with me, girl," She spat but her voice wavered slightly as her grip on the bars tightened, the cold steel bitsher palms. "Or else-" into "Or else what?" Karen taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're going to tell Kris that Tessa isn't his daughter?" Karen chuckled darkly. "Why don't

you go ahead then? If you tell Kris the truth, the worst that will happen is he'll disown Tessa. But you?" She N leaned in closer. "What do you think will happen when I hand all that evidence over to the police?