novelraw Chapter 161: I Knew You Would Come
Chapter 161: I Knew You Would Come
Chapter 161: I Knew You Would Come
#EDITED
Lyse had found a measure of peace at the women’s shelter, a temporary respite from the turmoil of her personal life. But the calm was shattered by the ringing of her phone. When she glanced at the screen and saw James’s name, a wave of relief washed over her; she had missed his comforting presence and his jovial manner. It seemed that he had come back from his trip, there was finally someone she could wail and complain to.
"James!" she answered, her voice filled with warmth. "It is so good to hear from you, I can’t believe you abandoned me for this long." She added with a pout.
"Lyse, thank God I caught you," James’s voice was strained, laced with urgency. "You need to come back to the city. It’s... it’s about Levi, so much is happening here."
Lyse’s heart pounded in her chest. A cold dread settled over her, a premonition that something terrible had happened.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "What has happened to Levi?"
"It’s complicated," James said, his voice hesitant. "But you need to hear this. First... Levi is not Brandon’s father."
Lyse froze, her mind reeling. She thought she knew everything, that the most dramatic thing had happened, the fact that Levi had hidden Brandon’s true parentage, but this was a new revelation.
"What? What do you mean?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "What are you talking about?"
"It’s all over the news, the whole city is in an uproar I’m surprised you are unaware." James explained. "But Levi must have done a DNA test that confirmed that he is not Brandon’s biological father."
Lyse remained silent, trying to process this information. It was a shocking revelation, a complete upheaval of everything she had believed to be true. She felt a strain of guilt press down on her chest as she realized that she had judged Levi harshly, she wondered how long he had known about Brandon not being his son.
"But that is not all," James continued, his voice dropping to a low, serious tone. "Levi has been taken in for questioning... for Sutton’s murder."
Lyse’s breath caught in her throat. Her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"Murder?" she repeated, her voice choked with emotion. "What murder are you talking about? Levi would never..."
"I know, Lyse," James interrupted, his voice soothing. "I don’t believe he did it either. But the police have some... circumstantial evidence, everyone believes that he did it. They need to talk to him."
Lyse’s mind raced. She could not believe what she was hearing. Levi, accused of murder? It was impossible. She had come to realize that he was a good man, he might be a little crooked but who wasn’t. She did not believe that would never hurt anyone, let alone commit such a heinous crime.
"I have to go to him," she said, her voice filled with determination. "I have to be there for him."
"I know," James said. "And that is exactly why I called. If you want, I can wait for you at the police station."
Lyse hung up the phone, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt a surge of adrenaline, a desperate need to get to Levi, to support him, to assure him that she believed in his innocence.
She quickly gathered her belongings, her movements fueled by a newfound urgency. She had been so focused on her own pain, her own hurt, that she had failed to see the bigger picture. Levi was in trouble, serious trouble, and she needed to be there for him.
She explained to Vanessa that she had an emergency, and without speaking to the rest of the women she rushed out of the shelter, her mind filled with worry and fear. She could not bear the thought of Levi being alone, facing these accusations without her support.
As she made her way to the police station, her thoughts drifted back to their last encounter at the women’s shelter. She had been so cold, so distant, so quick to judge him. She had misinterpreted his presence, assuming he was there to manipulate her, to win her back. But she had been wrong. He had been there for the children, for the shelter, for a cause he genuinely cared about.
A wave of regret washed over her. She had been so blinded by her own hurt that she had failed to see the good in him, the kindness that still shone through despite his past mistakes.
She arrived at the police station, her heart pounding in her chest. James was waiting for her in the lobby, his expression grave and she caught sight of Chris who quickly went to her.
"Chris, where is Levi?" She demanded sharply, panic written all over her face.
"They are speaking with him right now," he said, his voice low. "They won’t let me see him yet."
"But you are his lawyer, should you not be there with him?" Lyse snapped impatiently.
"I am not a criminal lawyer, he has one with him." Chris assured Lyse. "Don’t worry, he will be alright."
Lyse nodded, her eyes filled with worry. She sat down in one of the waiting room chairs, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She felt helpless, unable to do anything but wait and pray for Levi’s safety.
Hours passed, each minute feeling like an eternity. Lyse sat in the waiting room, her anxiety growing with each passing moment. She paced, she prayed, she replayed her memories of Levi, searching for any sign, any indication that he could be capable of such a crime. But she found nothing. Every memory she had of him was filled with kindness, compassion, and unwavering loyalty.
Finally, a police officer approached them, his expression neutral.
"Mrs Van Doren?" he asked, looking at Lyse.
Lyse stood up, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Mr. Van Doren has requested to see you," the officer said.
Lyse’s breath caught in her throat, she glanced at Chris who had stood to his feet. He nodded encouragingly to her and she smiled a watery smile as she turned to the officer. She nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and apprehension. She followed the officer to an interview room, her heart pounding with each step.
As she entered the room, she saw Levi sitting at a table, his expression tired but resolute. The sight of him, even in this difficult situation, brought a wave of relief over her. She rushed to him, her eyes filled with concern.
"Levi," she said, her voice soft. "Are you alright?"
Levi looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of relief and gratitude.
She was right in front of him but he barely believed it, he wanted to touch her hand to reassure himself that she was actually right there with him and not just a figment of his imagination.
"Lyse," he said, his voice gentle. "I am so glad you are here, I knew that you would come when I needed you."
In that moment, all the anger, all the hurt, all the resentment that Lyse had felt towards Levi melted away. She knew, with unwavering certainty, that he was innocent. And she knew that she would do everything in her power to help him, to support him, to stand by his side through whatever challenges lay ahead. The complexities of their relationship, the hidden secrets, the past betrayals, all seemed insignificant in the face of this new crisis. All that mattered was that Levi needed her, and she would be there for him.
"I need to know, what happened?" Lyse asked. "Why are they pointing to you as a suspect?"
"Sutton was killed, but I promise. I did not have anything to do with it." Levi held her hands and looked into her eyes as he spoke, trying his hardest to convince her that he was telling her the truth. "Do you believe me?"
Lyse nodded, certain that Levi was innocent.
Suddenly, the door opened and a man with a round protruding belly and suspenders came in followed by a distinguished looking man.
"Mr Van Doren, the police have no real reason to keep you so there are releasing you." The man explained.
Levi got up and glanced at the detective who looked disgruntled at the fact that Levi was simply walking away.
After Levi had left the interrogation room, the detective pulled out his phone and made a call.
"I could not keep him here any longer, he has gone home." He explained.
"What did you think I gave you all that money for, you idiot!" The voice on the other side said coldly. "You were supposed to make him stay."
"The evidence was not strong enough, there was nothing that i could do." The detective said as he scratched his head awkwardly.
"Hello... hello?" The detective said to the phone and realized that the call had already been ended.
He dropped the phone from his ear and cussed. He regretted getting involved in the first place because if anyone knew what he had done he was in huge trouble.