Melody Summers extracted the key information from Ivan Warren’s incoherent excuses.

She turned to Maisie Lynch in surprise and blurted out, "You two aren’t married?!"

Maisie Lynch had dropped out of college to be with Ivan Warren, and it had been several years. And they still weren’t legally married?

Yesterday in the stairwell, Maisie Lynch had acted like the rightful wife, but it turned out she and Ivan Warren weren’t legally a couple at all?

Melody Summers truly couldn’t understand it now...

Meanwhile, Maisie Lynch remained sprawled on the floor, silently listening to Ivan Warren’s repeated accusations, her face a ghastly mix of pale and ashen.

But what made Maisie Lynch feel worse than Ivan Warren’s accusations and abandonment was Melody Summers’s gaze.

Maisie Lynch felt as if she had been stripped naked and thrown onto the street, publicly executed while completely exposed.

Her dignity, her pride—they were like a mirror violently shattered on the ground, its broken pieces scattering everywhere, each one reflecting a wretched version of herself, each shard a mockery and a taunt.

Maisie Lynch couldn’t take it anymore. She covered her face and began to sob.

Listening to Maisie Lynch’s sobs, the others present all had mixed expressions. Ivan Warren’s earlier accusations had left everyone else speechless.

They were all seasoned schemers, yet Ivan Warren was trying to play the innocent victim.

Anyone with eyes could see that there was no way Ivan Warren was uninvolved. Only a fool like Maisie Lynch would take all the blame on herself.

But not only was Ivan Warren ungrateful, he was treating Maisie Lynch like this. It was truly a pathetic sight.

Officer Sean Pierce was, after all, a veteran officer with decades of experience; he’d seen this kind of scene countless times.

Many couples who were all lovey-dovey in their daily lives would, the moment they entered a police station, throw their partners under the bus faster than anyone to save their own skin.

So, Sean Pierce cleared his throat, his expression serious as he said to Ivan Warren, "Alright, stop treating the police like fools. You’re not getting out of this without blame either! If you cause any more trouble, we’ll open a separate case file just for you!"

Hearing this, Ivan Warren immediately hung his head and shrank back like a quail, not daring to make another peep.

Then, Officer Sean Pierce turned to Maisie Lynch and said, "There’s only one path forward for you now. Apologize to the victim you harmed. Do your best to obtain her forgiveness and get a more lenient sentence."

Maisie Lynch was stunned for a long moment. Then, she silently wiped her tears, lowered her head, and said in a small voice, "I... I don’t have any money... I can’t pay compensation..."

Officer Sean Pierce replied, "If the victim is willing to forgive you, the financial compensation might be waived."

Hearing that there might be no need to pay, Ivan Warren was overjoyed. He quickly urged Maisie Lynch, "Apologize! Maisie, hurry up and apologize to Melody Summers! You and Melody were roommates. Beg her! Beg her to be merciful and let you off the hook!"

Maisie Lynch fell silent for a long time.

’It’s already come to this,’ she thought. ’How could Melody Summers possibly forgive me?’

’Melody Summers must wish I were dead right now!’

’What’s the use of bowing my head and begging her for mercy? It would just be letting her trample all over my pride...’

Seeing Maisie Lynch sitting motionless on the ground, Ivan Warren grew anxious. He shouted at her again, "Maisie, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now? Let me tell you, I don’t have any money either, and I’m not paying for you! If Melody Summers doesn’t forgive you, you’ll be out sleeping on the streets!"

Hearing Ivan Warren’s urging, Maisie Lynch closed her eyes. As if resigning herself to her fate, she slowly climbed to her feet.

She walked over to Melody Summers, lowered her head, and said, "I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I know I was wrong... Can you forgive me..."

Melody Summers was noncommittal, simply asking in return, "Were you wrong? What were you wrong about?"

At her words, Maisie Lynch’s face flushed beet red, her eyes filled with humiliation.

’I knew it!’ she thought. ’I knew Melody Summers wouldn’t forgive me!’

’Apologizing to her just gives her more opportunities to humiliate me.’

Maisie Lynch’s once-pale face was now crimson. She gritted her teeth and managed to say, "I... I shouldn’t have conspired with others to slander you. I promise, it will never happen again... I’m begging you, please be merciful and spare me..."

"...I don’t have the money to compensate you right now... I don’t have a single cent on me. If I get kicked out, I’ll freeze to death on the side of the road..."

Maisie Lynch finished her incoherent speech and then wished she could bury her head in a crack in the floor, not daring to look at Melody Summers at all.

Melody Summers was silent for a moment. Then, under Maisie Lynch’s despairing gaze, she looked up at Officer Sean Pierce and said, "Then let Maisie Lynch and Ivan Warren atone through labor. Have them clear the snow for the property management center, unpaid. If the center needs anything else, they can do volunteer work for them too."

Hearing this, Maisie Lynch’s body jolted. She snapped her head up, her face a mask of disbelief.

She stared wide-eyed at Melody Summers, her lips trembling slightly, her voice quavering, "Is... is that all?"

Melody Summers was actually letting her off this easily?

How was this possible?

Shouldn’t she have given her a hard time and then kicked her out of the community?

Maisie Lynch’s eyes were filled with confusion. She tried to find some answers on Melody Summers’s face, but Melody’s expression was calm and indifferent, without the slightest ripple, betraying no emotion.

Officer Sean Pierce said from the side, "Let’s go with that, then."

He then pointed at Ivan Warren and Maisie Lynch and said, "You two, report to the property management center tomorrow. You’ll perform six months of free labor, with your work hours and duties to be determined by them." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"The property management center will report your performance back to us. If you slack off or fail to cooperate with their arrangements, we will pursue further charges against you!"

Maisie Lynch, hearing this, nodded blankly.

For her, this was the best possible outcome—certainly better than being thrown out of the community to freeze to death on the roadside.

Ivan Warren had wanted to struggle a bit, to try and distance himself from the situation, but under the stern gazes of the two police officers, he didn’t dare say anything more and could only agree meekly.

After the matter was settled, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton, Maisie Lynch, and Ivan Warren left, dejected.

At this point, only Melody Summers and the two police officers were left in the emergency office.

Officer Tristan Tanner chuckled and patted Melody Summers’s shoulder, speaking in a slightly teasing tone, "I’m surprised. That was a pretty kind way to handle things! Nowadays, kind people get taken advantage of. Be careful they don’t come looking for trouble again."

Melody Summers smiled at his words and replied, "Am I kind? I wouldn’t call it kindness. Didn’t I just swindle them out of five million?"

Five million was no small sum for the Sutton Family now, and six months of free labor was half a year—that wouldn’t be easy either.

Melody Summers believed that this time, they should have learned their lesson.

Then, as if remembering something, Melody Summers asked, "Oh, right, about Gene Young and Yvonne York—were there any results from that investigation? Did the couple do anything wrong?"

Gene Young was the "Chrome Dome" who had tried to scam an extra share of winter supplies in the square.

And Yvonne York was "Chrome Dome’s" wife, the "Ramen Head" who had threatened to set the supplies on fire.

Officer Sean Pierce shook his head. "We haven’t found anything unusual about that couple for the time being."

Officer Sean Pierce had observed them for a while. Other than occasionally leaving early and coming back late, there was nothing else strange about the pair.

If they wanted to conduct a more in-depth investigation, they would have to notify the police department to open a formal case. However, there was currently no evidence to suggest the couple’s behavior was abnormal, so a case couldn’t be filed.

Melody Summers nodded silently. She hoped that, in this lifetime, the couple would stay out of trouble and not do anything to harm others...